Phillips Posts $507 Million Spring 2026 Auction Season

The season, which coincides with Phillips' 230th anniversary year, delivered multiple world records and landmark private collections attracting institutional buyers across 16 acquisitions, and a continued acceleration in the global and generational reach of the collector base.

This May, the auction in Geneva hosted by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo became the most successful Watch auction in history. Overall, across sale locations and collecting categories, 40% of buyers purchased at Phillips for the first time this season; Millennial and Gen Z collectors accounted for 1 in 3 of all bidders and buyers.

Martin Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, said, “As we conclude the spring season in Phillips’ 230th anniversary year, these results reflect not only the strength of the market, but the progress we have made as a business over the past year. Auction totals were up 60%, driven by exceptional property, strong global participation and sustained demand throughout the market. What is particularly encouraging is that this growth has come alongside a continued sharpening of our focus — on quality, on innovation and on how we engage with collectors. Our record of selling 100% of works estimated above $15 million since 2019 speaks to our ability to source and sell major works. This season, we were fortunate to present some remarkable collections that added real depth and distinction to our offering — from the Collection of Ambassador John L. Loeb Jr., widely regarded as the most important private collection of Danish art, to A Life in Colour: Property from the Estate of Tina Hills, which brought together a bold and highly personal cross-category vision.

Also among the highlights of the season, we are proud to have further cemented our status as market leaders for watches, with the department shattering records across all selling locations, including the record for the most successful watch auction in history. We have also continued to evolve the way collectors interact with Phillips.

Priority Bidding is a simple but innovative idea which has proved to have powerful consequences. It has driven sales by creating bidding momentum before the first lot is even called. We have as a result seen pre-sale bidding activity more than three times higher than the same period last year.

The art market is changing fast, and collectors’ tastes and expectations are changing with it. Our aim is to build on the past year’s success and keep adapting — to keep finding better ways to bring exceptional works to market and to make Phillips the most responsive and forward-looking auction house in the business."