By the numbers: Christie's $2.57 billion first half of 2010 report

Totals
- Worldwide sales of £1.71 billion ($2.57 billion), up 46% by £ on last year’s figure
- 169 works of art sold for more than £1 million, compared to 201 in the corresponding period last year
- Sales totals include private sales of £182.7 million/$274.1 million, up 37% by £ on the same period last year

Geographical breakdown of sales
- Continental Europe with UK - £650.3 million/$975.4 million – unchanged compared to last year (King Street £450.2 million/$675.2 million, South Kensington £49.9 million/$74. 9 million, Paris £80. 6 million/$120.9 million)
- Americas - £666.4 million/$999.6 million, up 116% in £ from the same period in 2009
- Asia with Middle East - £215.7 million/$323.6 million ), up 134% in £ from the same period last year (Hong Kong £200.4 million/$300.7 million Dubai £15.3 million/$22.9 million)

Top International Department Totals
- Up overall by 47% in £ over the same period in 2009, most significant increases on a percentage basis year-over- year were Post-War & Contemporary (140%), Asian (121%)

Impressionist & Modern Art £568.6 million/$852.9 million
Post-War & Contemporary Art £307.2 million/$460.7 million
Asian Art £245.5 million/$368.2 million
Old Masters & 19th Century Art £58.3 million/$87.4 million
American Paintings £25.6 million/$38.4 million
Russian Paintings & Works of Art £14.7 million/$22.2 million
Latin American Art £13.8 million/$20.7 million

Top Ten Works of Art Sold at Christie’s Worldwide
1) $106,482,500 - Pablo Picasso, Nude, Green Leaves and Bust, oil on canvas, painted on 9 March 1932. World auction record for any artwork sold at auction, World auction record for the artist (New York 4-May-10)

2) $53,282,500 - Alberto Giacometti, Grande tête mince, bronze, conceived in 1954 (New York 4-May-10)

3) $52,620,923 - Amedeo Modigliani, Tête de caryatide, sculpture, executed between 1911-12. Highest price achieved for a work of art ever sold in France. World auction record for the artist (Paris 14-Jun-10)

4) $51,585,695 - Pablo Picasso, Portrait d'Angel Fernández de Soto, oil on canvas, 1903 (London 23-Jun10)

5) $28,642,500 - Jasper Johns, Flag, encaustic on newspaper collage on lithograph laid on canvas, painted between 1960-196 (New York 11-May-10). World auction record for the artist

6) $27,901,055 - Gustav Klimt, Frauenbildnis (Portrait of Ria Munk III), oil and charcoal on canvas, 1917 (London 23-Jun-10)

7) $25,842,500 - Alberto Giacometti, La Main, bronze with brown and green patina, conceived in 1947 and cast by Alexis Rudier Foundry in March 1948 (New York 4-May-10)

8) $20,802,500 - Alberto Giacometti, Le Chat, Bronze, conceived in 1951 (New York 4-May-10)

9) $18,338,500 - Andy Warhol, Silver Liz, spray enamel, synthetic polymer and silkscreen inks on linen, 1963 (New York 11-May-10)

10) $18,011,679 - Pablo Picasso, Le baiser,, oil on canvas, 1969 (London 23-Jun-1)

Christie's Online
- Christies.com drew 33% more registrants and 44% more bidders, in the first half of 2010 compared to the first half of 2009
- The online channel now accounts for one-fifth of Christie's sale registrants and registrations, and one-quarter of the company's bidders.
- At the close of first half, online revenue reached $48.8 million, a year-over-year increase of 63%

Stay tuned for Sotheby's first half of 2010 report due on Thursday.

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