Leroy Neiman's Football Stars Constellation (1978) proved the headline lot of a sale at Sotheby's on April 23.

The lot highlighted an American art and sculpture auction in New York with a final bid of $430,000 - an increase of 616.6% on a $60,000 estimate.

Leroy Neiman was a popular artist best known for his depictions of sporting events

Neiman explained the work in his 1983 autobiography: "I started this outer space painting several years back, caught up in the thought that television makes football more than an air-and-ground game. It becomes stratospheric.

"The pass rides on the roar of the crowd, literally off the Super Bowl field, and projects the players into outer space, feeding the audio and video to satellites, then bouncing them back to earth.

"My painting intended to heighten this imagery, with players floating and tumbling in space like a football star constellation, the superstar quarterback's pass arcing like a comet. Thus, TV puts football into orbit."

Norman Rockwell's Woman Relaxing with Tea After Shopping also sold well, realising $187,500 against a valuation of $90,000 (up 108.3%).

Rockwell's price point has advanced significantly in recent years. His auction record stands at $46m, set for Saying Grace in 2013.

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