| A Message from Guillaume Cerutti, Christie’s CEO | | | View in browser | | | |
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| A Message from Guillaume Cerutti, Christie’s CEO | | | |
All of us at Christie’s hope you and those close to you are keeping well.
Today, we wanted to update you on some important topics including an unprecedented and inventive sale format and the current status of our offices around the world. | | | | | |
| | | | Christie’s has announced ONE: A Global Sale of the 20th Century, a new, global, innovative sale concept. | | | On 10 July, utilizing streaming technology, we will stage the first of a kind relay-style auction in real time across the time zones from four of the art world’s major hubs: New York, London, Paris and Hong Kong.
ONE: A Global Sale of the 20th Century will offer Impressionist and Modern Art, Post-War and Contemporary Art and Design over four consecutive sessions led by principle auctioneers in each region. Open to both in-person and online audiences, this new format aims to create an adaptable, inclusive and highly engaging selling platform to present important works of art to bidders around the globe. We will look forward to welcoming you at one of our four sale rooms or digitally during this exciting event. Consignments for this sale are open until mid-June. | | | | | |
| | | | We are progressively reopening our offices around the world. | | | In Asia, most of Christie’s offices are open and fully operational. Our upcoming sales in Hong Kong are going ahead as scheduled on 8–13 July. We are also excited to be planning an historic collaboration in China in September, partnering with China Guardian auction house to stage a series of sales and exhibitions around a theme of positivity: 2020+
In continental Europe, most of our offices have now reopened, or will reopen shortly. In Paris in particular, preparations are underway for our live sales to resume at our Avenue Matignon galleries from 26 May, beginning with The Collector: Le Goût Français. In these locations, our clients can visit our offices by appointment, to meet one of our specialists, view a work or complete a transaction. All necessary measures to protect our visitors and our staff are in place, strictly following official guidelines.
Similarly, in the United Kingdom we are working to reopen our London King Street office beginning the 1st of June.
In the Americas, most of our offices remain closed other than to essential staff, especially in our flagship office in New York, Rockefeller Center. We continue to comply with the regulations and are in close contact with local authorities in order to finalise the steps for a safe and phased return to the office for our staff and clients over the coming period.
In all locations, including the UK and the Americas, our teams continue to be available by telephone, email or other virtual means, and our array of sales and services is accessible on our website, WeChat and our App. | | | | | |
| | | | Our strong activity in online sales and private sales, along with a strict cost management and the financial stability of our organisation, will help Christie’s to face the impact of the current crisis. | | | While our live auctions this Spring have been suspended or postponed due to the COVID-19 situation, we have immediately adapted our offerings by undertaking a great expansion of our online-only sales. Between April and July 2020, we will have more than doubled the number of online sales compared with the same period in 2019. These online offerings include a diverse range of categories sourced by our team from around the world. Increasingly, consignors see that their objects benefit from the extraordinary profile and broad reach that our platform offers to buyers and new audiences everywhere. For example we will offer a spectacular D color diamond ring of 28.86 carats, with an estimate of US$1–2 million, in our Jewels Online sale, open 16–30 June.
Similarly, demand for Private Sales is very strong, with activity in the first quarter up 27% on 2019, and transactions ranging from US$30,000 to US$35 million.
These expanding activities, along with a strict management of our costs, will allow us to overcome the unprecedented challenge imposed on our economies by COVID-19. We have benefited from decades of stable, supportive shareholder ownership, and a financially robust balance sheet. This stability and strength allow us to reassure our clients about the continuity of our activity.
Finally, we also wanted to let you know that as a values-based organization, we will continue to partner with members of our broader communities on charitable projects. In the coming months, Christie’s will be partnering with amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, to raise critical funds for COVID-19 research through a dedicated auction this summer entitled From the Studio, featuring works donated by collectors and artists.
Through this tough period, it is our passion for art and objects that is helping to sustain us all.
Sincerely and with best wishes,
| |  | Guillaume Cerutti
Chief Executive Officer | | |
 | Marc Porter
Chairman, Christie’s Americas |
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