The Hirst 'record' that wasn't (ctd.)

February 12 2015

Image of The Hirst 'record' that wasn't (ctd.)

Picture: Christie's

As I suspected, the Hirst pill cabinet, Lullaby Winter, I mentioned earlier this week sold at Christie's contemporary sale yesterday - but only just. It made £3,050,500 including premium, having reached £2.65m hammer in the room (against an estimate of £2.5m-£4m). At today's rates, that's $4.64m in total - nearly $3m less than the $7.4m it was reportedly sold for in 2007 (but the buyer didn't pay - sensible fellow).

The price is also quite a bit less than the £9.65m someone paid for the comparable pill cabinet, Lullaby Spring, in 2007, hot on the heels of the apparent success of Lullaby Winter.

So it would seem Hirst has had his moment. But all credit to him, he cashed in while he could...

By the way, apparently the auctioneer for yesterday's sale, Christie's Global President Jussi Pylkännen was announced off stage, like a rock star, before he came onto the rostrum; 'Ladies and Gentlemen, our President, Jussi Pylkännen...' You'd never catch Henry Wyndham doing that.


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