Christie’s London achieved a robust £197.5 million ($263.8 million) across three evening sales, marking a significant 52 percent increase over the previous year. The marathon auction event included the 20th/21st Century sale, the Art of the Surreal sale, and a dedicated session for the Roger and Josette Vanthournout collection. Highlighting the evening was a record-breaking £26 million sale for Henry Moore’s sculpture "King and Queen," alongside strong performances for works by Dorothea Tanning and Toyen.
These results provide a vital confidence boost for the London art market, which has faced recent scrutiny regarding its global standing. By outperforming its previous year's totals and maintaining a high 96 percent sell-through rate, Christie’s demonstrated that there is still deep liquidity for high-quality provenance and surrealist works. The debut of a new rostrum designed by Jony Ive further signaled the house's attempt to blend its 260-year heritage with modern prestige.