Sotheby’s inaugural auction in the Kingdom on Saturday drew in bidders from 45 countries — and a shout-out from Bloomberg. The event — which was hosted at the heritage city of Diriyah — showcased items ranging from luxury accessories, sports memorabilia, and art, logging sales of 118 lots for some USD 17 mn.

Around one-third of the buyers were Saudi residents, including businessman Amr Zedan, who stole the limelight upon winning a USD 1 mn bid for Society Woman, an oil painting by artist Fernando Botero. Artworks outperformed other categories at the auction, with strong interest for contemporary and modern pieces and Islamic art, the business information service said.

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