Christie's 20th/21st Century: London Evening Sale during Frieze Week 2025 achieved £106.9 million, up 30% year-on-year, with a 90% sell-through rate by value. The top lot was Peter Doig's 'Ski Jacket' (1994), which sold for £14.27 million after intense bidding, far exceeding its £6 million low estimate. Eight additional lots from the Ole Faarup Collection, including another Doig painting 'Country Rock' (£9.21 million), contributed significantly to the total. The sale marked Christie's highest London Frieze Week evening sale total in seven years, with 67% of lots fresh to auction and strong bidding from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and Asia.
This result matters because it signals renewed confidence in the high-end art market, particularly for works with exceptional provenance and fresh-to-market status. The 23% overall increase in London season sales, combined with more than half of lots selling above high estimates, suggests collectors are prioritizing quality and rarity over quantity. The strong performance of the Ole Faarup Collection, which benefited the Ole Faarup Art Foundation, also highlights the enduring appeal of blue-chip contemporary artists like Peter Doig, Chris Ofili, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, while demonstrating that estate sales can generate both philanthropic impact and robust auction results.