MILAN.- This two-day sale raised a result of 70,6 % sold with excellent prices set for good quality works with updated estimates.
Stefano Moreni, responsible of the sale, comments: Along with this November results I would like to underline that
Sothebys has raised in Italy the best annual total ever for contemporary art and 2008 total is 25.083.080 (+ 4% on 2007).
The 3 sale catalogues offered a total of 286 lots, showing a constant and progressive selectiveness according to an International sale strategy.
Among the best sold of the sale we would like to mention Cy Twombly (lot 247, doubling its starting estimate and selling for 432,750 and the wide rug by Boetti cover of the sale catalogue part 1 - which raised 408.750.
The private collection offered in a single catalogue has set interesting prices for Dorazio (lot124 and 111), Scanavino (lot 110) , Melotti (lo115) and Daniel Spoerris Tableau piège (eaten by Gilbert and George and Schum) has doubled its starting estimate ( lot 133, sold for 40.350).
The second small and refined private group says Raphaelle Blanga, specialist of the department - published in the centre of the catalogue part 1 has raised good prices for lot 230, Castellani, with 204.750 (all the works by this artist offered in the auction have been sold, see for example also lot 251, Superficie bianca, 1969, whose starting estimate has been more than doubled). Good results also fetched for Jean Dubuffet ( lot 237), for the two works by Klein ( lot239 and lot 245) and a brilliant price set for Blue Daughters of air by Sam Francis that from an estimate of 60/80.000 has been sold for 102.750.
Among the Transavanguardia artists of the sale, interesting prices has been raised by Clemente and De Maria and an excellent result has been realized also for the wide 1984 work by Mimmo Paladino titled Vespero selling for 216.750.
Vasarely and Carlos Cruz Diez are in constant growing. Cruz Diez (lot 254) with Physichromie n. 655 dated 1973 has been sold for 78.750.
Asta Cielare II by Arnaldo Pomodoro, a bronze sculpture coming from an American private collection, has raised 90.750.