Christie’s International Auction Sales Total $974 Million for the First Half of 2001

LONDON – Christie’s International has announced worldwide auction sales totaling $974 million for the first six months of 2001, January 1 through June 30. In Christie’s sale rooms around the world, 91 lots sold for more than $1 million, led by the top lot of the season, Rembrandt Harmensz. Van Rijn’s “Portrait of a bearded man, bust-length, in a red doublet,” which realized $12,656,000 at Christie’s sale of Important Old Master Paintings at Rockefeller Center in January.

Christie’s sale centres around the world saw strong results. European sales realized $442 million, including a total of $277 million achieved by Christie’s King Street alone.

Sales in the United Sales totaled $481 million, led by $429 million in sales at Christie’s Rockefeller Center, and Asian and Australian sales realized $51 million.

Sales of Nineteenth & Twentieth Century art around the world realized a total of $419 million, a figure comparable with the record-breaking first half of 2000. Strong sales of Impressionist and Modern Art, Post-War Art and Contemporary Art in New York and London confirmed the health of this key area of the market.

Christie’s international jewelry sales achieved a total of $103 million. Sales of European furniture and decorative arts around the world totaled $80 million.

Led by the highest sale total ever for a Chinese Works of Art sale in New York, international sales of Asian art totaled $65 million between January and June 2001.

Following a record-breaking year in 2000, Christie’s Old Master paintings and drawings sales continued to be strong in the first half of 2001, realizing $63 million. American paintings sales at Christie’s Americas totaled $37 million. Christie’s international Books and Manuscrips sales totaled $30 million in the first half of 2001.

Christie’s international antiquities sales total $10.4 million. American Furniture and Decorative Arts sales realized $8.9 million.

Christie’s sales of British and Irish art realized $38 million in the first half of 2001. Comprising examples manufactured by Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Jaguar and Rolls-Royce, the single-owner sale, motor cars from the collection of Sir Elton John CBE, at Christie’s London in June realized $2.7 million.

Davide Halevim, magnificent carpets and tapestries, became the highest-grossing single-owner collection of Rugs and Carpets ever seen at auction when it realized $5.3 million at Christie’s London in February.