Billionaire Bill Koch has parted with a monumental tranche of his Western art holdings, shattering records at Christie's auction house. The two-part sale, Visions of the West: The William I. Koch Collection, was one of the most highly anticipated auctions in its category and became the most successful Western art auction of all time, grossing $84.1 million with fees.
As soon as the evening sale began, records started to tumble. A Frederic Remington painting, An Argument with the Town Marshal, set a new record for the artist, selling for $11.85 million over a $6 million high estimate just seven lots into the sale. Two minutes later, Charles Marion Russell's Dust set another new benchmark for a single-owner Western art sale, while Alfred Jacob Miller's The Buffalo Hunt soared past its high estimate to land at $4.7 million.
The top-selling piece was Remington's Coming to the Call, which more than doubled its low estimate to reach $13.29 million over an $8 million high estimate, setting a new record for the artist. Other notable sales included Coming Through the Rye, which realized $9.95 million, and G. Harvey's Texas Oil Patch, which brought in $2.1 million.
The sale not only shattered records but also set a new benchmark for Western art, with 95% of lots sold and a hammer plus premium figure that hit 165% above the sale's low estimate. The market response was described as "beyond enthusiastic" by Christie's American Art Department head Tylee Abbott, who noted that Western Art is now commanding center stage in the art world.
For Koch, this sale marked the culmination of decades of building a collection that embodied his deep love for the American West. The collection included not only artwork but also firearms, maritime memorabilia, and wine, reflecting Koch's passion for the region that shaped him. Despite selling part of his legacy, Koch expressed gratitude at knowing others will enjoy the works as much as he has, saying "Though I will miss these works... it gives me great pleasure knowing others will enjoy them as much as I have long into the future."
This sale marks another milestone in the market for Western art, solidifying its position as a highly sought-after category among collectors and auction houses.
As soon as the evening sale began, records started to tumble. A Frederic Remington painting, An Argument with the Town Marshal, set a new record for the artist, selling for $11.85 million over a $6 million high estimate just seven lots into the sale. Two minutes later, Charles Marion Russell's Dust set another new benchmark for a single-owner Western art sale, while Alfred Jacob Miller's The Buffalo Hunt soared past its high estimate to land at $4.7 million.
The top-selling piece was Remington's Coming to the Call, which more than doubled its low estimate to reach $13.29 million over an $8 million high estimate, setting a new record for the artist. Other notable sales included Coming Through the Rye, which realized $9.95 million, and G. Harvey's Texas Oil Patch, which brought in $2.1 million.
The sale not only shattered records but also set a new benchmark for Western art, with 95% of lots sold and a hammer plus premium figure that hit 165% above the sale's low estimate. The market response was described as "beyond enthusiastic" by Christie's American Art Department head Tylee Abbott, who noted that Western Art is now commanding center stage in the art world.
For Koch, this sale marked the culmination of decades of building a collection that embodied his deep love for the American West. The collection included not only artwork but also firearms, maritime memorabilia, and wine, reflecting Koch's passion for the region that shaped him. Despite selling part of his legacy, Koch expressed gratitude at knowing others will enjoy the works as much as he has, saying "Though I will miss these works... it gives me great pleasure knowing others will enjoy them as much as I have long into the future."
This sale marks another milestone in the market for Western art, solidifying its position as a highly sought-after category among collectors and auction houses.
$84.1 million is like WHOA 
! Bill Koch's collection is literally priceless 
I'm not surprised it sold so well tho, those Western art pieces are super rare & iconic 
Frederic Remington's painting An Argument with the Town Marshal is so cool 
And 95% of lots sold? That's like a major stamp of approval from collectors 
The market for Western art is on fire 
! I'm loving this new record-breaker status it got 
and it's insane! $84 million is crazy 
I'm not even an art guy but even I can tell this is a huge deal 
Western art is supposed to be niche, but clearly it's in demand now 
. Either way, it's a huge win for Christie's auction house and I'm sure they're thrilled 
But seriously, it's awesome to see the market responding so positively to Western art. It's not just about the money; it's about the culture and history behind those pieces.
I'm loving this record-breaking sale at Christie's! $84.1 million is straight fire 
, reflecting his deep connection to the American West 
.
. That market response is beyond enthusiastic 
. I'm excited to see what other milestones this category will achieve 
.
? Frederic Remington is a total legend 
. I'm curious to see what other collections come up next 
. Anyway, I'm excited to see where this market takes us next! 
.
. It's like losing a piece of history or something. But at the same time, it's awesome that others get to enjoy these masterpieces 
. The art world is really booming right now, and I'm stoked to see what other crazy sales we have lined up 
! And Coming to the Call, which set a new record for Remington? That's just mind-blowing 
. Anyway, it's sad to see Bill Koch let go of his collection, but at least he knows others will appreciate it as much as he has 
.
. I mean, $84.1 million? 
. Remington's An Argument with the Town Marshal? 
.
But hey, if it makes Bill Koch happy (and his wallet) then more power to him 
. The fact that 95% of lots sold is pretty impressive, I guess... but I'm still waiting for the art world to acknowledge the true masterpiece: my avocado toast collection 
