Christie's Organizational Changes Announced May 2007

Christie's in London will no longer be holding individual sales in the following Collectible categories:- Cameras & Photographic Equipment, Toys and Trains, Teddy Bears and Dolls, Mechanical Music, Maritime Models Instruments and Artifacts, Scientific Instruments, Popular, Film and Entertainment Memorabilia, Sporting Memorabilia. Scheduled sales continue until the end of the current sale season in July. Christie's alternative strategy will be to create two new categories of sales; "Icons of the Twentieth Century" and "Science, Exploration & Discovery" which will focus on top lots from some of the above categories and objects which have crossover interest away from the specialist collectors. The Science, Exploration and Discovery department will hold approximately three sales per year, incorporating the following categories:

Significant examples of Scientific Instruments

• Optical
• Measuring
• Surveying

Significant Technical and Historic Apparatus

• Communication equipment
• Electrical apparatus
• Calculating machines

Navigation and Exploration Instruments

• Astrolabes
• Time measuring
• Fine marine models
• Space

Other Related Areas of Interest

• Natural sciences
• Medical

Exploration and Discovery

• Discovery remains
• Atlases and maps
• Books and manuscripts
• Pictures
• Prints
• Related relics/objects
• Travel memorabilia
• Diving equipment

I would like to thank thank Michael Pritchard, Director of Christie's Photographic Auctions, for providing this information.

The implications of these changes will certainly be felt throughout the antique scientific instrument market place. Christie's clearly intends to focus on the better lots that now usually appear in their "Exceptional Instrument" sales and many lesser lots will no longer be accepted. The implications to collectors, dealers, and estates who want to sell an entire collection are clear - Christie's will only be interested in your best pieces - you will have to find another venue for the rest (e.g., smaller auction houses that usually have only limited visibility in the world market place, eBay that requires very time consuming individual sales, or dealers who will take a collection on consignment, but will also want the better pieces to compensate them for the time required to sell the lesser pieces).