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Collecting
Newsworthy Items
World's largest collection of Friedlander's photographs The Yale University Art Gallery and Yale’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library announce the acquisition of the Lee Friedlander Archive. Friedlander is one of America’s most prolific and original photographers. The acquisition makes the Yale University Art Gallery holder of the world's largest collection of Friedlander’s works and includes 2,000 of Friedlander’s master prints. Ansel Adams series sells for $40,000 7 December 2009. In Christie’s auction a Special Edition of Fine Prints by Ansel Adams (1902-1984) realised $40,000 ($10,000 above high estimate). A series of Photographs of Yosemite comprising 18 gelatin silver prints, each signed, titled and baring edition stamp - proof that signed, dated and titled art works - especially works on paper - sell well within their category. Solid photography auction results The most recent auction sales in Photography showed decent returns. Sotheby’s sale in New York in March 2009 achieved sales of $2,384,690 whilst Christie’s, also held in New York in March, raised less with $1,554,250 total sales. Sotheby’s sold 64% by lot and 69% by value, whilst Christie's had slightly higher sales ratios selling 71% by lot and 66% by value. Works by Robert Mapplethorpe topped both auctions. “Calla Lily”, as seen below, was the top lot sold at Christie’s selling for $122,500 and Mapplethorpe's “The Coral Sea” sold for $98,500 at Sotheby’s, the latter of which was below its estimate.
Christie’s Images Ltd. 2009 The Icons of Glamour and Style: The Constantiner Collection Part I auction, which took place at Christie’s in New York in December 2008, had remarkable results, despite the fact that it was held in the midst of a financial recession. 88% of the pieces sold by lot and 93% by value, which is significantly better than the art auction result of the previous month. The auction had a number of world records as well. A record high for a single owner photograph collection was set with the sale of the Constantiner Collection for $7.7 million. The auction featured the largest selection of works by Helmut Newton, which included a new world record with the sale of Sie Kommen for $662,500. Largest Marilyn Monroe Photography Collection to Hit the Market Bert Stern’s The Last Sitting comprised of images from the 1962 photo shoot of Marilyn Monroe for American Vogue. These images, which captured Monroe six weeks before her death, sold at Christie's in New York in December 2008 for $146,500 – a world auction record. This was the largest collection of photographs of Marilyn Monroe to appear on the market. 
Christie’s Images Ltd. 2009 Guy Bourdin’s, Fashion Study, French Vogue, circa 1975, sold for $4,750, the upper end of its limit of $3,000 - $5,000. This sold on 12th February 2009 as part of the Constantiner Collection Part II.
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Christie’s Images Ltd. 2009 The Icons of Glamour and Style: The Constantiner Collection Part II Part II of The Constantiner Collection went on sale on the 12th February 2009 in New York. The Collection, which contained 155 lots, focused on photography and included works by Helmut Newton, Horst P. Horst, Tom Staebler, Guy Bourdin, Jeanloup Sieff and Bert Stern. The Helmut Newton piece Sie Kommen (Dressed) and (Naked), 1981 was by far the star of the show, selling for $242,500. Its estimate was $150,000 - $250,000. |
| Although historically the value of works of photography has risen over long-term periods, there have been periods where this has not been the case. There is no guarantee that the photography market will continue to rise in the future. | |
