The Dalloul collection sale made more than £2.4m (£3.1m with fees), topping its presale high estimate of £2.3m. Buyers were active nearly to the borders of the conflict, with at least one bidder phoning in from Jerusalem and a number of Lebanese collectors turning out for the Dalloul works. Other sales figures also put Sotheby’s auction in a more favourable light than the sell-through rate. In fact, the premium-inclusive total is the highest for a Sotheby’s MENA art sale in London since 2016. But Mai Eldib, Sotheby’s senior vice president and head of sales and advisory, Middle East, cautions against reading too much into recent lot lists.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 07, 2023 11:56 UTC