Christie’s auction house said Friday it had bought a London contemporary art gallery, moving the world’s largest auctioneer onto terrain usually occupied by art dealers.

Christie’s said it had acquired the Haunch of Venison gallery, based in London’s Mayfair district. The auction house did not say how much it paid for the gallery, which also has branches in Zurich and Berlin.

Founded in 2002, Haunch of Venison represents artists including Bill Viola, Keith Tyson and Wim Wenders.

The auction house said it planned to open a New York branch of the gallery later this year.

Posted: 02|23|07 at 9:26 pm. Filed under: UK News.