Christie's

The latest series of Modern British art auctions in London generated a £47.2m total including premium which was significantly up on the equivalent sales last year.

Francis Outred, Christie’s chairman and head of post-war and contemporary art in Europe, is leaving the auction world after 20 years to take a break and pursue a new career away from Christie’s.

The latest series of Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary art auctions in New York generated an overall total of close to $2bn.

David Hockney’s ‘Portrait of an ‘Artist (Pool with Two Figures)’ from 1972 became the most expensive work by a living artist when it was knocked down for $80m (£61.6m) at Christie's in New York last night.

Proof once more of the allure of market-fresh goods, the collection of Roger Soame Jenyns (1904-76) excelled at Christie’s Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art sale on November 6.

It is 150 years since the beginning of the Meiji era in Japan and 160 since the country finally opened up to foreign trading after years of isolation.

‘Pre-owned’ luxury items are in demand and here is a selection of handbags and gladrags coming up for sale.

An Assyrian relief unearthed from the royal palace at Nimrud in modern-day Iraq has set the second highest ever price for a piece of ancient art at auction after selling at Christie’s New York.

A painting made by artificial intelligence has sold at Christie’s for a hammer price of $350,000 (£273,420).

A painting created by artificial intelligence and a table from a castle that featured in Harry Potter are among our five previews from upcoming sales this week.

The biannual series of Islamic and Indian art auctions held in April and October offers a wide range of art and artefacts celebrating the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the Middle East and the subcontinent. This year’s ‘Islamic Week’, running from October 22-26, includes sales from five auction houses, highlights of which are pictured below.

An archive of letters by leading studio pottery maker Bernard Leach (1887-1979) has been bought at auction by a museum which holds the largest collection of his material in the country.

An investigation by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has found that a Christie’s auction advert was ‘misleading’ in relation to the notification of fees such as buyer’s premium.

Auction house Christie’s is to auction Albert Einstein’s God Letter – his correspondence to philosopher Erik Gutkind written a year before his death in 1954.

There will be a new face leading the French operation at Christie’s auction house next summer.