Rockefeller auction: Records tumble as art sale frenzy continues

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Rockefeller mania continued on the second night of the blockbuster art sale in New York.

After Tuesday’s auction of European works fetched more than $646 million (£478 million), attention at Christie’s turned to David and Peggy Rockefeller’s American art collection.

Treasures worth a total of $106 million (£78 milion) were snapped up last night — putting the sale on track to smash the $1 billion barrier by the end of the week. Top price was $14,262,500 (£10,532,784) for Willem de Kooning’s Untitled XIX from 1982.

It sold after 10 minutes of bidding. The next biggest purchase was Gilbert Stuart’s George Washington (Vaughan Type), painted in Philadelphia in 1795 — the earliest of his three portraits of the president. Setting a new world record for the artist, it went for $11,562,500 (£8,538,848). The Rivals, by Mexico’s Diego Rivera, was sold for $9,762,500 (£7,208,825) — becoming the most expensive Latin American artwork in auction history.

The Rivals, by Mexico’s Diego Rivera, became the most expensive Latin American artwork in auction history
EPA

In another record, last night’s total was the highest American art sale in Christie’s history. Earlier yesterday, 253 lots of English and European furniture, ceramics and decorations were auctioned over eight hours, fetching $12,367,750 (£9,154,515).

Proceeds of the Rockefeller sale will go to 12 charities selected by the tycoon, who died last year aged 101, and his family.

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