Christie’s were way ahead of Sotheby’s in the worldwide auction scene in 2007 although Sotheby’s pulled ahead of Christie’s in the US. However, in terms of total US sales, the London-based auctioneers were left standing by Acker Merrall & Condit and Zachys.
But if competition has been focussed on either side of the Atlantic up to now, it seems likely that the auctioneers will be paying close attention to Asian markets in 2008 – especially if wine duty in Hong Kong is decreased again in the forthcoming budget there.
(Sterling to US dollar conversion rates vary slightly in the figures...