James Christie conducted his first sale on 5 December 1766. A levelheaded businessman famed for his eloquence and humor, Christie turned auctioneering into a sophisticated art. He would go on to conduct the greatest auctions of the 18th and 19th centuries. He negotiated with Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, the sale of Sir Robert Walpole's collection of paintings, which would form the base of the Hermitage Museum Collection in St. Petersburg.

Christie's auctions became major attractions on London's social agenda. While much has changed, Christie's salerooms continue to be a popular showcase today for the unique and the beautiful.

The Christie's building features a grand limestone and bronze exterior with a post-industrial steel and glass canopy, complementing the existing murals, mosaics, and courtyard sculpture of Rockefeller Center in the heart of New York City.  The 310,000-square-foot facility also includes a soaring triple-height entranceway with a specially commissioned mural by artist Sol LeWitt; a main saleroom with dramatic double-height ceilings and two smaller salerooms; adaptable walls to provide maximum exhibition space and expansive galleries for the display of large-scale contemporary works; and private viewing rooms.