In the first of a series of auctions set to benefit the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Art, the late artists’ work earned more than $17 million at a Christie’s auction Nov. 12. The top-earning item, Warhol’s “Endangered Species: San Francisco Silverspot,” brought in $1.25 million, as bidders from around the world purchased a total of 354 photographs, prints and paintings.

“Today’s vigorous launch of the Warhol Foundation sales was met with enthusiasm by established and new collectors globally, including successful bidders from mainland China, Russia, the European Union, the Middle East and the Americas,” said Amy Cappellazzo, chairman of post-war and contemporary development at Christie’s. “Today’s sales have set the stage beautifully for the next offering of works from the Collection of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, which includes a selling exhibition in Hong Kong and the debut of online-only sales in February.”

Other noteworthy items from the first auction include “Jackie,” a red screen print and paper collage Warhol completed in honor of Jacqueline Kennedy in 1960, which sold for $626,500, and “Self-Portrait in Fright Wig,” which fetched $50,000—more than double its anticipated price.

A highly-prolific artist, Warhol died in 1987. According to Art Market Monitor, the most paid for a Warhol piece to date is $100 million for “Eight Elvises” through a private sale.

Christie’s plans additional sales from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts’ collection in the coming months, including online auctions to begin in February.

“This first sale has proved to be a fitting marker for the Foundation’s 25th anniversary year,” said Andy Warhol Foundation president Joel Wachs. “The new level of global access to Andy Warhol’s work that this series of sales makes possible, along with the bolstering of our philanthropic base, makes this an important moment for the Foundation and indeed for the world of art.”

More information on upcoming private Warhol Foundation sales and the online auctions can be found on Christie’s Web site.

[Image via Christie’s]