Bonhams Realizes $902,472 in The Sandy Lerner Cat Collection, Part I Auction

Bonhams realized a total of $902,472 in The Sandy Lerner Cat Collection^[1], Part I, a specialized auction that closed on 1 October 2026. The single-owner sale saw 44 of 66 lots sold, resulting in a 66.7% sell-through rate^[1]. The auction brought together an eclectic assortment of fine art, decorative objects, and rare books dedicated entirely to feline subjects, assembled by the entrepreneur and philanthropist Sandy Lerner.

According to official results published by Bonhams, which serves as the primary source for the sale's outcomes, the auction highlighted the enduring appeal of feline iconography across different artistic movements and mediums. The collection reflects decades of focused acquisition, with many of the featured pieces documented in Lerner's own publication on cat-themed art history. The cataloguing of these objects reveals a deep appreciation for how artists have captured the mysterious and independent nature of cats throughout history, making this single-owner sale a significant event for thematic collectors.

Among the most prominent artists featured in the sale was Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita, whose delicate depictions of cats have long been highly prized by collectors. His watercolor and ink work on silk, depicting a young cat, led the auction's individual results. This piece has a notable provenance, having previously passed through a major London auction house before being acquired by the current owner. Foujita's unique ability to blend traditional Japanese ink techniques with Western modernist sensibilities is highly visible in his feline portraits, which occupied a central place in his artistic output. His work on paper captures the subtle textures of feline fur and the expressive quality of their eyes, which became a signature element of his celebrated style.

Another major highlight was a bronze sculpture by Diego Giacometti. Known for his mastery of bronze casting and distinctive patinated finishes, Giacometti often incorporated animal figures into his work. The sculpture offered in this sale was accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and had previously been part of collections in Paris and New York before its acquisition by Lerner. The tactile quality of the patinated bronze and the stylized representation of the cat's head are characteristic of Giacometti's unique approach to decorative arts, where animal forms are rendered with both playfulness and formal elegance.

The sale also featured a whimsical, hand-colored volume by Andy Warhol, which depicts the numerous cats that lived with the artist and his mother in their New York townhouse. The book, which features distinctive lettering by Warhol's mother, represents a limited edition signed by the artist. This early work highlights Warhol's commercial illustration background and his personal affection for his feline companions, offering a glimpse into his domestic life before his rise to fame as a leading figure of the Pop Art movement.

The results of this first installment of the Sandy Lerner collection demonstrate a steady collector interest in specialized thematic sales. The variety of mediums, ranging from classic modern works on paper and bronze sculptures to rare illustrated books, attracted a diverse group of bidders interested in the specific intersection of fine art and feline subject matter.