ICONIC WORKS OF PORTRAITURE, FASHION, AND CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY LEAD PHILLIPS’ OCTOBER PHOTOGRAPHS AUCTION
Live Sale on 8 October Features Masterworks by Helmut Newton, Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Robert Mapplethorpe, Cindy Sherman, and Sally Mann, Among Others
Private Collections Figure Prominently, with
ULTIMATE to Present 14 Unique Polaroids by Ellen von Unwerth
Exposure: Photographs Online Auction to be Open for Bidding 2–13 October
NEW YORK – 24 SEPTEMBER 2026 – Phillips is pleased to announce highlights from the upcoming Photographs auction. Taking place on 8 October in New York, the sale brings together over 240 outstanding examples of fashion, contemporary, and classic photography from the 20th and 21st centuries. Anchored by exceptional works from Helmut Newton, Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Robert Mapplethorpe, Cindy Sherman, and Sally Mann, the sale will showcase photographs that have shaped visual culture and continue to define the medium today. The auction is further distinguished by three compelling collecting narratives: A Focused Life, a curated selection from renowned dealer Peter Fetterman; SPOTLIGHT: A Private London Collection, celebrating some of photography's most enduring cultural icons; and Phillips’ signature ULTIMATE platform, presenting rare and museum-quality works led this season by an exclusive offering of 14 unique Polaroids by acclaimed fashion photographer Ellen von Unwerth. In addition to the live auction, Phillips is also proud to present Exposure, an accompanying online sale, which will be open for bidding from 2–13 October. Together, these sales highlight the breadth of photographic expression, from intimate personal vision and documentary storytelling to fashion imagery and celebrity portraiture.
Vanessa Hallett, Deputy Chairwoman, Americas and Worldwide Head of Photographs, said, “Our October auction reflects photography's remarkable ability to shape culture, capture history, and inspire new generations of collectors. From Richard Avedon's unforgettable portrait of Marilyn Monroe and Helmut Newton's groundbreaking fashion imagery to the deeply personal selections from Peter Fetterman's collection and the unique Polaroids of Ellen von Unwerth, the sale brings together works that exemplify both artistic excellence and cultural significance. We are particularly pleased to present collectors with such exceptional opportunities across every category of the market."
Two works by Helmut Newton are among the highlights of the auction — Elsa Peretti as a Bunny, Costume by Halston, New York, 1975, which hails from an important Middle Eastern Collection, and Sie Kommen, Paris (Dressed and Naked), which stands among the most iconic images in the overlapping histories of fashion and fine art photography. First published as a two-page spread in French Vogue in 1981 and with a title that translates to “they are coming,” the monumental diptych depicts four women posed identically both in haute couture and nude, triumphant and empowered in equal measure. Widely recognized as a defining statement of Newton’s vision, Sie Kommen became a cornerstone of his celebrated Big Nudes series and an enduring image of fashion, glamour, and female power. More than four decades after its debut, the work remains one of the most powerful and instantly recognizable photographs of the twentieth century.
Helmut Newton
Elsa Peretti as a Bunny, Costume by Halston, New York, 1975
Estimate: $200,000–300,000
Helmut Newton
Sie Kommen, Paris (Dressed and Naked), 1981
Estimate: $200,000–250,000
Phillips October sale will proudly feature A Focused Life, a curated selection of 60 works brought together by Peter Fetterman of Peter Fetterman Gallery in Santa Monica. From photographs by Sally Mann to Sebastião Salgado, the works on offer represent the joy of photography that pervades Fetterman’s program and spirit. Reflecting his longstanding commitment to the medium, the collection spans generations, geographies, and photographic approaches, united by a shared belief in photography’s capacity to reveal beauty, humanity, and the poetry of everyday life. Among the highlights from the collection is Mann’s The New Mothers, which hails from her seminal body of work Immediate Family.
Sally Mann
The New Mothers, 1989
Estimate: $40,000–60,000
FROM A FOCUSED LIFE
SPOTLIGHT: A Private London Collection features 13 lots that turn the spotlight on photographs that have left an indelible mark on contemporary pop culture, from icons of fashion and film to art and artists. Focusing on modern masters, this collection highlights the power of the medium to produce images of great expressive power and lasting cultural resonance. Each photograph offers an intimate view of its subject that transcends mere documentation, creating an experience that only photography can deliver. Among the highlights from the collection are Richard Avedon, Marilyn Monroe, actress, New York City, 5-6-57, as well as his incomparable double-portrait Francis Bacon, artist, Paris, 4-11-79, and Irving Penn’s sumptuous Cottage Tulip: Sorbet, New York.
Richard Avedon
Marilyn Monroe, actress, New York City, 5-6-57, 1957
Estimate: $80,000–120,000
FROM SPOTLIGHT: A Private London Collection
Alongside these private collections, the October sale will also include 26 works as part of the season’s ULTIMATE offering. ULTIMATE is Phillips’ signature platform for exclusive, one-of-a-kind works with each edition presenting rare, museum-quality pieces and one-off creations. Among this fall’s edition are an exclusive selection of 14 unique Polaroids by Ellen von Unwerth, each offering an intimate glimpse into her creative process. Many were created during editorial assignments for international publications, and feature some of the biggest names in fashion and music, including Kate Moss, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Adriana Lima and Rihanna. Some served as visual studies for the final published images, while others capture spontaneous, behind-the-scenes moments, each holding a special place in von Unwerth’s oeuvre.
Ellen von Unwerth
Hello Chérie, Claudia Schiffer, London, 2007
Estimate: $3,000–5,000
FROM ULTIMATE ELLEN VON UNWERTH
Yuka Yamaji, Head of Photographs, Europe, said, “This fall, the 24th edition of ULTIMATE is led by two rare, museum-quality masterworks of Japanese post-war photography from Masahisa Fukase’s iconic Ravens series alongside Cindy Sherman’s Untitled #410, 2003, from her pivotal Clown series. We are also thrilled to collaborate with Ellen von Unwerth for the New York premiere of ULTIMATE ELLEN VON UNWERTH, featuring 14 unique Polaroids capturing the supermodel heyday of the 1990s and early 2000s.”
深瀬昌久 Masahisa Fukase
Cape Erimo from 鴉 Ravens, 1976
Estimate: $20,000–30,000
FROM ULTIMATE
Irving Penn
Bee on Lips, New York, 1995
Estimate: $120,000–180,000
Richard Avedon
Dovima with elephants, Evening dress by Dior, Circque d'Hiver, Paris, August, 1955
Estimate: $120,000–180,000
Cindy Sherman
Untitled #410, 2003
Estimate: $120,000–180,000
FROM ULTIMATE
Peter Hujar
Candy Darling, 1973
Estimate: $60,000–80,000
Thomas Ruff
phg.10_I, 2014
Estimate: $40,000–60,000
Vera Lutter
Pepsi V, Pepsi Cola Long Island City, New York, May 23, 1998
Estimate: $30,000–50,000