~PHILLIPS CONTEMPORARY PART II/NYC/NOV 13

NOV 13 at 10am & 2pm.
this 2 part day – seems to have a lot of dead weight – but there are still – a few surprises !!
you’ll notice the (almost) lead item in both auctions, that is in both days – PART I & II – is a recently deceased, as in dead, young person. DASH SNOW rollin’ in his super fresh grave – to-nite.
the artworld – ain’t it a bitch !!

auction - basket
LOT 102 (above)
STERLING RUBY
Untitled, 2006
Glazed ceramic. 8-1/2 x 17-1/2 x 11 in.
inscribed “SR 06” on the underside
ESTIMATE: $15,000-20,000
SOLD FOR: $15,000

auction Dash Snow eat shit
LOT 106 (above)
DASH SNOW
EAT SHIT AND DIE, 2005
Fujichrome Crystal Archive print mounted on Plexiglas, found chair and vintage record player, US dollar bill, plastic mask, adhesive, “cocaine”, and mirror.
ESTIMATE: $15,000-20,000
SOLD FOR: $18,750 – OMFG – whoever made this purchase – made a good good deal for himself !!
only time will tell – but, I bet even by this time – next year – this purchase – will prove to be – the best buy of the season.
hands down.

auction terrence Koh
LOT 123 (above)
TERENCE KOH
The Golden balls of my Youth, 2007
Bronze, 24 karat gold plating and wire. 10-7/8 x 9-5/8 x 5-1/2 in.
This work is form an edition of 5 plus 2 artist’s proofs and is intended to be installed at the height of the artist’s heart, approximately 49-1/4 in. from the floor.
ESTIMATE: $15,000-20,000
BIG SURPRISE – the TERENCE KOH failed to sell !!

auction Chuck close
LOT 133 (above)
CHUCK CLOSE
Self-Portrait, 2006
Jacquard tapestry with stainless steel brackets and rod. 99-1/2 x 77 x 3-1/2 in.
Signed “Chuck Close” on a label sewn to the reverse. This work is a publisher’s proof form an edition of 10 plus 3 artist’s and 3 publisher’s proofs.
ESTIMATE: $ 90,000-120,000
SOLD FOR: $158,500 !! – GOOD GOING, CHUCK !!

auction - john waters
LOT 136 (above)
JOHN WATERS (!!)
Playdate, 2006
2 figures comprised of Silicone, human and synthetic hair, cotton flannel and polar fleece.
(Michael) JACKSON & (Charles) MANSON.
Signed & titled “John Waters ‘Playdate'” & numbered of 5 on the reverse of the Manson figure.
This work is from an editon of 5.
ESTIMATE: $20,000-30,000
SOLD FOR: $25,000 – a respectable outing for JOHN WATERS.

auction carol bove
LOT 277 (above)
CAROL BOVE
Christine, 2001
ink on transparentized vellum. 40 x 30-1/2 in. initialed & dated “CB 01” lower left.
ESTIMATE: $9,000-12,000
THE CAROL BOVE FAILED TO SELL.

auction - kenny scharf
LOT 304 (above)
KENNY SCHARF
Stay Tuned, 1983 (!!)
oil and spray-paint on canvas. 24 x 47-3/4 in.
Signed, titled & dated “Kenny Scharf Stay Tuned 1983” on the reverse.
ESTIMATE: $30,000-40,000
SOLD FOR: $36,250 – and, he is lucky he got that. not what you would call one of his signature pieces.

auction Will Cotton
LOT 341 (above)
WILL COTTON
Insatiable, 1996
oil on canvas. 56-1/4 x 84 in.
Signed and dated “William Cotton 1996” on the overflap.
ESTIMATE: $25,000-35,000
THE WILL COTTON FAILED TO SELL. NO COMMENT. well OK. the bitches, oops I mean, witches brew at the recent SPADE & CO PARTNERS in CRIME – POP-UP BAKERY – didn’t help the brand. and, let’s leave it at that.

auction AYA
LOT 352 (above)
AYA TAKANO
Cyber-ero, 1997
ink & watercolor on paper. 9-3/4 x 7 in.
Artwork copyright 1997 Aya Takano/Kaikai Kiki Co. Ltd. All rights reserved.
ESTIMATE: $2,500-3,500
THE AYA TAKANO FAILED TO SELL. well, it was a pretty slim offering for the price, esp in these quality driven days.

auction - sterling ruby # 2
LOT 362 (above)
STERLING RUBY
Untitled Craft Geometry Study #1, 2005
Collaged inkjet print & felt-tip pen on archival paper. 13 x 19 in.
Signed & dated “Sterling Ruby 05” lower right.
ESTIMATE: $4,000-5,000
SOLD FOR: $4,375 but, STERLING RUBY realized a pretty good sale on his paper piece !!
FOXY PRODUCTION must be happy bout that.

see: PHILLIPS de PURY & COMPANY

UP-DATE: SAT NOV 14, 2009/7:17PM

analysis coming up shortly – it’s a big offering – but there was one serious miss !! and a few surprises !!

. . . . the biggest surprise, to me anyways, was how low that multi-part sculpture by DASH SNOW went for. a great opportunity for that buyer. get back to me in 10 years on that, even in 2. the SUE WILLIAMS, MIKE KELLEY(s), one of the RAYMOND PETTIBON(s), and even the AGNES MARTIN did not find buyers. KAREN KILIMNIK, I could never fathom the interest in that autistic puffery, went for $18,750 – just above the low ball estimate. Photography-wise – unless you had a beaut, you had no sale – auction regulars CINDY SHERMAN, LAURIE SIMMONS, an exceptionally boring photograph by OLAFUR ELISSON, and 3 really ugly ones by PAUL McCARTHY – and even an offering, also very banal, by RICHARD PRINCE – found no takers. duh. this is striking in light of the big coup the night before – on the DASH SNOW photo set !! are we finally !! seeing a changing of the guard ?!! the 2 photos that did sell well, a portrait by LORETTA LUX, and a staged scenario by GREGORY CREWDSON, were actually quite good, on second thought. the biggest reaper was the JEAN MICHEL BASQUIAT which went for $236,000 – well over it’s high estimate of $180,000. it’s also interesting to compare this action to the DASH SNOW assemblage – which opened the proceedings. maybe Phillips should have placed the DASH SNOW piece after this BASQUIAT ? to gain a better price for it. regarding ultra contemporary offerings: the ERIK PARKER was no sale, the HIDEAKI KAWASHINA was no sale. but the sharp, graphic, and forward looking retro-minimalist (what a contrast in style to the ERIK PARKER !!) MATTHEW BRANNON did well !! and yes !! I do like his work !!
see: MATTHEW BRANNON/OCT 2006 !!

to my mind – the big misstep – was the no sale of that weirdo DAVID SALLE offering. A pretty good-sized painting, 48 x 72 in. with an extremely reasonable estimate range of $50,000-70,000 found no taker ? com’ on guys – there is such a thing as falling out of flavor, I mean favor, but this piece was damn good and very different for Mr. Salle. somebody blew a big opportunity.

see: PHILLIPS CONTEMPORARY NYC, NOV 13, 2009

auction Jean michel
LOT 158 (above)
JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT
Two works: Nod and Untitled, 1986
acrylic, oilstick, nails, metal hardware and Xerox paper collage on wood and ink and paper collage on paper.
(i) signed and dated “Jean-Michel Basquiat 86” on the reverse of the box and (ii) signed and dated “Jean Michel Basquait Sept 16 or 18th 1986” lower right. (ii) is accompanied by a color Xerox signed “Jean-Michel Basquiat” on the reverse.
ESTIMATE: $120,000-180,000
SOLD FOR: $236,000.

auction Loretta Lux
LOT 240 (above)
LORETTA LUX
Milo 2, 2004
lifochrome print. 11-7/8 x 11-7/8 in. Signed, titled and dated “loretta Lux 2004 Milo 2” on the reverse.
This work is a printer’s proof from an edition of 20 plus one’s printer’s proof.
ESTIMATE: $5,000-7,000
SOLD FOR: $8,125.

auction Gregory Crewdson
LOT 241 (above)
GREGORY CREWDSON
Untitled (sleep walker), 1999
C-print. 47-1/2 x 59-1/2 in. Signed “Gregory Crewdson” on a label affixed to the reverse.
This work is an artist’s proof from an edition of 10 plus two artist’s proofs.
ESTIMATE: $10,000-15,000
SOLD FOR: $18,750.

auction david salle
LOT 305 (above)
DAVID SALLE
Pale Skin, 2005
oil on linen, 48 x 72 in. Signed, titled and dated “David Salle ‘Pale Skin’ 2005” on the reverse.
ESTIMATE: $50,000-70,000
NO SALE !!

auction Matthew Brannon
LOT 327 (above)
MATTHEW BRANNON
Two Works: The last thing you remember was staring at the little white tile (Hers) and The last thing you remember was staring at the little white tile (His), 2006
Letterpress on paper. 24 x 18 in. each.
Signed, dated and numbered “1/1 Matthew Brannon 2006” on the reverse.
These works are numbered one from an edition of one. (!!)
ESTIMATE: $8,000-12,000
SOLD FOR: $8,125.