IN A SIGN THAT FINE ART COLLECTORS ARE GROWING EVER MORE COMFORTABLE WITH BIDDING ONLINE, CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL REPORTS THAT THE TOP LOT IN THURSDAY'S SALE OF THE SZE YUAN TANG ARCHAIC BRONZES FROM THE ANTHONY HARDY COLLECTION SOLD FOR $3.3 MILLION TO AN ONLINE BIDDER, SETTING A NEW HOUSE RECORD FOR THE MOST EXPENSIVE ITEM SOLD ONLINE. THE SALE PRICE SMASHED THE PREVIOUS CHRISTIE'S ONLINE SALE OF $1.27 MILLION, SET IN APRIL 2008 FOR A STRADAVARI VIOLIN PURCHASED ONLINE USING CHRISTIE'S LIVE™, THE COMPANY'S PROPRIETARY ONLINE BIDDING PLATFORM. THE NEW RECORD OF $3.3 MILLION WAS SET BY AN AMERICAN COLLECTOR WHO COMPETED AGAINST BIDDERS IN THE SALEROOM AND ON THE PHONE TO WIN THE RARE CHINESE BRONZE WINE VESSEL FANGYI, FROM THE LAT SHANG DYNASTY. WIDELY PUBLISHED AND EXTENSIVELY EXHIBITED IN MUSEUMS WORLDWIDE, THE STRIKING, HEAVILY DECORATED CONTAINER AND COVER IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN A PRIZED RITUAL VESSEL AT THE TIME OF ITS CREATION IN 12th-11th CENTURY BC. INSCRIPTIONS ON BOTH THE VESSEL AND COVER RECORD THE CLAN NAMES OF THE ARTISANS WHO MADE THE VESSEL AS WELL AS THE ANCESTORS TO WHOM THE VESSEL IS DEDICATED.
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