Phillips Adds Editions Sales to Meet Strong Demand

The market for prints and editioned works continues to show unprecedented strength. All three major auction houses have a long-standing interest in the category but Phillips announced today that it will expand the number of its editions live auctions this year from four each year to seven. The first sale in New York will be held on March 11. That will be followed by an additional sale on April 19-20 Already this year, Phillips has held day and evening sales in London that were remarkably strong selling £5 million ($6.8 million) capitalizing on the 45% growth in sales volume for prints and editions in 2021.

“2021 was a historic year for the Editions market as we realized our highest annual total ever,” said Kelly Troester and Cary Leibowitz, Deputy Chairmen and Co-Heads of Editions. “The momentum carried straight through to this year with a white glove Evening Sale in London. Expanding our annual live auction calendar allows us to meet the ever-increasing demand from our collectors across the globe, who are eager to acquire rare twentieth century and contemporary prints and multiples. We look forward to presenting these additional live auctions, which will offer a breadth and depth of material seldom seen on the market.”

The star lot of Phillips March 11 sale is a David Hockney lithograph, "Pool Made with Paper and Blue Ink for Book". Swimming pools have been an important motif for Hockney from the fame of his splash series to the paper pools series. "Pool Made with Paper and Blue Ink" was the most accessible of his pool images. In addition to the Hockney, Phillips is featuring KAWS’ "What Party" set of seven lithographs made in 2020 featuring KAWS’ character Bidendum, his idiosyncratic take on the Michelin Man.

The sale includes a significant group of works by Cindy Sherman too. Made from the 1970s to 2000s, these examples of the Untitled photographs some of her most recognizable characters. The March sale also includes examples of images by Ellsworth Kelly, Leon Polk Smith, Larry Zox, Nicholas Krushenick, Robert Mangold and Frank Stella. Other highlights include editions by Francis Bacon, Jenny Holzer, Barbara Kruger, Bruce Nauman, Ed Ruscha, Peter Saul, Kenny Scharf, Andy Warhol and Kehinde Wiley.