Christie's International, which is an auction house in London, has recently cut a huge amount of jobs due to low auction sales. The company is cutting numerous jobs to help save money over the next few months. Recent auctions failed to sell over 1/3 of the art. This is due to economic weakness among other things. While they don't plan to sell the company, the top members of the company are doing their best to get auction sales up and make up for poor sales. Join discussion...

The legendary, yet highly secretive art collection of the late Yves Saint Laurent and his living former life partner, Pierre Bergé is to go up for auction next month in Paris. The sale of the collection is estimated to bring in nearly €300 million, even with the present economic conditions being so rough. It is a heavily varied collection, including everything from paintings, to medallions, to even furniture. It was mainly held in the apartment that Saint Laurent and Bergé at rue de Babylone.The auction, though held at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, will be facilitated by Christie's, in coalition with Pierre Bergé & Associates Auctioneers. Join discussion...

In London Damien Hirst, the artist, announced that the diamond-encrusted skull will go to auction if it does not find a buyer. In a French magazine Hirst said, "I sold 2/3 [of the diamond skull] to an investment company, I kept 1/3...We have an agreement. If they can’t sell it privately, within eight years, it will go to auction.” The skull is called For the Love of God and its asking price back in June 2007 was around 50 million. Now, for the entire skull, it is around 100 million; there is a group of people who are interested in purchasing the skull. On Novermber 1, the skull goes on display at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, its first stop on its global tour. Join discussion...