The American Flamingo by John James Audubon.
Auction sales at Sotheby’s rose by 24% in the first half of 2014 over the first six months of 2013. A total of 487 lots were sold for over $1 million in the period according to the first half results. Contemporary art was up by 24% and jewellery by 34%. A total of 41% more works were sold privately than in the first six months of 2013.
More than a dozen selling exhibitions are planned for the autumn season. Sales at Hong Kong and Beijing were up 56% and there was a 35% increase globally in buyers from mainland China. Participation in the BIDnow programme more than doubled and 16% more lots were sold online. John James Audubon’s elephant-folio The Birds of America sold in April 2014 for $3.5 million – marking a new record for an online purchase in a live auction at Sotheby’s. A partnership between Sotheby’s and e-Bay has been announced recently.
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for July 16, 2014)