Courtesy Christie's

Jean-Michel Basquiat's "Untitled (Boxer)" (1982) sold for $13,522,500 (estimate upon request in the region of $12 million).

Photo by David Gursky

Although the overall tally was low, three artist records were set at Christie's last night.

Alexander Calder Andy Warhol Yayoi Kusama Agnes Martin Roy Lichtenstein Gerhard Richter Francis Bacon Jean-Michel Basquiat

Send a letter to the Editor

Save to Del.icio.us Digg this

“The estimates and expectations have to come down a little bit, like 30 percent,” said New York art adviser Sandy Heller, who underbid on Takashi Murakami's DOB in the Strange Forest (DOB), which went to Segalot for $3,442,500 (est.$5–7 million). “But the buyers are still there, and that’s encouraging.”

The evening contemporary art action continues at Phillips de Pury and Company on Thursday with modest pre-sale expectations of $25–35 million for the 56 lots offered.

Judd Tully is Editor at Large of Art+Auction.