Christie’s has announced worldwide sales of £1.8 billion ($3.5 billion) for the first six months of 2008, an increase of 10% by £ on last year’s figure of £1.6 billion ($3.2 billion) for the same period. (Figures include buyer’s premium.)

457 works of art sold for more than $1 million, compared to 430 sold during the same period last year. Sales totals include private sales of £153 million/$301 million brokered by Christie’s in the first half of 2008 as well as sales conducted by the wholly owned subsidiary, Haunch of Venison.

A breakdown of key categories is as follows:

Impressionist & Modern Art £497 million/$974 million
Post-War & Contemporary Art £408 million/$800 million
Asian Art £239 million/$469 million
Jewellery, Jadeite, Watches £140 million/$275 million
European Furniture £71 million/$139 million
Old Masters (Paintings & Drawings) £52 million/$101 million
American Paintings £41 milllion/$81 million
British & Irish Art £32 million/$64 million
Russian Paintings & Works of Art £20 million/$40 million
Books & Manuscripts £19 million/$38 million
Latin American £18 million/$35 million
20th Century Decorative Arts £18 million/$35 million
Prints £16 million/$32 million

Posted: 07|18|08 at 11:36 am. Filed under: UK News.