Edward Steichen's 'The Pond Moonlight' sells for world record price at auction

Press Release:
Tonight (February 14th 2006) at Sothebys before a crowded room, Edward Steichens The Pond-Moonlight shattered the world record for a photograph at auction, selling to applause for $2,928,000, almost three times its high estimate (est. $700,000/1 million), to Peter MacGill of Pace-MacGill Gallery on behalf of a private collector. The photograph was one of 35 works offered in the first session of Important Photographs from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, including Works from the Gilman Paper Company Collection, which totalled $11,472,000 and was 100% sold by lot and by amount. Also highlighting the single-owner sale, which featured turn-of-the-last century and 20th century photographs, were two photographs by Alfred Stieglitz of Georgia OKeeffe: Hands, which brought $1,472,000 (est. $300/500,000), a record for the artist at auction, and Nude, which achieved $1,360,000 (est. $300/500,000), both selling to a West Coast Dealer. Three additional artist records were set this evening for Margrethe Mather, Paul Outerbridge Jr. and Margaret Bourke-White at auction.

The sale will continue tomorrow, Wednesday, February 15th at 10:15 AM.