Christie’s International, the world’s leading art business, announced today worldwide sales of ￡1.63 billion ($3.25 billion) for the first six months of 2007, an increase of 32% by ￡ (45% by $) on last year’s figure of ￡1.24 billion ($2.24 billion) for the same period. This figure includes buyer’s premium. In Christie’s salesrooms around the world, 358 works of art sold for more than $1 million, compared to 189 sold during the same period last year. Sales totals include private sales of ￡82 million/$163 million brokered by Christie’s in the first half of 2007 and post acquisition sales of Haunch of Venison.“Christie’s robust results for the first half of 2007 delineate an exceptional art market,” said Edward Dolman, Chief Executive Officer, Christie’s International. “Never before has interest in art and collectibles been so widespread. As the world's leading art business, Christie's has inspired our clients, our staff and our colleagues in the art world through spectacularly-edited sales, timely and accurate counsel, and excellent sale returns on the works entrusted to us. The unprecedented geographic breadth and depth of participation in our market is one of the most exciting phenomena we anticipated and executed against, from our sales in Dubai that saw buyers from 19 different countries; to an Asian private collector acquiring the fabulous Baroda Pearls in New York; to casino magnate Dr. Stanley Ho purchasing the splendid 17th century Chinese imperial throne we sold in Hong Kong. “With our international teams of specialists, auctioneers and representatives in such vibrant cities as Shanghai, Beijing, Mumbai, Dubai and Moscow, and with the power of our online bidding feature Christie’s LIVE?, we offer the Christie’s experience and magic to the entire globe. Our global infrastructure also allows us to source and sell great works of art in the most optimal locations to the benefit of our clients." For the first half of 2007, Europe, UK & Middle East auction sales totaled ￡792 million ($1.58 billion), up 33% from the same period last year (up 46% by $), the Americas totaled ￡635 million ($1.26 billion), up 30% from the same period in 2006 (up 42% by $) and Asia totaled ￡98 million ($195 million), up 17% from the same period last year (up 28% by $). Top Ten Lots Sold at Christie’s Worldwide for January – June 2007 1. Andy Warhol, Green Car Crash (Green Burning Car I) ￡36,040,201/$71,720,000 Post-War and Contemporary Art, Christie’s New York, May 16 2. Claude Monet, Waterloo Bridge, temps couvert, 1904 ￡17,940,000/$35,539,140 Impressionist and Modern Art, Christie’s London, June 18 3. Andy Warhol, Lemon Marilyn ￡14,090,452/$28,040,000 Post-War and Contemporary Art, Christie’s New York, May 16 4. Francis Bacon, Study for Portrait II ￡14,020,000/$27,549,300 Post-War and Contemporary Art, Christie’s London, February 8 5. Mark Rothko, Untitled ￡13,527,638/$26,920,000 Post-War and Contemporary Art, Christie’s New York, May 16 6. Mark Rothko, Untitled ￡11,276,382/$22,440,000 Post-War and Contemporary Art, Christie’s New York, May 16 7. Willem de Kooning, Untitled I ￡9,587,940/$19,080,000 Post-War and Contemporary Art, Christie’s New York, May 168. Pablo Picasso, Tête et main de femme ￡9,306,533/$18,520,000 Impressionist and Modern Art, Christie’s New York, May 9 9. Alberto Giacometti, L’homme qui chavire ￡9,306,533/$18,520,000 Impressionist and Modern Art, Christie’s New York, May 9 10. Juan Gris, Le pot de géranium ￡9,306,533/$18,520,000 Impressionist and Modern Art, Christie’s New York, May 9 Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) • Paris – A group of palaeontology-related items totals €1,130,172 (￡769,421/$1,531,383) and sets a new world auction record for a mammoth at €312,000 (￡212,410/$422,760). The most successful Post-War and Contemporary Art sale to date in France achieves €24,560,760 (￡16,701,316/$32,985,100) and is 96% sold by value – top lot is Bacon’s Untitled (Figure on a Dais), at €6,864,000 (￡4,667,520/$9,218,352), the highest price ever paid at auction in France for a painting in the category. • Geneva, Amsterdam, Zurich – Record sales of Watches and Wine in Geneva with a combined total with Jewellery of SFr. 58.8 million ($48.7 million). Amsterdam sets a Dutch record for CoBrA artist Karel Appel at €480,000 ($647,423) and in Zurich The Avo Krikorian Collection of Meiji art totals SFr.4.1 million ($3.4 million). • Moscow – An impressive program of Christie’s events includes the exhibition of Vasilii Vereshchagin’s Solomon’s Wall at The State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow in March, launching a new cooperation between the Gallery and Christie’s. • Venice – Christie’s hosts its third Salon d’Art in June during the Venice Biennale at Hotel Gritti Palace with a specially-edited exhibition. Looking Ahead • Christie’s will offer the 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso, chassis number 4891 once owned, driven and raced by Steve McQueen in the Christie’s International Motor Cars 2007 sale on August 16 at the Monterey Jet Center in California (estimate: $800,000-1,200,000). • Asia Week in New York, including The Meriem Collection: Important Chinese Snuff Bottles; Property from the Collection of Ariane Dandois and Gandharan Buddhist Art from the Collection of a Prince, takes place from September 18 through September 21 • Christie’s in Madrid will organize the fourth edition of The Spanish Sale at the Westin Palace Hotel on October 3 • Magnificent Jewels from a Distinguished Private Collection, a splendid single owner jewellery sale will be held at Christie’s New York on October 16 • Christie's Los Angeles will lead one of the taste-making events of the season with The Quintessential Modern Cellar: An Evening Sale, offering a single owner collection of extraordinary wines on October 25 • Christie’s Dubai will again welcome an international clientele with the International Modern & Contemporary Art Sale on 31 October and the auction of Contemporary Jewels & Watches on 1 November. • Impressionist and Modern Art and Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sales offering superb masterpieces by 19th, 20th and 21st century artists will be held at Christie’s New York on November 6 and 13 • Haunch of Venison New York will formally open at 1230 Avenue of the Americas in November with Barrett White as its director • On November 28, Christie’s London will host two sales: Russian Pictures and Russian Works of Art • The Hong Kong sales series of Asian Art, Jewellery and Watches will take place from November 25 through 29. Highlights include Important Chinese Jades from the Personal Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman Part II, featuring many pieces made for the Imperial household and estimated to realize in excess of $10 million (HK$77.8 million) • December will present Important Old Master Pictures at Christie’s London