STRONG RESULTS AT PHILLIPS’ NEW YORK MODERN & CONTEMPORARY ART SALE EXCEED $8.5 MILLION Andy Warhol’s Molly Leads the Sale, Quadrupling Estimate Notable Results Achieved by Women Artists, Including Alice Baber, Nicole Wittenberg, and Others New York, 28 February 2026 Sale Total: $8,519,160 / £6,318,337 / €7,209,748 Lots Sold: 149 | Lots Offered: 164 | Sold by Lot: 91% | Sold by Value: 94% | 
Andy Warhol Molly, 1956 Sold for $412,800 | 
Alice Baber Ladder over and under, 1972 Sold for $387,000 | 
Nicole Wittenberg Alford Lake, 2022 Sold for $38,700 | | | | | |
Avery Semjen, Specialist, Head of Sale, said, “This past Saturday’s Modern & Contemporary Art Sale in New York saw strong demand across the board, achieving a sell‑through rate of 94% by value. Held on the last day of February, the sale bolstered a fitting start to International Women’s Month, opening with seven consecutive works by women artists, each surpassing their high estimates. Sasha Gordon and Alexis Ralaivao set the pace with results several times above expectations, while Alice Baber led this opening sequence with a price more than six times its estimate, and achieving her second highest price at auction. The exceptional result coincides with Alice Baber: Sacred Spaces, a landmark selling exhibition celebrating one of the most distinctive voices in Post‑War American abstraction, on view in our galleries from 6–25 March. Strong performances by contemporary artists were led by Wolf Kahn, Beverly Pepper, Dana Schutz, Barkley L. Hendricks, Cinga Samson, Alessandro Twombly, Kehinde Wiley, Natalie White, and Nicole Wittenberg, whose Alford Lake set a new auction record for the artist. Modernist highlights also performed impressively, with works by Georges d’Espagnat, Sarah Bernhardt, and Jacques Lipchitz far exceeding expectations. These results affirm the strength of demand across every category, and we look forward to carrying this momentum into our Modern & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in London on Thursday, 5 March.” Top Ten Lots Lot | Description Estimate Price Achieved | 27 | Andy Warhol, Molly, 1956 | $100,000 - 150,000 | $412,800 | 15 | Sam Gilliam, Dew, 1974 | $200,000 - 300,000 | $412,800 | 12 | Alice Baber, Ladder over and under, 1972 | $60,000 - 80,000 | $387,000 | 20 | Sean Scully, 4.22.98, 1998 | $150,000 - 200,000 | $335,400 | 36 | Kehinde Wiley, Terence Nance, 2011-2012 | $80,000 - 120,000 | $296,700 | 45 | Manolo Valdés, Reina Mariana, 1992 | $250,000 - 350,000 | $283,800 | 19 | David Smith, Untitled, 1959 | $180,000 - 250,000 | $232,200 | 43 | David Bates, Fall Fire, 1984 | $70,000 - 100,000 | $174,150 | 14 | Gerhard Richter, 4.4.88, 1988 | $100,000 - 150,000 | $167,700 | 47 | Wolf Kahn, The Magnetic Attraction of the Deep Woods, 1996 | $70,000 - 100,000 | $167,700 | | | | | | |
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ABOUT PHILLIPS Phillips: where the world’s curious and bold connect with the art, design, and luxury that inspires them. As a leading global platform for buying and selling 20th and 21st century works, Phillips offers dedicated expertise in the areas of Modern and Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions, Watches, and Jewels. Auctions and exhibitions are primarily held in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong, with representative offices based throughout Europe, the United States, and Asia. Phillips offers a regular selection of live and online auctions, along with items available for immediate purchase. Phillips also offers a range of services and advice on all aspects of collecting, including private sales and assistance with appraisals, valuations, and financial planning. Visit phillips.com for further information. *Estimates do not include buyer’s premium; prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium. PHILLIPS NEW YORK – 432 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022 PHILLIPS LONDON – 30 Berkeley Square, London, W1J 6EX PHILLIPS HONG KONG – G/F, WKCDA Tower, West Kowloon Cultural District, No. 8 Austin Road, West Kowloon #phillipsauctionny#andywarhol#fineartmagazineblog.blogspot#sunstormfineartmagazine | FOLLOW US ON:    
  
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