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  • CHRISTIE’S RECORD ANNUAL SALES OF £3.92 BILLION IN 2012

    Mark Rothko’s Orange, Red, Yellow made $86,882,500, a world record for contemporary art at auction.

    THE global appeal of art continues to grow according to Christie’s, which recorded annual sales of £3.92 billion in 2012, up 10% on 2011. In 2012 the average number of registered bidders per auction was 53% higher than a decade ago. On-line initiatives are driving greater accessibility and 19% of all registered bidders were new clients. Private sales of £631.3 million increased by 26% and represented the highest annual total in both company and art market history. Bidders came from 136 countries. Christie’s sold 686 works at auction for over $1 million and 49 for over $10 million.

    Significantly the market at more accessible price levels represents the majority of transactions and continues to perform strongly. Post-War and Contemporary art led the categories with record auction sales of £986.5 million. Notable increases were also seen for Impressionist and Modern Art which realised auctions sales of £623.6 million and Old Masters & 19th Century Art which totaled £201.6 million. Mark Rothko’s Orange, Red, Yellow sold for $86,882,500 last May in New York, a world record price for any contemporary work of art sold at auction.
    Steven P. Murphy, Chief Executive Officer, Christie’s commented: “Our third straight year of record results is a sign that more people in more places in the world are captivated by art and are seeking to acquire it, and Christie’s has aligned itself with collectors and their needs. More importantly, this trend is apparent at every level of the art market, from under £1,000 to over £50 million, as technological advancements highlight the appeal and the ease of engaging with Christie’s and the works of art we handle”.

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