Henry Highley

Spear’s Review

‘It’s an exciting time for us,’ says Henry Highley, head of private sales at Phillips and a principal auctioneer who brings down the hammer in London, Hong Kong and New York. 

Highley was auctioneer when Basquiat’s Flexible sold for $45 million in New York and Picasso’s La Dormeuse for £41 million in London – the house’s best ever performance at the time, and a career milestone for Highley. 

A self-confessed art addict, he has observed African-American art becoming a focal point, with works by Mark Bradford and Stanley Whitney enjoying career-high prices.