Auction Watch: Helen Frankenthaler and David Hockney Top Performers in Christie’s Print Sale

While it is not uncommon for print sales to feature predominantly male blue chip artists, Christie’s sale included several standout works by American Post-War artist Helen Frankenthaler. Though Frankenthaler began her printmaking journey in 1961, her print market has recently seen notable growth, with a remarkable 457% year-on-year increase in 2022, reflecting rising interest and demand in this medium of her work. This enthusiasm was evident when Book Of Clouds–a multimedia piece with hand-colouring, in a limited edition of 30 plus twelve artist proofs–achieved $214,200 with fees, surpassing its $150,000 high estimate and ranking among the top lots of the sale. Additionally, Frankenthaler’s screenprint Flirt, a dedication proof, outperformed its $15,000 high estimate, with a sale of $27,720.

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David Hockney was another top performer in the sale, contributing significantly by volume with 14 works, of which eleven sold. Among the highest-selling lots was a piece from The Arrival of Spring series. Despite their rarity this year, demand for these prints has not declined; rather, collectors may be holding onto them, anticipating more favourable market conditions. In 2023, 21 prints from the series circulated in the market, but in 2024, this sale marked only the eighth to come to auction.

The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011 (twenty eleven) - 30 March 2011, an edition of 25, made its second auction appearance and set a new benchmark value, achieving $327,600 with fees. Another notable record came from Hotel Acatlán: Two Weeks Later, a regular edition, surpassing the previous record set by an artist proof (AP) in 2022, achieving $176,400 with fees.

Two potentially trending Hockney works were two digital iPad self-portrait prints, Self Portrait, 20 March 2012 and Self Portrait, 14 March 2012, which sold for $52,920 and $50,400 with fees, respectively–each exceeding their high estimates. These works are relatively new to the market, and their high performance highlights ongoing collector interest in Hockney’s digital explorations.

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Andy Warhol’s presence in Christie’s sale was underscored by high-value lots featuring his most iconic imagery and several new auction records. Reflecting strong collector confidence in recognisable works, a regular edition of Chicken Noodle Soup set a new record, achieving $107,100 with fees, an impressive 78% above its $60,000 presale estimate, while a unique Flowers proof sold for $176,400, surpassing its $120,000 estimate. Warhol’s Double Mickey Mouse ranked as the sale’s second-highest lot, meeting expectations with a final price of $630,000. Demonstrating current market trends, Warhol’s Cowboys and Indians series also performed well, with Northwest Coast Mask setting a new record at $40,320 with fees, surpassing its previous high of £28,643 (GBP) from December 2020, and Indian Head Nickel achieving $94,500 against a $70,000 estimate.

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This year’s print auctions have highlighted the range within Roy Lichtenstein's print portfolio, one of the most active by volume among American Pop artists. Just as collectors may be holding back Hockney’s Arrival of Spring prints, perhaps awaiting more favourable market conditions, collector's might also be holding onto Lichtenstein’s most coveted Nudes series. In this sale, Christie’s showcased Lichtenstein's complete set of his Bulls Series from the 1970s in various edition numbers. This iconic set sold for $107,100, comfortably above its $80,000 presale estimate, illustrating demand, though collectors still favour sets with matching edition numbers. Additionally, a single print from the series, Bull IV, set a new auction record, selling for $21,420 and surpassing the previous high of £14,381 (GBP) set in 2017.

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We’re closely tracking Keith Haring’s print market, which has shown a slight volume increase compared to the same period last year. Notable performances at Christie’s sale suggest a possible uplift in the average selling price for Haring’s prints, reflecting continued confidence in the blue chip segment. In this sale, the complete set of Chocolate Buddha sold for $63,000, and USA 19-82 achieved a new record at $44,100 with fees, surpassing its previous record of £31,816 set in 2021.

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