Los Angeles – A unique quilt by Rosie Lee Tompkins (Effie Mae Howard) (1936 - 2006) achieved a remarkable $87,813.00 - more than 10 times over its pre-sale estimate - in Bonhams' Modern Design | Art auction on Thursday 21 October. Hailed by co-chief art critic of The New York Times Roberta Smith as 'one of the century's major artistic accomplishments', Tompkins' quilts had never before been offered at auction. The record-setting quilt was one of four offered by Bonhams, all from a private collection with impeccable provenance. The group brought $163,000 from a combined estimate of $19,000- $27,000 after a highly charged round of bidding that saw 12 phone bidders competing with fierce online interest

Bonhams Modern Decorative Art & Design Specialist, David Trujillo, commented; "The results today are not only a testament to the remarkable talent and career of Rosie Lee Tompkins, but also the market's willingness to embrace new artists that exist outside our commonly held artistic canon. Makers working in often-overlooked materials, traditions, and communities are just as, if not more important, to our understanding of the history of art and design in America."

The sale achieved $1.3M from a pre-sale low estimate of $800,000 and enjoyed strong competition from bidders in more than 27 countries worldwide with a particular focus from the United States, France and Asia. Additional highlights from the auction included a superb Dale Chihuly installation that sold for $62,800, an exceptional Claude Venard painting that brought close to four times its high estimate, and a rare chair by San Diego maker Jack Rogers Hopkins that realized $35,300. The presale average estimate for each lot was approximately $3,000 with the average hammer price per lot achieving more than $5,500.

25 October 2021