Turquoise Marilyn Auction History

Executed in 1964 as one of five 40-inch Marilyn canvases; the turquoise version was not among the works damaged in the Factory “shot” incident, a distinction often noted in scholarship and sales literature [2].

Provenance (select): By 2007 in the collection of Stefan Edlis, Chicago [1]; reportedly sold privately in May 2007 to Steven A. Cohen, brokered by Larry Gagosian, at approximately $80 million [1]. Subsequently loaned as from the Collection of Steven and Alexandra Cohen to Sotheby’s, New York (Women: A Loan Exhibition, April 2–14, 2009) [3], and included in The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Regarding Warhol (2012) [4]. Specialist press continued to cite Cohen as the owner in 2022 [5].

Within Andy Warhol’s market, the 40-inch Marilyn paintings from 1964 occupy the very top tier. Christie’s has described this series as a pinnacle of Warhol’s practice, and the turquoise version’s distinction as the only one not affected by the Factory “shot” incident further heightens its rarity and condition appeal [2]. There is no documented public auction for this specific work; it has remained privately held since a widely reported 2007 transaction [1].

The reported c.$80 million private sale in May 2007 from Stefan Edlis to Steven A. Cohen was understood at the time to surpass Warhol’s then-auction record set just days earlier by Green Car Crash (Green Burning Car I) at $71.7 million, illustrating how benchmark prices at the apex can be established privately ahead of public auction results [1][6]. In 2022, Christie’s sold Shot Sage Blue Marilyn for $195.04 million, a new auction record for Warhol and a bellwether for the 40-inch Marilyns’ value; around the same period, Shot Orange Marilyn was widely reported to have traded privately for about $200 million [2][10].

These comparables underscore the enduring demand for the 1964 Marilyns and the importance of condition, color, and provenance. Turquoise Marilyn’s occasional public loans (Sotheby’s 2009; The Met 2012) have maintained its visibility while ownership has stayed private; specialist press still cites Steven A. Cohen as the owner [3][4][5]. Taken together, the work’s unique un-shot status, high-profile ownership, and the record-setting performance of close peers position it as a potential headline lot were it ever to re-enter the market—though its last price remains a reported figure rather than one confirmed by principals [1][2].