Global auction sales at Christie's, Sotheby's and Phillips reached $6.8 billion in the first half of 2026, up roughly 70% year over year and the strongest first half since 2022, according to ArtTactic. The three houses moved almost in lockstep: Christie's rose 71% to $3.4 billion, Sotheby's 71% to $2.8 billion, and Phillips 59% to $505 million.
The headline totals lean on a handful of single-owner collections, but the more durable signal sits underneath them. Sell-through reached 91% across the half, supported by 131 white-glove sales. ArtTactic's Anders Petterson points to record participation in day sales and strong growth in the $50,000 to $500,000 band, the working core of the market. Christie's reported a 16% increase in new bidders in its $20,000 to $100,000 segment, and online-only sales rose 22% off a five-year low, with a record 33,474 lots sold.
A market carried by a few trophy lots is fragile. One where day sales, mid-price works and online bidding recover together has firmer footing. That breadth, more than any single hammer price, is what marks this as a recovery rather than a spike.