In 2008, the market saw an increase in prices of pictures and a significant increase in demand, so the number of trades was quite large. Christie's, Sotheby's and Phillips de Pury had at least 23 of the auction, which brought together 53 million dollars in 2009, the number of specialized trades dropped to 14, and annual profit compared with 2008 decreased by 62%. Last year also there has been a downturn in the sector of expensive pictures, the price of which exceeds 10 thousand U.S. to sell them was quite difficult. In New York trading the share of such photos has decreased from 33,8 to 19,7%, and London - from 39 to 28%.

• Robert Mapplethorpe Calla. 1984
  Source: sothebys.com

This year, photos of high priced again returned to the auction site. Following the April auction in New York, their number had increased to 36,5%, while in London - up to 30,8%. However, judging by the results of the May auction in London, the final restoration of the market too early to speak. At Sotheby's auction on May 20 almost 64%of lots have not found their buyers, and the total size of the profit amounted to 931.7 thousand pounds. This is roughly the average between 1.5 million dollars received by May 13 "fat" in 2008, and 575 thousand dollars, the proceeds on May 19 "crisis" in 2009.

the May auction Sotheby's in general did not start very well: the first five lots have not attracted the attention of participants of the auction. The first study, which was sold, was shot "of Strasbourg Boulevard" Eugene Atget (Eugene Atget). Price it never rose above the estimate and amounted to 15 thousand pounds. Another lot of La Villette. Rue Asselin "by the same author to the lower estimeyta do not have lasted, and offered 19 thousand pounds. Bidding considerably brightened when buyers were invited to ten photographs Brass (Brassaï), which eventually sold for 15 thousand pounds in the Estima in 9-12 thousand Great interest has also generated "Calla" Robert Mapplethorpe (Robert Mapplethorpe), which is sold by auction for 85 thousand pounds, exceeding the upper estimeyt to 25 thousand But the real star of the May auction was Irving Penn (Irving Penn).

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After the death of photographer in October last year, collectors have actively sought out his work. In response to this increasing demand auctioneers significantly increased the sentence: the period from January to May 2010 at the auction was put up 98 of his photographs (to compare: in 2009 it was suggested that only 67). April 14 Christie's even held a special auction of photos by Irvin Penn from the collection of the artist's assistant Patricia McCabe (Patricia McCabe) , at which seven papers were sold for amounts ranging from 110 to 260 thousand U.S. As for Sotheby's auction on May 20, then shot Penn "Two liquor. New York has exceeded the lower estimeyt twice and left the milk for 120 thousand pounds. Another surprise to the organizers presented the portrait of Pablo Picasso. The price for it was three times more pre-assessment and has made 100 thousand pounds. Thus, Penn confidently took first place in the leader specialized May Sotheby's auction pictures and Christie's in London. The most expensive work at Christie's shot was "Fire. Paris, which had a preliminary assessment of 10-15 thousand pounds, but as a result of inherited buyer for the entire 72 thousand

• Irving Penn Fire . Paris. 1950
  Source: christies.com

May 21 at Christie's auction set a record for the work "The Elephant in the clouds of dust" Nick Brandt (Nick Brandt), for which buyer has paid 38 thousand pounds. Slightly more expensive - up to 42 thousand pounds - was sold to the picture "view of the Nile" Gustave Le Gray (Gustave Le Gray).

Auction Photo Phillips de Pury also not been without significant results. Portfolio of Robert Mapplethorpe got a buyer for 60 thousand pounds. Snapshot Helena Christensen (Helene Christensen), made by Peter Lindbergh (Peter Lindbergh), went under the hammer for 48 thousand pounds. The price of a portrait of Audrey Hepburn (Audry Hepburn) of Irwin Penna ostigla mark in 39 thousand pounds. And the photo "Untitled" Gregory Crewdson (Gregory Crewdson) from the series "Twilight" was sold for 25 thousand pounds.

• NICK BRANDT elephant in the clouds of dust. 2004
  Source: christies.com

While the market for photography has not yet returned to a million records in 2007 (for example, work by Richard Prince, (Richard Prince) or Andreas Gursky (Andreas Gursky)). However, he was already noticeably better, and seems to be "patient" is getting better.

material prepared Ekaterina Guseva, AI

Sources: artprice.com , artinvestment.ru