While the salesroom overflowed with the usual international crowd of dealers and collectors, this sale, the first of the major spring auctions, disappointed sellers.

But despite some jitters, the rest of the art market acquitted itself well at the big spring auctions at Christie's and Sotheby's.

Maybe dealers have put their best (selling) feet forward for the annual rite of spring auctions.

The two most important weeks of the spring auctions in New York ended on Wednesday night, and the mood was one of great relief.

Christie's spring auctions made a total of $74.4 million, which was less than its pre-sales estimate of $80.5 million.

The 1996 spring auctions of Impressionist, modern and contemporary art in Manhattan will not be remembered for their high prices.

It signed the lease for 60,000 square feet seven months ago, and after renovating the basement and three floors, held spring auctions there last month.

The sales were high points of the spring auctions in New York.

C1 Preparing for spring auctions.

No eyebrows were raised when Russian was heard at London's important spring auctions of Impressionist, modern and contemporary art, which ended on Friday.