The Antiques Trade Gazette reports on year-end figures for Parisian auction houses:

Sotheby’s and Christie’s vied for top spot, with Sotheby’s posting total sales of €175m (£151m) to Christie’s €176.5m (£152m). Sotheby’s, however, had more cause for satisfaction: their figure was comfortably their best ever in France, and reflected a rise of 78% over 2009. […] In terms of overall sales, Artcurial comfortably retained the Paris number three spot with a turnover of €102.8m (£89m), up 28%, thanks largely to the 20th (and 21st) century sectors of the market. Their sales of contemporary art doubled to €20.6m; those of Design climbed 92% to €6m; and the firm remained world leader for comic strip auctions, with sales of €7.1m (up 15%).

Big Three Pull Away in Paris (Antiques Trade Gazette)