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Christie's Nets $181M Pollock, May Sales Hit $2.5B

5/25/2026

Summary

Story summary

Christie's sold Jackson Pollock’s “Number 7A” for $181 million in a seven-minute bidding war on May 18, 2026.
Christie's, Sotheby’s and Phillips generated $2.5 billion in May 2026, with Christie's up 116 % to $1.5 billion, Sotheby’s up 82 % to $908.6 million and Phillips up 97 % to $146 million versus May 2025.
Record prices included Klimt’s portrait at $236.4 million, Brancusi’s “Danaïde” at $107 million, Rothko’s “No. 15 (Two Greens and Red Stripe)” at $98.4 million, and a Banksy work sold for $17.9 million on May 20, 2026.

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Story summary

Christie's sold Jackson Pollock’s “Number 7A” for $181 million in a seven-minute bidding war on May 18, 2026.
Christie's, Sotheby’s and Phillips generated $2.5 billion in May 2026, with Christie's up 116 % to $1.5 billion, Sotheby’s up 82 % to $908.6 million and Phillips up 97 % to $146 million versus May 2025.
Record prices included Klimt’s portrait at $236.4 million, Brancusi’s “Danaïde” at $107 million, Rothko’s “No. 15 (Two Greens and Red Stripe)” at $98.4 million, and a Banksy work sold for $17.9 million on May 20, 2026.