Robert Frank's Trolley, New Orleans realizes $663,750

Robert Frank - Trolley, New Orleans, 1955

NEW YORK, NY.- Christie's recent sale of Photographs in New York achieved $7,245,375 / £4,709,494 / €5,578,939, and was 93% sold by value and 84% by lot. The top lot of the sale was Robert Frank’s Trolley - New Orleans, 1955, which realized $663,750, setting a world auction record for the artist.

Philippe Garner, Christie’s International Director of 20th Century Decorative Art & Photographs, and the sale’s auctioneer commented: “Together, the sales of deLIGHTed eye: Modernist Masterworks from a Private Collection and Photographs realized a total of $14,899,500. It was a great pleasure to have taken both sales, which were met with impassioned bidding from collectors online, on the phone and in the room. The strength of these results is indicative of the thriving market for photographs, which continues to gain momentum with every sale.”

Deborah Bell, Christie’s Specialist Head of Department, Americas, commented: “The various owners sale of Photographs saw very strong results, and set several important auction records for artists including Robert Frank, Sante D’Orazio and Erwin Blumenfeld. We were also very pleased with the exceptional results achieved by two photographs by Francesca Woodman, Untitled, Providence, RI, 1975-1978 and Untitled, Rome, 1977-1978, which far exceeded their estimates when they realized $105,750 and $117,750 respectively. We look forward to seeing the same enthusiasm in the online-only auction of Photographs by Diane Arbus, which remains open for bidding through April 12.”

Together, the sales of the deLIGHTed eye: Modernist Masterworks from a Private Collection and Photographs set 13 important auction records:

 · Robert Frank (b. 1924) Trolley - New Orleans, 1955. Price Realized: $663,750 World Auction Record for the Artist · Erwin Blumenfeld (1897-1969), Dictator, Paris, 1937. Price Realized: $117,750 World Auction Record for the Artist · Sante D’Orazio (B. 1956), Pam Grid #1, 2010. Price Realized: $99,750 World Auction Record for the Artist · Man Ray (1890-1976), Untitled Rayograph, 1922. Price realized: $1,203,750 World Auction Record for a Photograph by the Artist · Jaroslav Rössler (1902-1990), Light Abstraction, 1923. Price realized: $62,500 World Auction Record for the Artist · Tina Modotti (1896-1942), Untitled (Texture and Shadow), 1924-1926. Price realized: $363,750 World Auction Record for the Artist · Adolph De Meyer (1868-1946), The Shadows on the Wall, Chrysanthemums, c. 1907. Price realized: $171,750 World Auction Record for the Artist · Francis Bruguière (1879-1945), Experiment, from 'The Way', c. 1925. Price realized: $123,750 World Auction Record for the Artist · Fortunato Depero (1892-1960), Message with Self Portraits, 1915. Price realized: $159,750 World Auction Record for the Artist · Anton Giulio Bragaglia (1889-1963), Salutando, 1911. Price Realized: $135,750 World Auction Record For The Artist · Paul Citroen (1896-1983), New York, 1919. Price Realized: $37,500 World Auction Record For The Artist · István Kerny (1879-1963), Neptun, 1916. Price Realized: $10,625 World Auction Record For The Artist · Paul Strand (1890-1976), Akeley Motion Picture Camera, New York, 1922. Price Realized: $783,750 World Auction Record For The Artist · Hans Finsler (1891-1972), Untitled, C. 1925. Price Realized: $22,500 World Auction Record For The Artist · Ludwig Hirschfeld-Mack (1893-1965). Reflected Light Composition, 1923. Price Realized: $46,250 World Auction Record For The Artist · Oscar Nerlinger (1896-1969), Katze, 1925. Price Realized: $10,000 World Auction Record For The Artist.

Man Ray - Untitled Rayograph, 1922