Christie's Will Auction Herbert Lust Collection in November

The late collector's estate includes works by Giacometti, Calder, and Indiana with a $50 million target.

Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Fine Art

A minimalist auction hall with a single white pedestal under bright spotlights on a dark polished wooden floor. — Christie's will host a major auction in New York this November featuring the extensive art collection of the late collector Herbert Lust, with a projected target of $50 million. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Christie's will host a major auction in New York this November featuring the extensive art collection of the late Herbert Lust. The sale is projected to bring in $50 million, anchored by rare pieces from iconic 20th-century artists.

Why it matters

The sale offers a rare opportunity to acquire pieces from a storied provenance after the auction house secured the estate following a competitive process. These works represent key moments in art history, including pieces from the 1936 Surreal Exhibition of Objects.

The collection features 59 lots total, including an Alberto Giacometti sculpture estimated at $20 million to $30 million. A Hans Bellmer work is expected to surpass its $1.5 million to $2.5 million estimate to break the existing $942,000 auction record.

The players

Christie's

This British-founded auction house is one of the world's leading venues for the sale of fine art, antiques, and luxury goods.

Herbert Lust

He was a notable art collector and author who died in May at the age of 99.

Alberto Giacometti

He was a Swiss sculptor and painter known for his thin, elongated figures that defined 20th-century modernism.

Tel Aviv Museum of Art

This major cultural institution houses a vast collection of modern and contemporary art in Israel.

Sotheby's

This global auction house competes directly with Christie's in the market for high-value fine art and collectibles.

The details

The sale will span Christie's 20th-century evening event and a dedicated day sale in New York. Highlights include Alexander Calder's Pomegranate Pods, Robert Indiana's Love Wall, and Hans Bellmer's Jointure de boules, which was previously featured in the 1936 Surreal Exhibition of Objects.

The pieces will be auctioned by Christie's in November 2026.
The Giacometti and Calder works were created in 1946.
Lust donated a portion of his collection to the Tel Aviv Museum of Art in the early 2000s.
A tranche of Robert Indiana works was previously sold by Sotheby's in 2017.

Industry Dynamics

This high-profile estate sale signals a continued surge in demand for well-provenanced 20th-century works in the competitive New York auction market. It follows a historical trend of major collectors' estates being auctioned to consolidate market value among elite buyers.

Prospective buyers and collectors can view these works during the pre-auction exhibitions hosted by Christie's in New York. The sale provides a rare chance to purchase pieces with verified historical connections to mid-century movements.

The takeaway

Collectors should track the performance of the Giacometti and Bellmer lots as benchmarks for the current valuation of Surrealist and mid-century sculpture. The auction serves as a critical indicator of how mid-century estate pieces are performing in the modern secondary market.