The art market through the seasons: London at the fore of the art market in June

[16/06/2002]

  Prestigious auctions are increasingly concentrated in the same places and during specific seasons. By holding high-profile events at the same time and in the same place when the art season is at its peak auction houses can achieve economies of scale. They seek to galvanise the media with press conferences and other events so as to attract collectors to a sale of some exceptional particularly sought-after pieces. The heightened competition centred on two or three themed auctions increases the probability of higher bids, and often leads to new record hammer prices. In this way, the big houses can orchestrate the art world’s season around successive themes. And following the pace set by Sotheby’s and Christie’s keeps the art market international, strong and lively.

The technique has made New York, London and Paris unmissable venues. Year after year, there are regular themed auctions. New York is at its liveliest in May and November. Sotheby’s and Christie’s traditionally hold auctions of impressionist, modern and contemporary works of art there. Again in May this year, we saw a fresh wave of record hammer prices in the US, notably for Constantin BRANCUSI‘s sculpture la Danaïde which went for USD16.5 million.

Europe takes up the running in June. Prestigious auctions have become increasingly frequent since the start of the year in a clear sign that France and the UK are gaining market share from the US.
Art enthusiasts can attend a sale of 19th Century paintings in Paris between 24 and 27 June and London hosts several major art auctions including sales of impressionist and modern works between 24 and 26 June. Among the most eagerly awaited is Sotheby’s auction of Claude MONET‘s Nymphéas on 24 June (estimated at GBP10-15 million) and Christie’s auction of Pablo PICASSO‘s nu au collier (1932) the following day, with an estimate of GBP6-9 million. These evening auctions are particularly popular. Finally, contemporary art collectors will gather on 27-28 June to bid for photographic prints, paintings and sculptures, which have dominated recent market trends. Selection of prestigious auctions
for 1st semester 2001 Selection of prestigious auctions
for 1st semester 2002 dates Places Themes of sales 23-janu 24-janu New-York Old Master Drawings 25-janu 26-janu New-York Old Master Paintings 05-febr 06-febr London Impressionist and Modern Art 06-febr 09-febr London Contemporary Art 29-march 30-march London 19th Century European Paintings 01-apr 01-apr Singapore Southeast Asian Pictures and 20th Century Indian Pictures 15-apr 16-apr Tel Aviv 19th & 20th Century Art International and Israeli Art 18-apr 26-apr New-York Photographs 23-apr 24-apr Amsterdam 19th Century European Paintings 25-apr 26-apr London Old Master Paintings 29-apr 30-apr Hong-Kong Fine Modern and Contemporary Chinese Paintings 30-apr 02-may New-York 19th Century European Art 07-may 08-may Melbourne Australian and International Paintings 07-may 10-may New-York Impressionist and Modern Art 08-may 09-may Amsterdam Old Master Paintings 14-may 18-may New-York Contemporary Art 30-may 01-june New-York Latin American Art 06-june 19-june London 19th Century European Paintings, Watercolours and Drawings 08-june 14-june London 20th Century British Art 11-june 12-june Amsterdam Modern and Contemporary Art 12-june 13-june Milano Old Master Paintings 15-june 19-june Paris Old Master Paintings 22-june 23-june Paris Modern and Contemporary Art 26-june 28-june London Impressionist and Modern Art dates Places Themes of sales 23-janu 25-janu New-York Old Master Drawings 24-janu 25-janu New-York Old Master Paintings 04-febr 06-febr London Impressionist and Modern Art 06-febr 08-febr London Contemporary Art 04-march 05-march Köbenhavn Paintings 20-march 21-march London Impressionist and Modern Art 21-march 21-march Paris Old Master Drawings 21-march 22-march Paris Photographs 22-march 25-march Zürich Old Master and Modern Paintings 06-apr 06-apr Tel Aviv 19th & 20th Century Art 07-apr 07-apr Singapore Southeast Asian Paintings 09-apr 11-apr London Impressionist and Modern Art 17-apr 18-apr London Old Master Paintings 17-apr 18-apr New-York Photographs 23-apr 24-apr Amsterdam 19th Century European Art 23-apr 24-apr New-York 19th Century Art 23-apr 24-apr Stockholm Modern and Contemporary Art 28-apr 28-apr Hong-Kong Modern and Contemporary Art 01-may 02-may Melbourne Australian & International Art 07-may 09-may New-York Impressionist and Modern Art 14-may 16-may New-York Contemporary Art 22-may 28-may New-York American Paintings – Latin American Art 05-june 07-june London Old Master Paintings 24-june 27-june Paris 19th Century Paintings 24-june 26-june London Impressionist and Modern Art 27-june 28-june London Post War and Contemporary