Christie’s kicked off the fall auction season in New York with a two-part 20th-century art sale that brought in approximately $690 million, led by Mark Rothko’s *No. 31 Yellow Stripe (1958)*, which sold for $62.2 million. The evening featured 18 works from the collection of Robert F. and Patricia G. Ross Weis, totaling $218 million, followed by a 61-lot main sale that realized $471.7 million. Other top lots included Claude Monet’s *Nymphéas (1907)* at $45.4 million and a new auction record for Beauford Delaney’s *The Sage Black (1967)* at $1.5 million.
The strong results suggest the art market may be stabilizing after months of uncertainty, with Christie’s setting estimates aligned to current market conditions. The $690 million total significantly exceeded the $486 million from the same sale last year, indicating renewed buyer confidence and competitive bidding. The sale’s success, driven by third-party guarantees and strategic reserves, signals a potential turning point for the auction season and broader market sentiment.