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| Sculpture fetches £65m at auction | Sculpture fetches £65m at auction |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A life-size bronze sculpture of a man by Alberto Giacometti has been sold at auction in London for the world record price of £65,001,250. | A life-size bronze sculpture of a man by Alberto Giacometti has been sold at auction in London for the world record price of £65,001,250. |
| It took just eight minutes for bidders to reach the hammer price after L'Homme Qui Marche I opened at £12m at Sotheby's auction house. | It took just eight minutes for bidders to reach the hammer price after L'Homme Qui Marche I opened at £12m at Sotheby's auction house. |
| Sotheby's said it was the most expensive work ever sold at auction. | Sotheby's said it was the most expensive work ever sold at auction. |
| An anonymous phone bidder bought the work for £58m. The £65m price tag includes the buyer's premium. | An anonymous phone bidder bought the work for £58m. The £65m price tag includes the buyer's premium. |
| The sculpture is considered to be one of the most important by the 20th Century Swiss artist. | The sculpture is considered to be one of the most important by the 20th Century Swiss artist. |
| It had been estimated to sell for between £12m and £18m but furious bidding saw more than 10 rivals bump the price up, eventually reaching the hammer price of £58m. | It had been estimated to sell for between £12m and £18m but furious bidding saw more than 10 rivals bump the price up, eventually reaching the hammer price of £58m. |
| The previous record for an art work sold at auction -$104,168,000 (£58,520,830) - was held by Pablo Picasso's Garcon a la Pipe which sold in New York in 2004. | The previous record for an art work sold at auction -$104,168,000 (£58,520,830) - was held by Pablo Picasso's Garcon a la Pipe which sold in New York in 2004. |
| Other works have reached more in private sales. Jackson Pollock's No5, 1948, reached $140m (£73m at the time) in 2006. | Other works have reached more in private sales. Jackson Pollock's No5, 1948, reached $140m (£73m at the time) in 2006. |
| There was a lot of frantic bidding at Sotheby's | There was a lot of frantic bidding at Sotheby's |
| Another art work also exceeded expectations at Sotheby's Impressionist and Modern Art sale. | Another art work also exceeded expectations at Sotheby's Impressionist and Modern Art sale. |
| Gustav Klimt's Kirche in Cassone went for £26,921,250, above the £12m to £18m estimate. | Gustav Klimt's Kirche in Cassone went for £26,921,250, above the £12m to £18m estimate. |
| Paul Cezanne's Pichet et fruits sur une table was sold for just under £12m. | Paul Cezanne's Pichet et fruits sur une table was sold for just under £12m. |
| Melanie Clore, of Sotheby's Impressionist and Modern Art department, said: "We are thrilled to have sold these great works this evening and that they have been recognised for the masterpieces that they are. | Melanie Clore, of Sotheby's Impressionist and Modern Art department, said: "We are thrilled to have sold these great works this evening and that they have been recognised for the masterpieces that they are. |
| "The competition which generated these exceptional results demonstrates the continued quest for quality that compels today's collectors." | "The competition which generated these exceptional results demonstrates the continued quest for quality that compels today's collectors." |