FOR those interested in art but lacking the financial resources to bid at Christie's or Sotheby's, auctioneer and valuer Henry Butcher is providing an alternative: an auction geared towards Hongkong's middle class.
In its third auction in less than eight months, the British-based company Henry Butcher yesterday sold a varied collection of 20th century Chinese art, 60 per cent of which was expected to realise up to $8,000 per item.
''Whereas Sotheby's and Christie's handle art for the very wealthy, no one handles art for the middle class bracket,'' said Mr Chris Major, general manager of Henry Butcher Hongkong.
The auctions are proving increasingly more popular. The first auction held in October attracted only a small number of people, but since then has attracted increasingly bigger interest.
Yesterday's auction, held at the Pacific Place Conference Centre, was the first that was actively marketed.
Because of its success, the firm is planning to hold such auctions twice yearly: once in the autumn and again in the spring.