The salerooms.
The price of a painting, a stone or a watch is set in a handful of rooms in New York, London, Geneva and Hong Kong. Who holds the hammer, and when.
The price of a painting, a stone or a watch is set in a handful of rooms in New York, London, Geneva and Hong Kong. Who holds the hammer, and when.
1766James Christie holds his first sale
James Christie held his first sale in London in 1766. The house's London rooms are on King Street, St James's, a few minutes from Savile Row.
1744Sotheby's first sale, in London
Sotheby's held its first sale in London in 1744, as a seller of books, and is now based in New York. Phillips was founded in London in 1796 by Harry Phillips.
$450.3MSalvator Mundi, Christie's New York, 2017
The most expensive painting ever sold at auction is Salvator Mundi, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, at $450.3 million at Christie's New York in November 2017. Andy Warhol's Shot Sage Blue Marilyn sold for $195 million at Christie's New York in May 2022.
1997The Fondation Beyeler opens in Riehen
Ernst and Hildy Beyeler opened the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen, outside Basel, in 1997, in a building by Renzo Piano. In Paris, the Fondation Louis Vuitton opened in Frank Gehry's glass sails in 2014, and the Pinault Collection opened in the Bourse de Commerce, rebuilt by Tadao Ando, in 2021. In Zurich, the Kunsthaus opened its extension by David Chipperfield in 2021.
1895The first Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale was first held in 1895. Every other year, the art world spends its summer in Venice, in the national pavilions of the Giardini and the old rope works of the Arsenale.
The major art sales are held in New York every May and November. The great jewel and watch sales are held in Geneva in spring and autumn, and Hong Kong holds its own sales for buyers in Asia.
London🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Geneva🇨🇭 Switzerland
Paris🇫🇷 France
Hong Kong🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR
Miami🇺🇸 Florida, United States
Vienna🇦🇹 AustriaSources. Christie's · Sotheby's · Phillips · Frieze. Read October 2026. A record of places, houses and dates, published as research. Patrician.ch has no commercial relationship with any house named here.
Sotheby's, which held its first sale in London in 1744.
Christie's followed in 1766.
Every May and November.
In Geneva, in spring and autumn.
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