Sotheby’s revenue jumped 24 per cent in the first half helped by a rise in the sales of artworks. This included £48 million for Gustav Klimt’s Bauerngarten, above, which was sold in London in March.
The sale of impressionist and modern art fetched £195 million, a record for any auction in the capital. Sotheby’s shares fell 8.2 per cent to $51.15 as costs to boost growth hit second quarter profit.