According to preliminary estimates, this year's auction house has sold works of art for $ 5 billion

Pablo Picasso
Nude on the background of the bust and green leaves. 1932
Source: artinvestment.ru

According to preliminary estimates, in 2010 revenues auction house Christie's sale of works of art and antiques was 3.2 billion pounds ( $ 5 billion). This is the highest annual result in the history of the company. The previous record set in the peak for the art market in 2007, amounted to 3.1 billion pounds. Compared with 2009, sales grew by 52 percent.

Among the most expensive lots Christie's came picture of Pablo Picasso's "Nude on a background of green leaves and bust" (1932) , which bought for 106.5 million dollars. Cloth was the most expensive piece of art from all that has ever changed owners at auction. Another record: the Hong Kong auction in November, pink diamond (14.23 carats) was sold for 23.2 million dollars. This is the largest amount paid for the gem at auction in Asia.

As archrival Christie's, the house Sotheby's, its provisional figure - 4.2 billion dollars (taken into account only the results of open auction held prior to December 13). Top lot of Sotheby's became Alberto Giacometti's bronze sculpture "Walking man I» , which posted a 65 million pounds (104.3 million dollars).

Christie's will publish their exact numbers in January 2011, Sotheby's - in late February or early March.

material was prepared by Julia Maksimova, AI

Source: bloomberg.com , artinvestment.ru