Halsey Minor Drama Continues: First Sotheby’s, Now Christie’s
Halsey Minor isn’t making any new friends in the art world, but he’s making plenty of enemies. In September, it was widely reported that the auction house Sotheby’s was suing the Internet entrepreneur turned venture investor for refusing to pay for three paintings he purchased in May, including, ironically, “The Peaceable Kingdom,” by renowned American folk painter Edward Hicks. According to Sotheby’s, Minor initially told the auction house that he hadn’t paid for the works because he was owed money by other parties. Minor, who has countersued, has said he hasn’t paid for the paintings because Sotheby’s didn’t directly disclose to him its financial stake in the sale. (Minor contends he might have bid a distressed asset price otherwise.) Now peHUB has learned that Minor is taking on another venerable Manhattan-based auction house, Christie’s. Its alleged offense was hampering Minor's efforts to sell seven Richard Prince paintings by holding on to them for a protracted period this fall, after failing to help him
