Summary

The first development is the recovery of high-end sales: 112 lots exceeded €5 million, against 94 in 2023. The second is the fall in the unsold rate, from 33% to 31%, a sign of better alignment between estimates and market prices.

The third concerns trust: BIOP alerts consulted before a sale rose by 38%, and provenance disputes decreased. Traceability is becoming a competitive advantage for sellers.

Remember three ideas. First idea: the market has regained solid growth, above 5%, after two years of slowdown. Second idea: the geography of the market is changing, with a rapid rise of Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, even though North America keeps first place with 40% of the volume.

Third idea: trust is becoming a price factor. Lots accompanied by a certificate and verifiable provenance sell for more and more often. For a seller, having a work certified before presenting it is no longer merely a precaution: it is a measurable commercial argument.

The summary also gives benchmarks for the months that follow. Spring sales will be a test, notably for contemporary art, whose strong 2024 rise will need to be confirmed. Professionals are invited to follow the monthly index rather than rely on the annual figure.