Art Auctions this September 2021

Are you ready for the art market post-summer agenda? We hope so because the September auction calendar is looking juicy! We compiled our favorite pieces from the upcoming auctions, so you can ease into the new working year with some lovely artworks in mind. And if you’re looking for a cue to start your own collection, this might well be it! Christie’s, Bonhams, and Sotheby’s all have events which are fast approaching, focusing on Prints and Multiples (check out our ‘Collecting Series’ where we explain all the key things you need to know about these two terms!).

So, without further ado, let's dive into the key themes we are seeing this September on auction:

The future is female…(and so was the past!)

British female artists have a strong presence in these upcoming auctions, and we are so here for it! First up is Bonhams’ Blazing a Trail: Modern British Women auction on the 29th of September in London.  This event highlights pioneering female artists of the 20th century that remain largely sidelined by the art history canon.  We are talking about artists such as Bridget Riley, Vanessa Hepworth and Tracey Emin. Our top pick from this auction is the artwork  Revision of January 10 by Bridget Riley (we have written an article about Bridget Riley’s Story- check it out!). This vibrant work on paper is a prime example of the artist’s departure from vertical lines and black and white tones to curvilinear shapes and lively colour pairings. Starting from an estimated price of £50,000, this gouache painting will be a lovely add to an established art collection! 

The next highlight is a lot that will be up for sale at Bonhams’ Prints and Multiples auction taking place on the 22nd of September in London. Love is What You Want by Tracey Emin is an offset lithograph printed in colours inspired by the artist’s popular neon works (if you're not familiar with offset prints, our recent offsets article will bring you right up to speed!). 

This sign addresses the themes of  desire, but also experimentation - reminding us all that love can look like whatever we want! With a lower price point (£ 1,000 - 1,500), it might be a good first purchase for your prints collection.

Lots from ‘Safe bet’ Street Artists

Our next pick comes straight from the sale at Christie’s ‘all-about-Banksy’ auction, titled Banksy: I can't believe you morons actually buy this sh*t taking place online on the 9th of September. The rare Girl with Balloon (Colour AP - Gold) print comes signed by the artist and with a gold balloon, instead of the typical red one. This unique piece will be going home with the highest bidder, who can expect to spend anywhere between £800,000 - 1,200,000 (but we suspect it could be even more!) 

The Bonhams Prints & Multiples auction, taking place on the 28th of September in Los Angeles includes (at least) two artworks by Keith Haring. These colorful prints on sale are from large editions of 100 and 200 works respectively, making them a bit more affordable than your usual Haring pieces. Another good place to start if you’re looking to venture into Fine Art prints, whilst having  a soft spot for Street Art.

NFT art is here to stay!

Last but not least, we highly suggest checking out the event No Time Like Present, an online sale by Christie’s taking place from the 17th to the 28th of September - especially if you’re into Crypto Art! Why? Because this happens to be the very first NFT sale in Asia that is being offered by an international auction house. ‘Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC)’ by Yuga Labs and ‘Meebits’, (the latest creation of Larva Labs), are the stars of the auction since this sale will be the first opportunity for collectors to acquire these specific works outside of an NFT-trading platform. Kudos to Christie’s for bringing Crypto Art to new crowds!

Did you enjoy our picks? If so, remember to keep an eye on the events that you’re most interested in, so you don’t miss the dates when the bidding starts! If you’re a young collector, or eager to start your collection, don’t forget you can use the resources in our ‘Collecting Series’ to guide you through your purchases. We hope you enjoyed our selection and happy art rentrée!

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