Bloomberg had Adam Majendie working the floor at Sotheby’s Hong Kong sale of Asian art where Zhang Xiaogang set a record price “Chapeter of a New Century:”
Waving paddle 3008, a woman in a black dress at the center of Sotheby’s Hong Kong saleroom saw off all comers to win a 1992 Zhang Xiaogang painting that set an artist record of HK$52.18 million ($6.7 million), as Chinese buyers competed for works by established artists. […]
The buyer, who purchased the painting for a Shanghai museum, according to the auction house, became more hesitant as bidding rose from HK$13 million toward HK$40 million, seeing off two telephone bidders and two rivals in the room. Finally, as she hesitated, her partner lifted the paddle for her.
Asked after the auction if he was happy with the purchase, the man laughed and replied: “Not happy! It’s too expensive!” He declined to give his name.
Zhang’s $6.7 Million Baby Boosts Sotheby’s Hong Kong Sale as Buyers Battle (Bloomberg)
