SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- Bonhams auction of Prints & Multiples achieved more than $2.2 million with a 91 percent sell through rate by value on October 21 in San Francisco.
The sale, which was simulcast in Los Angeles, was led by a complete portfolio of Andy Warhol's "Flowers," 1970, which brought $425,000, falling well within in its pre-sale estimate range. It comprised 10 signed screenprints in colors on wove paper.
Highlights by Pablo Picasso also made waves in the sale. His colored lithograph "Figure au Corsage Rayé," 1949, sold for $87,500 (est. $50,000-70,000) while "La Dame à la Collerette (Portrait de Jacqueline à la Fraise)," 1963, took in $40,000.
Also impressive was an Edward Ruscha lithograph on wove paper of Hollywood in the Rain, 1969, which flew past its pre-sale estimate of $5,000-7,000 to bring $60,000. Also achieving $60,000 was a Lucian Freud etching of "Woman with an Arm Tattoo," 1996.
Richard Diebenkorns "Large Light Blue, a spitbite aquatint work from "Eight Color Etchings," 1980, also stood out, selling for $50,000. Another Diebenkorn work among seven signed and numbered prints by Niki de Saint Phalle, Sam Francis, David Hockney, Ellsworth Kelly, Robert Rauschenberg, Jean Tinguely and Andy Warhol, was notable as well, bringing $27,500. The prints comprised the portfolio "Eight by Eight to Celebrate the Temporary Contemporary," 1984, from the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.
Rounding out the sales highlights was an Edvard Munch drypoint and aquatint in dark brown ink of "Consolation," 1894, which brought $47,500, and a Joan Miro colored aquatint of "Pitre Rose," 1974, which took in $37,500, ahead of an estimate of $20,000-30,000.