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Fine quality, first-rate After a long and rancorous rivalry, Christie's is showing signs of edging out its arch-rival, Sotheby's. Christie's mission - to become the absolute leader in the high-end auction business. Christie's sprang into existence in 1766, when James Christie opened an auction house in London. Early on, the auctioneer's reputation became synonymous with fine quality, as the salesroom became increasingly populated with uppercrust collectors and dealers. Over its 200+ year history, Christie's has burgeoned into the one of the world's preeminent auction houses. It currently offers sales in more than 80 separate categories, including fine and decorative arts, collectibles, wine, stamps, and motor cars. Recent blockbusters have included the sale of Princess Diana's dresses and a record breaking sale of a Rembrandt drawing for $8.7 million (the highest price ever paid for an Old Master drawing). All around the world Christie's sales are held in approximately 20 cities around the world, including Amsterdam, Hong Kong, New York, Bangkok, and London. By 1999's count, Christie's was comprised of 119 representative offices in 16 selling centers and 41 countries. Primary salesrooms are located in New York and Los Angeles. Christie's specialists research, organize, and compile over 800 auction catalogues each year. Many industry experts consider these catalogues among the most beautiful and opulent in the field. In addition to art and collectibles, Christie's divisions include Great Estates (a real estate service), the Fine Art Security Services, Catalogues, Books, and Education. The auctioneer also offers free valuations of items, private treaty sales, taxation advice, and furniture restoration. Don't forget about Christie's Images The auction house has a picture resource collection called "Christie's Images," which targets scholars and professionals in the communications industry. This collection houses a variety of images from a host of cultures including African, Asian, and Native American. Subject matter is exhaustive and includes history, religion, wildlife, maps, stamps, coins, toys, and botanical illustrations. Moreover, these images are available for reproduction in traditional and new media - including CD-ROM and online. In 1998 Christie's announced a partnership with strategic digital communications firm Razorfish and the launch of a redesigned Web site. The rivalry that won't end Christie's has long battled Sotheby's for No. 1 position in the auctioning world. Yet the feud has grown more heated recently, with both houses deciding to hold auctions over the Internet in 1999. Only weeks before Christie's decision to sell over the net, Sotheby's developed its own online trading arm for art, antiques, jewelry, and collectibles. In other news of competition, both houses have decided to splurge on an overlooked genre, the Old Masters. With both auctioneers holding shows in this increasingly trendy area, the battle is likely to ebb and flow, depending partly on the promotional deals that the auction houses dare offer owners of large collections. It's anyone's game - especially considering the array of incredible works available. In 1999 Christie's presented Rubens, Goya, and di Credi, while Sotheby's boasted Boilly, Canaletto, and van Aelst. Legal Trouble Christie's is currently involved in an investigation by the U.S. Justice Department, which is attempting to prove that Christie's and Sotheby's conspired to fix seller's commissions. Former CEO Christopher M Davidge is alleging the firms engaged in the fee-setting conspiracy. The antitrust investigation is being led by David Boies, who acted as the goverment's special counsel in the successful lawsuit to break up Microsoft. If the charges are true, Christie's and Sotheby's could be subjected to combined losses of $1.5 billion.
The high turnover at Christie's creates frequent entry-level openings. Christie's looks carefully at the strength of applicants' academic backgrounds. The auction house favors those who have graduated from top colleges as well as those who have graduate degrees. Christie's also offers a well-regarded international program of courses on the fine and decorative arts through Christie's International Art Studies. Classes are small and teaching takes places in museums, galleries, and the salesroom. Student profiles are diverse and include professionals wanting to bolster their art qualifications, career-changers, and undergraduates who prefer a more hands-on approach to art and art history training. The Art Studies program runs in London, New York, Glasgow, Paris, and several Australian cities. Job openings are listed at Christie's web site at http://www.christies.com under the "Careers" section.
Unique, sophisticated, British Christie's insiders are thrilled with their "unique access" to "top art collections" from around the world. Unfortunately, in exchange for the "pleasure" of working in the "highly sophisticated" environment at Christie's, employees are subjected to "arduous" schedules. Informants report working "numerous weekends" in an "atmosphere that becomes more stressful as auction dates approach." Meanwhile, the "British corporate culture" translates into a "strict hierarchy" and "formal" dress code. Paltry pay and mighty fine parties Some contacts complain that the "unlivable" salaries they receive are "hardly commensurate" with their excellent educational backgrounds and "intense dedication." However, the prestige of working for Christie's compensates most employees for their stressful working conditions and "below-average" salaries. Says one fatigued, but contented source: "This company squeezes me dry, but the Christie's name makes it seem worthwhile." After a few years, most employees can expect to land positions at smaller auction houses and art galleries, which "offer higher pay and impose less rigorous schedules." Yet while at Christie's, workers reap the rewards of "extensive and expensive social engagements," which the auctioneer regularly organizes for its clients.
Jennifer Bell Human Resources 20 Rockefeller Plaza1 New York NY 10020
Auctions of fine art;Cars;Collectibles;Jewelry;Estates;Security;Books;Catalogues;
Butterfield & Butterfield;Greg Manning Auctions ; Phillips International Auctioneers ;Sotheby's More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
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