The collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller: Christie's Art of the Americas Evening Sal totaled $106,883,500 with seven artist records set. To date, the Peggy and David Rockefeller Collection has totaled $765.384.844, and has already set the highest total for any private collection offered at auction on the first night of the sale week. To date, 14 artist records have been set within the collection along with additional decorative arts records. The top lot in the sale was Willem de Kooning's Untitled XIX, which sold for $14,2 million and previously resided in David Rockefeller's Chase Manhattan office.
Will Haydock, Head of American Art at Christie's states: “American Art from the Peggy and David Rockefeller Collection represents one of the finest single owner collections to hit the market and collectors have responded accordingly tonight. Peggy and David appreciated and loved this material as much as their Impressionist and Modern masterpieces and this allowed us to exhibit it on a wider international stage. Both established and new collectors have gravitated to the auction and enabled us to achieve this monumental achievement. The sale set a record total for any American art auction, with strong results achieved across all periods in the category. There was a particular interest in works commissioned by Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, one of the first true pioneers and patrons of Modernism in the United States, as seen with the records of Rivera, Sheeler and Hirsch. “
The overall auction will end today, where records and surprises will still be recorded.
