Reflecting on Reflective Love...

I wasn't even bidding in today's Christie's auction in New York, and yet I couldn't help but feel a certain amount of excitement when Utamaro's Reflective Love went up for sale. I wondered how the new owner would feel, bidding on, and then securing, such a fantastic print. I mentally relived my most exciting auction purchases and thought they would pale in comparison, considering the estimated price and the beauty, rarity and provenance of the design on offer. The bidding went up to $900,000 but no further... so Utamaro's masterpiece went unsold. What an anti-climax! Of course, it will most likely be sold in house, but that's nowhere near as exciting as seeing it sell as the gavel goes down.