Sotheby's to jam May New York sales into one week to spur buzz

New York

SOTHEBY'S plans to jam its big semiannual New York sales into one week in May, shaking up its traditional auction schedule amid volatile financial markets and heated competition with rival Christie's.pp

For years, the auction houses coordinated their major evening sales in New York during two weeks in early May and November. Impressionist and modern art sales took place in the first week, followed by postwar and contemporary auctions. The main events took place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with Christie's and Sotheby's alternating who goes first every season.