Press | Phillips

25 June 2026

STRONG PRICES AND 20 NEW RECORDS SET IN PHILLIPS’ JUNE EDITIONS & WORKS ON PAPER SALE SHOWCASE THE STRENGTH OF THE MARKET FOR EDITIONS

PRESS RELEASE

 

STRONG PRICES AND 20 NEW RECORDS SET IN PHILLIPS’ JUNE EDITIONS & WORKS ON PAPER SALE SHOWCASE THE STRENGTH OF THE MARKET FOR EDITIONS

 

America 250, A Dedicated Chapter of the Auction Celebrating the Country’s 250th Anniversary, Sells 100% by Lot, Led by Roy Lichtenstein’s I Love Liberty

 

Competitive Bidding Drives Strong Results for Roy Lichtenstein, Damien Hirst,

Alex Katz, Robert Rauschenberg, and Joel Mesler, Among Others

 

New York, 24 June 2026

Sale Total: $1,444,026 / £1,096,858 / €1,271,711

 

Lots Sold: 140 | Lots Offered: 157

Sold by Lot: 89% | Sold by Value: 97%

 

Roy Lichtenstein

I Love Liberty, 1982

Estimate: $40,000–60,000

Sold for $212,850

Damien Hirst

The Souls on Jacob’s Ladder Take Their Flight, 2007

Estimate: $80,000–120,000

Sold for $122,550

 

Kelly Troester and Cary Leibowitz, Deputy Chairpersons and Worldwide Co-Heads of Editions, said, “This afternoon’s sale opened with great enthusiasm for AMERICA 250, a dedicated section that brought together a dynamic group of works reflecting the complexity and richness of American visual culture in honor of the country’s 250th anniversary. We were thrilled to see such strong engagement from collectors, with the section achieving a 100% sell-through rate, led by Roy Lichtenstein’s I Love Liberty, which realized more than five times its estimate to lead the sale, and Robert Rauschenberg’s Signs, which achieved over four times its pre-sale expectations. Momentum continued with especially strong interest for the contemporary works in today’s auction. The selection of works by Damien Hirst saw solid results, led by The Souls on Jacob’s Ladder Take Their Flight at $122,550. Joel Mesler’s Untitled (Pool Party) drew fierce competition on the phones and online, nearly tripling its low estimate at $28,380. Overall, the sale reflected a vibrant start to the summer season, with 97% sold by value showed strong participation and spirited bidding underscoring the continued depth of demand across the editions market. We look forward to the fall season beginning in September with Editions auctions in London and October in New York.”

 

 

Top Ten Lots

Lot

Description

Estimate

Price Achieved

9

Roy Lichtenstein, I Love Liberty, 1982

$40,000–60,000

$212,850

40

Damien Hirst, The Souls on Jacob’s Ladder Take Their Flight, 2007

$80,000–120,000

$122,550

13

Robert Rauschenberg, Signs, 1970

$25,000–35,000

$109,650

92

Alex Katz, Flowers, 2021

$50,000–70,000

$64,500

30

After Jean-Michel Basquiat, Piano Lesson, from Superhero Portfolio, 1982-87/2022

$40,000–60,000

$41,280

39

Damien Hirst, Methamphetamine, 2004

$20,000–30,000

$41,280

20

Andy Warhol, Van Heusen (Ronald Reagan), from Ads, 1985 

$25,000–35,000

$33,540

96

Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild, 1990/2014

$20,000–30,000

$33,540

25

Joel Mesler, Pool Party, 2025

$10,000–15,000

$28,380

27

Mel Bochner, It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This, 2014

$20,000–30,000

$28,380

 

New Auction Record Highlights

Lot

Description

Estimate

Price Achieved

9

Roy Lichtenstein, I Love Liberty, 1982

WORLD RECORD FOR THE EDITION

$40,000–60,000

$212,850

 

*previous record price: $165,000 set in 2005

40

Damien Hirst, The Souls on Jacob’s Ladder Take Their Flight, 2007

WORLD RECORD FOR THE EDITION

$80,000–120,000

$122,550

 

*previous record price: $95,000 set in 2009

13

Robert Rauschenberg, Signs, 1970

WORLD RECORD FOR THE EDITION

$25,000–35,000

$109,650

 

*previous record price: $85,000 set in 2023

2

Ed Ruscha, Made in U.S.A. or America, Her Best Product, from Kent Bicentennial Portfolio: Spirit of Independence, 1974-75

WORLD RECORD FOR THE EDITION

$12,000–18,000

$24,510

 

*previous record price: $19,000 set in 2009

91

Chuck Close, Self-Portrait, 2015

WORLD RECORD FOR THE EDITION

$10,000–15,000

$23,220

 

*previous record price: $18,000 set in 2025

 

Exchange Rate on 24 JUNE 2026: US$1 = £1.317, €1.159, HK$7.840