LOS ANGELES, CA.- Bonhams & Butterfields‘ Made in California auction on May 3, 2010 was especially strong, signaling that the market for California art continues to be robust. Telephone bidders from around the globe vied for works by the golden state’s leading modern and contemporary artists. The sale, which was simulcast from Los Angeles to San Francisco, established world record prices for works by Ruth Asawa, Fletcher Benton, Peter Alexander, Guy Dill and Jacob Hashimoto among others. As California’s oldest and largest auction house, Bonhams & Butterfields continues to break world record auction prices for contemporary art. “We offered great work and people responded. We had our highest sell through rate ever. The sale earned more than $1.4 million,” said Holly Sherratt, a specialist in Modern and Contemporary art. Works by Robert Graham, Ruth Asawa, Edward Kienholz and Guy Dill led the sculptural offerings. The highligh