• Alan Hobart of the Pyms Gallery:
“The sale was well handled and had a good response. It’s another step as the market globalises. You have to admire the auctioneers and the artist for doing this.
“I don’t think it’ll damage dealers. How many dealers could have staged a one-artist show like this anyway?
“I’m also not sure it will lead to more artists consigning directly to auction – there have been artists before who have done so, it won’t change all that much.
“The contemporary boom could take money from other areas, but those are depleted anyway. It’s difficult to buy Old Masters and 17th and 18th century works. In the contemporary market, there’s a great deal more choice for buyers.”
• Alan Cristea, dealer in original and contemporary prints:
“The sale was unprecedented but I’m not concerned it will change much. I represent a lot of artists, but only a few artists, if any, could do what Damien has done.
“Damien’s celebrity factor helps prices soar. It was good for the market that the sale did well as it could have eroded confidence. But it won’t set a huge precedent and we won’t see prices doubling in the next round of auctions now that the Hirst sale did well.”
• Adrian Mibus, director of Whitford Fine Art:
“If another artist did this without Hirst’s celebrity status, it would flop. This was a test, but it won’t continue. I doubt we’ll see a repeat of this sale.
“The auctioneers have no doubt looked at their client list and realised they could sell over 200 works by Hirst. It was obvious they trying to appeal to Russian, Indian and Arab buyers.
“Auctioneers have been encroaching bit by bit onto dealers’ territory. With this sale there is no doubt an even greater conflict of interest as it is difficult to define what is the status of the auction house. They are more than simply auctioneers here.”
