The Facts
Phillips' London Design sale on November 4, 2026, totalled £4,847,369 ($6,535,223 / €5,809,087), more than double the presale high estimate, with 95% of 131 lots sold by lot and 99% by value. The top lot was Magdalene Odundo's 'Untitled' (1987), which sold for £722,400 against a £120,000–180,000 estimate — more than six times the low estimate and the artist's second-highest price. Diego Giacometti's 'Berceau' low table achieved £387,000; Lucie Rie's Footed bowl realised £322,500. Umberto Bellotto's Unique vase (1923) set a world auction record at £122,550, and a Gino Levi Montalcini and Giuseppe Pagano executive desk sold for £25,155, also a record.
The Signal
The result signals sustained demand for 20th-century and contemporary design, particularly provenance-rich studio pottery and sculptural furniture, with multiple lots exceeding estimates by multiples. For collectors, the strong competition for Odundo and Rie underlines the continuing upward revaluation of British studio ceramics, while records in earlier-century decorative objects indicate broadening appetite beyond the usual blue-chip names.
The Morning Signal · Daily
Enjoying this? Get the daily wire.
The art world in one daily email — auctions, openings, and acquisitions from 90+ primary sources, distilled into a five-minute read. Independent — no marketplace, no gallery ads.
Join collectors, dealers & curators
No spam · free every morning · unsubscribe anytime
- Artists: Magdalene Odundo, Umberto Bellotto, Diego Giacometti, François-Xavier Lalanne, Lucie Rie, Jean Royère, Gabriella Crespi, Line Vautrin, André Groult, Gino Sarfatti, Gino Levi Montalcini, Giuseppe Pagano
- People: Domenico Raimondo
- Auction Houses: Phillips
- Locations: London
- Prices: £4,847,369, $6,535,223, €5,809,087, £722,400, £387,000, £361,200, £322,500, £126,420, £122,550, £105,780, £95,460, £77,400, £25,155
📊 Market Intelligence
Get deeper analysis, artist indices, and auction analytics on Art Collector IQ →
The Jobs Digest · Weekly
New art-world jobs, every Monday
The Jobs Digest rounds up the week’s new museum, gallery, and auction-house openings — with salary when disclosed. One email a week, unsubscribe anytime.
