This month’s sales at Bonhams, Christie’s, Phillips and Sotheby’s in New York could generate between $1.8 billion and $2.6 billion, The Art Newspaper reported on May 11, 2026. The two-week series of auctions will test the trade’s recent buoyancy after November sales were seen as signs of recovery from a three-year slump. Optimism is palpable across the houses as they aim to build on that momentum with strong consignments.
Christie’s is aiming for a total between $1 billion and $1.5 billion, according to the publication. The house secured the Marian Goodman collection as part of five single-owner sales that will feature throughout the period. Additional high-value works are set to appear in its evening auctions.
Sotheby’s low pre-sale estimate stands at $690.4 million, which is 70 percent higher than the total hammer from its May 2025 season, The Art Newspaper stated. On the high end the auction house could reach $942.5 million. The house will offer the Robert Mnuchin collection, splitting key dealer estates with its rival.
Phillips is expecting to bring in between $108.7 million and $157 million from its New York sales this month, the preview showed. The house will participate in the crowded auction calendar with focused offerings. Bonhams is projecting a more modest $30 million as it opens its new flagship location at 111 West 57th Street with sales that include a 2012 Yoshitomo Nara painting estimated at $4 million to $6 million.
A report from Art Basel and UBS released in March 2026 found global art sales rose 4 percent in 2025 to an estimated $59.6 billion after two years of declines. The United States accounted for 44 percent of that total while public auction sales increased 9 percent year-on-year. The New York events arrive as the market seeks to sustain high-end momentum amid ongoing economic and geopolitical concerns noted in the survey.
The rival houses split two of the most-anticipated estates of the season from legendary dealers, The Art Newspaper reported. Christie’s landed the Marian Goodman collection while Sotheby’s secured Robert Mnuchin’s holdings. These private collections along with other consignments are anticipated to draw significant international collector interest during the New York Art Week period.
