It’s just a whisper at the moment but it may well be the case that Francois Pinault is considering the sale of his Christie’s auction house which he bought in May 1998 for $1.2 billion.

The speculation is based on one obvious fact: at circa €4.7bn, Artemis, Mr Pinault’s holding company, is carrying too much debt.

And while all auctions across Bonhams, Sotheby’s and Christie’s haven’t experienced a great year, Christie’s has already cut a couple of departments, shrunk others, let a few employees go and plan more reorganization for the company in January.

Bonhams celebrated its best ever motorcycle sale at Stafford in April, achieving several world record prices in a storming sale that realised £2,000,000 ($4,000,000). This is the highest ever sale total for any UK motorcycle sale, emphatically confirming Bonhams position as clear market leader for collectors motorcycles.

This was the first of four dedicated motorcycle sales at Bonhams this year, and launched the 2008 calendar in commanding fashion, with 88% of all lots selling and the top three bikes each realising over £100,000 ($200,0000 – all three selling to UK private collectors.

The 1934 Brough Superior 996cc SS100 made top price of £166,500 ($330,000) – a world record price for the model and the highest price ever paid for a British motorcycle at auction.

The Brough Superior, a rare example of this legendary pre-war superbike, represented the JAP-engined SS100 in its ultimate form. Incorporating ‘two of everything’ (carburettors, magnetos, oil pumps), it was one of only six made to this specification in 1934 and retained its original frame, engine and registration mark. The machine formed part of the Murray Motorcycle Museum Collection in the Isle of Man from 1973 to 2005.

The next auction will be held on monday : Bonhams will auction off an astounding collection of vintage motorcycles worth $2 million at the Royal Air Force Museum in London.
The sale represents the largest single-owner collection of motorbikes ever to come to auction; all 300 machines are from the Professor Fritz Ehn Motorcycle Museum in Austria. (source : press release)