Christie's - La Collection Sam Josefowitz : Ensemble d'estampes fin de siècle

Executive Summary

The auction titled "La Collection Sam Josefowitz: Ensemble d'estampes fin de siècle" has provided a rich landscape to understand the current dynamics of the fin de siècle art market. With a focus on prints and drawings, the auction showcased a high sell-through rate of 98.32%, nearly selling all lots offered. This success is attributed to the diverse collection and the strategic inclusion of various price points, appealing to a broad base of collectors. The auction achieved a total hammer price value of €838,600, significantly surpassing the total median estimate of €663,425 by €175,175, an indicator of a strong market and perhaps a conservative initial appraisal.

The sale was dominated by well-known artists such as Odilon Redon, Max Klinger, and Edgar Degas, with Redon commanding the highest total sales by hammer price, as well as the largest number of lots sold. This was a clear indication of the high demand and the market’s valuation of his symbolic and mystical works. The analysis further revealed that mid-priced lots, particularly those in the €10,000 - €50,000 range, formed the backbone of the auction, contributing 50.32% of the total value. Meanwhile, the auction did not record sales in the highest bracket of over €100,000, which aligns with the absence of ultra-high-value items and supports the notion of a middle-market focused sale.

Key Insights

• Sell-through Success: Nearly all items found buyers, signifying a healthy demand for fin de siècle prints and drawings.
• Mid-Price Significance: Lots within the €10,000 - €50,000 range significantly influenced the auction's financial outcome, revealing the strength of the middle market.
• Artist Dominance: Odilon Redon emerged as the top-selling artist by both total value and number of lots sold, underscoring the collector appeal for his work.
• No Ultra-High-Value Sales: The absence of sales above €100,000 suggests a ceiling in the auction’s offerings or a deliberate curatorial choice to cater to mid-level collectors.
• Underperformers Noted: A small number of lots failed to sell, including works by Jens Ferdinand Willumsen, pointing to possible overestimation or limited market interest.