A secret, invitation-only auction for a single Andy Warhol portrait of Brigitte Bardot was held at a private bar in New York on November 19, 2025, during the major public auction week. Organized by the online platform Fair Warning and presided over by former Christie's auctioneer Jussi Pylkkänen, the event attracted elite collectors and resulted in a $16.7 million sale, making it the most expensive Warhol of the season.
This event exemplifies a growing trend of private, off-grid auctions driven by a demand for secrecy and top-tier masterpieces among ultra-wealthy buyers. It signals a structural shift in the high-end art market, where a contraction since 2022 and an exodus of auction veterans to the private sector are fueling a hybrid model that blends the drama of an auction with the discretion of a private sale, all while the broader market rebounds selectively for only the rarest, most iconic works.