Christie’s fall marquee 20th century evening sales on Monday night brought in a combined $690 million with fees, well above the pre-sale low estimate of $534.7 million. The double-header auction included 18 lots from the collection of the late Robert and Patricia Ross Weis, featuring works by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Piet Mondrian, and Mark Rothko, followed by a 62-lot sale with pieces by Alexander Calder, David Hockney, and Alberto Giacometti. The sell-through rate was 97% by value and 96% by lot, with only one lot withdrawn and three failing to sell. Notable bidding wars involved adviser Ralph DeLuca, who secured Henri Matisse’s "Figure et bouquet (Tête ocre)" for $32.3 million and Marc Chagall’s "Le songe du Roi David" after intense competition.
The $690 million total represents a 41% increase over Christie’s equivalent sale in May 2025, which brought in $489 million, and significantly outperforms the $486 million generated in November 2024. The strong results signal sustained demand for top-tier 20th century art, particularly from prestigious single-owner collections, despite broader economic uncertainties. The depth of bidding—with 16 lots selling at or above high estimates—indicates that collectors remain willing to compete aggressively for blue-chip works, reinforcing Christie’s dominant position in the high-end auction market.