Christies ‘Photographs’ Auction results

On 12th November was the first of Christies two photography auctions this month. The ‘Photographs’ auction was held at Christies Paris with 100 lots available, including the rare and controversial ‘Man in Polyester Suit’ by Robert Mapplethorpe (below), which was estimated to sell for €180,000–250,000, yet sold for €381,500. The gelatine silver print came from a private collection in Arizona and was the most expensive lot sold at the auction.

Other successful lots came from Joseph-Philbert Girault de Prangey, whose ’23 Rome Jupiter Tonnant’ (1842) sold for €175,500 with an original estimation of €30,000-€50,000, and ’74 Pres d’alexandria le Desert’ (1842), which sold for €133,500 with an estimation for €40,000-€60,000. Both Daguerreotypes came from a private French collection.

Richard Avedon’s ‘Dovima with Elephants’ has previously been the photographer’s most expensive photograph sold at auction ($1,151,976 Christie’s Paris, November 2005), yet this 28th edition of the gelatin silver print sold for only €51,900 at this auction.

To view all lots from this auction click here