Rising Tides, Covered Bridges, and 'Envy, Thy Name Is Trot' | National Review

Late-season signs of life in high-end auctions were reported across major auction houses, with Sotheby’s reporting record first-half sales, Christie’s posting its best half in five years, and Phillips up 60%. The article says not only large, headline-grabbing estate sales performed well; the $20,000-to-$100,000 segment also showed strength, with higher participation and more competition that typically supports higher prices. The piece also notes auctions in New York, London, Paris, and Hong Kong represent only part of a wider market that includes dealers and smaller houses, but it’s the auctions where prices become public. It then shifts to art-world culture topics, including a discussion of celebrity coverage tied to Zendaya and a broader critique of social-media commentary, framed through the author’s viewpoint.