Q3 2025 Highlights

The standout headline this quarter came from London, where Sotheby’s auction of Pauline Karpidas’s Surrealist collection realized $100 million—nearly double its $53 million estimate. The sale united works by Magritte, Dalí, and Claude Lalanne alongside high‑design furniture and jewellery, confirming renewed passion for Surrealism’s fusion of imagination and craft. Coverage in Financial Times and Wallpaper framed it as a defining cultural moment for collectors.

Across fairs, sentiment in Q3 tilted toward caution at the ultra‑high end while activity persisted at four‑ and five‑figure levels. Frieze Seoul (Sep 4) saw uneven results—strength at the top and lower ends—while The Art Newspaper (Sep 1) highlighted the tougher backdrop. In the U.S., the inaugural Untitled Art Houston (Sep 19) opened with a slew of four‑ and five‑figure sales—evidence of resilient mid‑market momentum in Q3.

Scholarship and tools continued to evolve too: July research introduced ArtSeek, a multimodal framework for interpreting artworks and styles—useful for galleries and collectors navigating an increasingly data‑aware market.