Phillips de Pury & Company demonstrated renewed strength in the market delivering exceptional results this evening in the biggest ever sale of the company which totaled $137,028,00.

The groundbreaking inaugural auction at 450 Park Avenue comprised 59 lots selling 92.08% by value and 88.14% by lot.

Electric bidding in the room and on the telephones for Andy Warhol’s Men in Her Life, 1962, which sold for an outstanding $63,362,500. World records broken for Felix Gonzalez Torres “Untitled” (Portrait of Marcel Brient), 1992, sold for $4,562,500; Cindy Sherman Untitled #153 sold for $2,770,500 and spirited bidding for two other world records for Rudolf Stingel Untitled sold for $2,658,500 and Thomas Schütte Grosse Geist No. 16 sold for $4,114,500. The first of the new Carte Blanche auctions masterminded by Philippe Ségalot was a triumph for Phillips de Pury & Company and continues its tradition as an innovator in the art market.

“It was a real pleasure to work closely with Philippe Ségalot who with the début of Carte Blanche has created a milestone for a new type of auction. I’m thrilled with what is the most successful auction in the history of the company and our greatest night ever. The new building, besides being ideally located in midtown Manhattan, has shown to be a great exhibition space coupled with a state-of-the-art sale room.” Simon de Pury, Chairman of Philips de Pury & Company.

“Curating the first Carte Blanche sale was a true challenge and I enjoyed the experience from start to finish. I am thankful to Phillips for the opportunity and wish my successor bonne chance.” Philippe Ségalot.

Carte Blanche Overview – the sale totaled $117,055,000, selling 95.49% by value and 90.90% by lot with 7 world records.

Contemporary Art Part I Overview – the sale totaled $19,973,000, selling 69.54% by value and 84.61% by lot with 2 world records.

Carte Blanche and Contemporary Art Part I Top lots:
• Lot 15 Andy Warhol, Men in Her Life $63,362,500
• Lot 10 Takashi Murakami, Miss ko2, $6,802,500
• Lot 8 Jean-Michel Basquiat, Self-Portrait, $4,562,500
• Lot 4 Felix Gonzalez-Torres, “Untitled” (Portrait of Marcel Brient), $4,562,500
• Lot 115 Ed Ruscha, Sex at Noon Taxes, $4,338,500
• Lot 32 Thomas Schütte, Grosse Geist No. 16, $4,114,500
• Lot 116 Roy Lichtenstein, Two Figures, Indian, $3,890,500
• Lot 20 Christopher Wool, Untitled (W 24), $3,666,500
• Lot 23 Robert Ryman, NO TITLE REQUIRED, $3,442,500
• Lot 6 Maurizio Cattelan, Charlie, $2,994,500

Artist world records:
Carte Blanche
• Lot 4 Felix Gonzalez-Torres, “Untitled” (Portrait of Marcel Brient), $4,562,500
• Lot 14 Cindy Sherman, Untitled #153, $2,770,500
• Lot 25 Daniel Buren, Peinture email sur toile de cotton, $542,500
• Lot 26 Lee Lorano, No Title, $602,500
• Lot 27 Robert Morris, Untitled, $1,258,500
• Lot 29 Rudolf Stingel, Untitled, $2,658,500
• Lot 32 Thomas Schütte, Grosse Geist No. 16, $4,114,500

Contemporary Art Part I
• Lot 124 Wade Guyton, Untitled, $302,500
• Lot 125 Martin Creed, Work no. 202: Half the air in a given space, $98,500