Phillips’ Modern & Contemporary Art Evening Sale on May 19 achieved a white-glove result, totaling $115.2 million across 41 lots—a 122 percent increase from May 2025. The sale saw strong performances from works by Lee Bontecou, Salman Toor, and Cecily Brown, with Bontecou’s 1985 pastel on canvas setting a record for a two-dimensional work by the artist at $4.2 million. Other top lots included Andy Warhol’s *Sixteen Jackies* (1964) at $16.2 million, a Monet landscape at $9.3 million, and a Joan Mitchell at $6.9 million. Notably, less than half of the lots were guaranteed, with Phillips’ Priority Bidding incentive—offering a 4 percent discount on buyer’s premium—contributing to the strong results, as more than half of the lots attracted such bids.
This sale matters because it demonstrates how innovative bidding incentives and strategic pre-planning can drive auction success even without the blockbuster estates that dominate headlines at rival houses. The Priority Bidding program, introduced in July 2025, appears to have effectively encouraged competitive bidding and boosted sell-through rates, potentially reshaping how auction houses engage buyers. Additionally, the sale’s inclusion of niche regional markets—such as Danish art from the collection of Ambassador John L. Loeb Jr., which saw records for P.S. Krøyer—highlights Phillips’ ability to tap specialized collecting communities and attract institutional buyers, signaling a broader trend toward targeted, curated sales in the auction market.