NY Photo Auction Dementia

Well.. MAO readers.. Either someone just switch my multi-vitamins for some of Dr.Quiz's back vitamins..(aka.. 600mg Tramdol) .. or did people just get way carried away at yesterday's Christies Photo auction and over pay by a few miles??

Lot 59, WILLIAM KLEIN (b. 1962)
Piazza di Spagna, Rome, Vogue, 1960 gelatin silver print, printed later
This Non-Vintage, Non-Editioned William Klein image just sold for a total cost of $48,000. 

I believe it can be had at almost any photo art fair for about $4,000 to $5,000..from any one of 10 "respectable" photo dealers.

Yes...it's a pretty William Klein photo.. it was on the cover of the auction catalog.. but at $48,000... IMO, someone is just burning their money!

Also, to be filed under the category of what in the world are these stupid people smoking thinking..

Lot 122.. IRVING PENN (b. 1917)
Vogue, Fashion Photograph (Café in Lima), Peru, 1948
gelatin silver print, printed 1984 signed, titled, dated in ink, 'Penn/Condé Nast' copyright credit reproduction limitation and edition stamps (on the reverse of the mount). One from an edition of 25. 19 1/8 x 18½in. (48.6 x 47cm.)

So, some obsessed fashion photo bidder paid $132,000 for this Irving Penn, sliver print.. also NON-Vintage, printed in the 1980's in an edition of 25. 

I think there's also a platinum edition of 25 out there as well.. plus this artist is still alive.. and still printing and signing, and printing and signing AP's..

Why do people get SO crazy at auction?

Maybe they've been taking lots of Dr. Quiz's back vitimins!

Will this Auction madness ever end?

FYI.. next week is the first of the NYC spring season Contemporary art auctions..so stay tuned.. for some real crazy money madness!

Comments

[Kenny T]

I'm sorry Dr. Quiz's back is still hurting. I'm more sorry I don't have any of those back pills in my stash.

[hugh]

almost equally crazy is the $4560 paid for a Richard Misrach 8x10 of Golden Gate bridge which is still available for $800 on blind spot's website..
http://www.blindspot.com/editions/misrach.html
or, alternatively, for a starting price of $2000 on ebay!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RICHARD-MISRACH-Golden-Gate-Bridge-signed-photograph_W0QQitemZ110092858697QQihZ001QQcategoryZ66465QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem