In a moment of history marked by a thin line separating the boundaries between art dealers and auction houses, Phillips de Pury seems even more determined to confuse these roles, by undertaking a new mission: to represent Annie Leibovitz, as a reseller for US photography.
According to the chairman of the renowned auction house, Simon De Pury, Leibovitz approached Phillips de Pury thanks to Charlie Scheips, international director for the department of photography since 2007, who has known the famous artist since 1987, when he worked as chief assistant for David Hockney. After this approach De Pury met Leibovitz to discuss this particular “alliance agreement”, which will certainly offer better opportunities to the photographer. Indeed, Phillips de Pury will curate Leibovitz’s “master set”, that is a selection of the 200 most representative works of her poetics, and her archive, while the New York agency Art+Commerce will continue to manage her more commercial works. 

Contemporary Photographs held on 13th October 2008 at Christie’s New York venue totalled intakes for 1,020,250 dollars.  An interesting sale whose protagonists were the most emblazoned names of contemporary photography, such as David LaChapelle, Annie Leibovitz, Nan Goldin. Altogether 54 lots, almost all of them very important for their great aesthetic and artistic quality, executed by artists that have been appreciated for a long time in the economic-artistic system.
Among the highlights of the various pieces presented to the public in the saleroom were pictures by great artists who have marked the evolvement of international photography.  Among these we should mention for instance “Untitled (Snake Powder)” by Adam Fuss which, from a pre-sale estimate between 50 and 70 thousand dollars, sold for 50 thousand dollars or “Still Life (Candle)” by Louise Lawler, which from a valuation of 25-35 thousand dollars, sold for 50 thousand dollars.