Albright-Knox Gallery’s Auction Coups

We may need to pause to catch our breath, but the auction market never stops.
The Albright-Knox Gallery, Buffalo, scored unexpectedly large windfalls for its deaccessioned masterpieces at yesterday’s African, Oceanic and Pre-Columbian art sale at Sotheby’s: Its bronze Benin Head of an Oba fetched $4.74 million against an estimate of $1-1.5 million and its Aztec Stone Figure of the Goddess with Tasseled Headdress, Known as Chalchiuhtlicue, sold for $1.22 million, compared to an estimate of merely $100,000-150,000. (Prices include buyer’s premium; estimates don’t).
Some 14 Albright-Knox lots were sold yesterday, with more today at Sotheby’s American Indian art sale, just concluded. More details to come.