Andy Warhol's iconic Triple Elvis and Four Marlons led Christie's Contemporary Art Evening Sale to a record total of $852m - the highest in auction history - in New York last night (November 12).

The two Warhol works were offered alongside each other as complementary lots, though it remains to be seen if they sold to a single collector

"This is truly a moment in art history. Tonight's result is a testimony to the depth of interest in art across the globe, and to the talent of the Christie's team," said Christie's CEO Steven Murphy.

"This sale may have produced an eye catching number, but record museum attendance and record art sales at Christie's on every continent in all areas and price levels proves that enjoying works of art has become a universal pursuit in our time."

Andy Warhol's Triple Elvis [Ferus Type], 1963, brought in the top bids at $81.9m, while Four Marlons, 1966 made $69.6m. Both works were met with intense competition from over a dozen bidders.

Warhol is often considered bellwether for the contemporary market

Confidence abounds in the top-tier art market currently, as demonstrated by 11 record bids on the night of the sale.

Yayoi Kusama became the most valuable living female artist in the world, with White No. 8 selling for $7.1m.

In addition to those top prices for artists, there were a further four records set for works in a certain medium, including Willem de Kooning's Clamdigger, a bronze executed in 1972, which sold for $29.2m.

The sale saw a strong sell-through rate of 94% by lot and 97% by value, demonstrating the health of the art market at this level. In total, 23 works sold above $10m, with 69 exceeding $1m.

Catch up with more results from the auction here.  

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