A famous snapshot by American photographer Diane Arbus (1923-1971), Identical Twins Cathleen and Colleen, sold with a 173.9% increase on its $220,000 top estimate yesterday (April 2), bringing $602,500 to Phillips Auctions in New York.

The substantial sale price is a new world record for a work by the artist.

"In some societies twins are taboo, an aberration," Arbus stated in 1967

The 1966 gelatin silver print, originally acquired directly from the artist, was offered signed and dated. It typifies Arbus' artistic style, which focussed on those who had been relegated to society's margins.

Straying far beyond picket-fenced normalcy; Arbus concentrated her energies on the freakish, the deviant and the surreal, declaring: "I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn't photograph them."

We too have a number of art and photography collectibles in stock.

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