My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.

Edvard Munch's The Scream, Sotheby's lot #20

Sotheby’s New York held its Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale on May 2, 2012, with fabulous results. The big news for the evening was the sale of the world’s most valuable single work of art, Edvard Munch’s iconic painting, The Scream. Pre-sale chatter suggested the price may reach $80,000,000. That was blown away, when the painting sold for $107,000,000 at the hammer ($119,922,500, including buyer’s premium). Sotheby’s produced an interesting 2½-minute video with highlights of the painting’s sale, which can be viewed by clicking on the following link. Sotheby’s video.

The auction was a barn-burner, with total sales reaching $330,568,550, the second-highest total for any Sotheby’s auction ever. Only a few paintings did not sell. Surprisingly one of them was by Edvard Munch, entitled Sommernatt, (Summer Night). It was offered as lot #41, with an estimate of $2,500,000 – $3,500,000. But let’s not feel bad for Munch – four additional paintings by the artist sold in the auction.

Pablo Picasso's Femme Assise Dans Un Fauteuil, Sotheby's lot #4

Honors for second place went to Pablo Picasso. His Femme Assise Dans Un Fauteuil sold for $29,202,500, against a pre-sale estimate of $20,000,000 – $30,000,000.

For the complete results of the sale, click on the following link. Sotheby’s sale results.

Our next show won’t be until July, but we’ll still be very much in business (except for a two week well-deserved vacation). Don’t hesitate to call or write, and let me know what you’d like to buy, sell, or trade.

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A wonderful Martin Brothers stoneware face jug

Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. I regularly add Tiffany vases, lamps and desk accessories, as well as French cameo glass by Galle and Daum Nancy and Louis Icart etchings. Here’s the link. chasenantiques.com