None of the major photography auctions in New York reached their upper estimates last month. Christie’s 42-lot evening sale on 5 October realised $1.1m against its $3.9m presale top estimate, and almost half the lots (44%) failed to find buyers. Its 174-lot day sale on 6 October was also dismal, bringing in $1.7m against a $3.8m presale high estimate; as on the previous day, only 56% of lots sold. Rival Sotheby’s held one event during the day on 7 October, which made $3.3m with 60% of the 223 lots selling (est $3.8m-$5.7m), including Robert Mapplethorpe’s Man in Polyester Suit (1980; est $250,000-$350,000), which sold for $478,000, making it the week’s top lot. Meanwhile, Phillips held two day events on 8 October. Its main auction made $2.6m against a $5.2m presale high estimate, with 68% of the 195 lots selling. Its single-collection sale also fell short of its $1.9m high estimate, making $1.7m with 77% of the 53 lots selling.
