By Carter B. Horsley

Day sales in auction departments that have evening auctions usually are a bit lackluster and overstuffed with works that are not of the highest quality.

The day sales at Christie's of Post-War and Contemporary Art Nov. 12, 2003, were therefore unusually successful as more than 80 percent of the offered lots sold for a total of more than $23 million with many lots exceeding their high estimates.

Lot 397, "La Lune," by Nike de Saint Phalle (1930-2002), for example, sold for $365,000 including the buyer's premium, a bit more than double its pre-sale low estimate. The glass tile, mirror tile and painted polyester sculpture was exhibited in the lobby at Christie's. It is 118 inches high and both charming and dazzling. It is one of a series of three unique works of which it was the only mirrored version. One of the others is at the Tarot Garden in Garaviccio, Italy, and the third is in the Musée d'Art et d'Historie in Fribourg, Switzerland.

Lot 396, "Six Random Lines Eccentric II," a kinetic stainless steel sculpture by George Rickey (1907-2002), stood outside the auction house during the Contemporary Art exhibitions. The 170-inch-high sculpture was executed in 1992 and is one of an edition of three. It sold for $209,100 and had had a low pre-sale estimate of $180,000. While not one of Rickey's masterpieces, his work is always delightful and fascinating and it was easy to imagine a small forest of these kinetic trees.

Another sculpture that did very well was Lot 410, "Murmurous Moto, Maestro," by John Chamberlain (b. 1927). The 73 1/8-inch high painted and chromium plated steel sculpture was exhibited in the auction house's rotunda during the exhibitions. It had a pre-sale high estimate of $200,000 and sold for $567,000. While many of Chamberlain's works are made from different colored automobile parts, this handsome work was all black. It was made in 1991. A more colorful and more asymmetrical Chamberlain sculpture, Lot 380, "Gangster of Love," also did well, selling for $365,000, way above its pre-sale high estimate of $200,000. The 90-inch work was created in 1985.

Another sculpture that did spectacularly was Lot 412, "Does the Whale Diminish," a 144-inch-wide oil, oilstick and enamel on aluminum sculpture by Frank Stella (b. 1936). The work was executed in 1988 and had a pre-sale high estimate of $150,000. It sold for $612,300! Another Stella sculpture, however, Lot 364, "Jarama 2X," a 136-inch-wide wall relief on corrugated aluminum and metal that was created in 1981, had a low estimate of $150,000 and failed to sell despite its quite rhythmic composition.

A very good sculpture by Louise Nevelson (1900-1988), Lot 408, "Maquette for Monumental Sculpture XIV, also exceeded its high estimate. It sold for $31,070, nicely over its $25,000 high estimate. The 25-inch-high black painted wood sculpture was one of Nevelson's better creations.

Lot 358, "Woman in Blue (After Matisse)," a 1985 synthetic polymer and silkscreen inks on canvas by Andy Warhol (1928-1987) soared above its $500,000 pre-sale high estimate to sell for $746,700. The 52-by-42-inch work was painted in 1985 and was the black cover illustration of the morning catalogue. One of Warhol's terribly ubiquitous "Flowers," Lot 336, a 1964 synthetic polymer and silkscreen inks on canvas, 24 inches square, failed to sell. It had an estimate of $350,000 to $450,000.

The red, white, blue and black sculptures and paintings and drawings by Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985) are, along with most of Alexander Calder's creations except for his clunky large metal outdoor sculptures, some of the most happy creations of the 20th Century. Lot 346, "Polymorphic X," a market on paper laid down on board, sold for $71,700, more than twice its pre-sale high estimate. Created in 1971, it measures 15 1/4 by 26 1/4 inches. Dubuffet, of course, had a dark, or more earthy, side as well in contrast with the eternally optimistic oeuvre of Calder.

Lot 349, "Untitled (Dragon Rouge et Papillon)," for example shows a not a very terrifying red dragon focused on a butterfly. Painted by Alexander Calder (1898-1976), the 32-by-39 1/8-inch oil on canvas was executed in 1950 and sold within its pre-sale estimate for $65,725. Lot 342, "White Petals and Black on Red Stabile," a 19-inch-high standing Calder mobile, almost doubled its pre-sale low estimate and sold for $298,700.

Lot 326, "Five Eating Figures," a 10-by-14-inch oil on canvas by Wayne Thiebaud (b. 1920), sold for $410,700, well over its pre-sale high estimate of $320,000. The 1963 work was included in the 2000-1 Thiebaud exhibition that was shown at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Phillips Collection in Washington, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco California Palace of the Legion of Honor.

Lot 317, "Waterscape," is an impressive oil on canvas by Adolph Gottlieb (1903-1974) that measures 36 3/8 by 48 inches. Executed in 1952, it sold for $399,500, almost double its $200,000 pre-sale high estimate. Surprisingly, Lot 311, "Signs for Divination," a 32-by-25-inch oil on canvas by Gottlieb failed to sell. The handsome 1946 work had an estimate of $90,000 to $140,000.

Lot 310, "Study for Agony," a strong although small oil on canvas by Arshile Gorky (1904-1948), sold for $113,525, far above its pre-sale high estimate of $60,000. Executed in 1947, it measures 5 by 14 inches.

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966) was an extremely influential abstract painter well-known for his painterliness. Lot 306, "Landscape," is a very lovely oil on panel by Hofmann that measures 30 by 35 inches. Painted in 1952, it is a strikingly well-organized composition with a brilliant bright palette. It sold for $105,160, just over its pre-sale high estimate of $100,000.

One of the more attractive works in the afternoon session is Lot 506, "Hause (Nr. 159)," by Thomas Scheibitz (b. 1968). The 59-by-106 1/4-inch oil on canvas was painted in 1998 and had a high estimate of $15,000. Although it depicts a low-rise architectural environement, it skyrocketed to $59,750. It was consigned by Kenneth L. Freed.

Another Freed consignment was Lot 507, "Trembling & Joy, a metal chain installation by Jim Hodges (b. 1957) resembling spider webs that was executed in 1994. It had a pre-sale high estimate of $45,000 and sold for $192,300.

Lot 521 is an untitled Cibachrome print by Maurizio Cattelan (b. 1960). The 72-by-90-inch print was executed in 1999 in an edition of ten. It had a pre-sale high estimate of $80,000 and sold for $185,700. It depicts a three-dimensional head of a Picassoesque man against a Roy Licthenstein-like interior.

Lot 524, "Untitled (Cowboy)," is a 92-by-209 1/2-inch digital print on canvas by Richard Prince (b. 1949). It depicts a cowboy on his horse pursuing a calf in a snow-covered forest. It had a high estimate of $120,000 and sold for $332,300! According to the catalogue, the unique print, which calls to mind Marlboro cigarette ads, was made in 2000.

Mariko Mori (b. 1967) is one of the most important and dazzling of the contemporary artists in Japan. Lot 558 is a huge and very impressive curved Fuji super gloss (duraflex) print of Times Square, entitled "Beginning of the End." It measures 39 1/2 by 148 by 26 1/2 inches and was created in 1986 in an edition of three. It sold for $59,750 and had a pre-sale high estimate of $35,000.

Takashi Murakami (b. 1962) is another Japanese artist who has become very popular for his very cute, cartoon-like paintings. Lot 561, "Forest of DOB," is one of his less dense works and in fact has only one of his fun and colorful figures as opposed to many of his works that have dozens. The acrylic on canvas mounted on panel measures 39 3/8 inches square. Executed in 1995, it sold for $242,700, much above its pre-sale high estimate of $150,000.

Anselm Kiefer (b. 1945) is one of the world's most serious and important contemporary artists. Lot 558, "Katarina," is a very interesting construction of steel, plaster, fabric, terracotta, shellac and pigment. It measures 59 by 81 by 68 inches and was executed in 1999. It sold for $119,500, just below its $120,000 pre-sale low estimate.