LONDON.- Bonhams new Prints & Multiples sale, Hot Off the Press, proved a hit on Wednesday 19 April at Bonhams New Bond Street, London. The top lot of the sale was The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011 (twenty eleven) - 6 May from a series of iPad drawings by David Hockney R.A. (British, born 1937), which sold for £277,500 against a pre-sale estimate of £100,000 - 150,000.
The 167-lot sale, which showcased some of the best contemporary prints and recent editions, made a total of £1,199,200 with 79% sold by lot and 99% sold by value.
Other highlights of the sale included:
Banksy (British, born 1974), Girl with Balloon, sold for £82,200, whilst Banksys Di-Faced Tenner (Pink) sold for £69,600.
Harland Miller (British, born 1964), I am the one I've been waiting for (Unique). Sold for £63,300.
Yayoi Kusama (Japanese, born 1929), Pumpkin 2000 (Red)(Kusama 299). Sold for £35,580.
Sir Peter Blake R.A. (British, born 1932), 100 Sources of Pop Art. Sold for £10,800.
The launch of the sale also formed the backdrop for Bonhams After Hours event on Monday 17 April, where Bonhams offered two exclusive print releases by The Connor Brothers, both in editions of 30; A Beautiful Fiction, offered in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT), and True Love, created especially to mark the launch of the sale, with a percentage also donated to TCT. A Beautiful Fiction, which was available to purchase on the evening on a first-come-first-served basis, was 100% sold on the night, with £40,000 raised for TCT during the course of the evening. Two uniquely hand-coloured versions of the two editions were auctioned during the live sale, raising further funds in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust, achieving £3,570 each.
Carolin von Massenbach, Bonhams Head of Prints & Multiples, commented: Hot Off the Press is such a fantastic concept and we are absolutely delighted with the results of the sale. Contemporary editions are very hot right now, and with this new sale offering some of the biggest and best names around, it is no wonder it captivated collectors. We are particularly delighted with the result of the aptly named and extraordinary springtime print by Hockney. We would also like to say a huge thank you to The Connor Brothers for partnering with us and for helping us raise funds for the significant charitable work Teenage Cancer Trust does.
Teenage Cancer Trust commented: We would like to say a heartfelt thank you to The Connor Brother, to Bonhams, to those who bought a print, and to those who donated at Bonhams After Hour event it means the world to us. Today, and every day, seven young people in the UK, will hear the words you have cancer. We urgently need your help to be there for every one of them, so no young person has to face the trauma of cancer alone. We thank all those involved for their continued support and for making such a huge difference to the young people we support.