Easy-Going Q&A
Sotheby’s Guy. So, the Russian billionaire, Dmitry Rybolovlev, is still pointing fingers at Sotheby’s, saying they helped him lose a cool $1 billion. Now, Sotheby’s head of private sales, Samuel Valette, is back on the hot seat. But this time, it’s Sotheby’s lawyer, Marcus Asner, doing the grilling.
Chill Vibes in Court
You know how sometimes in court, it’s like watching a ping pong match? Well, this time it was more like two buddies shooting the breeze. When Rybolovlev’s lawyer, Daniel Kornstein, was up on Wednesday, things got kinda heated. But today, with Asner, it was more like a laid-back chat. – koin303
New Game Plan
Asner’s move was to ease up on the tension from the day before. He asked the same questions Kornstein did but in a different way, trying to get more deets out of Valette.
Key Client Drama
One big deal was about this title, “Key Client Manager” (KCM). Kornstein asked Valette if he ever told Rybolovlev he was his KCM, and Valette was like, “Nope.” Asner went for the same question but got a more detailed answer. Valette explained he didn’t want to crash Rybolovlev’s party since he was invited by art dude Bouvier. Valette saw his job as building a connection over time, and jumping on Rybolovlev right then would’ve been a major party foul.
Artsy Lessons
Asner decided to mix things up, throwing in some art history and market 101. He asked Valette to break down stuff like Impressionism, Surrealism, and how guarantees and bids work at auctions. It wasn’t all serious; Asner managed to drop a few jokes and lighten the mood.
Memory Lane
Funny thing, they didn’t dwell much on Valette admitting he wasn’t totally up to speed on some Sotheby’s rules the day before. Asner’s main point was that in every deal with Sotheby’s, Bouvier was the main man—the guy responsible for the cash.
Bouvier’s Two Cents
Surprisingly, Bouvier, the Swiss art dealer in the mix, stayed low-key this time. But he sent out a statement saying this trial is like a crazy show where people argue about a fraud that never happened. He’s pretty confident, saying courts worldwide have cleared him. And, hey, he made sure to point out Rybolovlev scored big when he sold a painting from Bouvier for a fat profit.
Wrapping It Up
So, Thursday’s court session had a more chatty vibe. Asner tried to unscramble the messy dealings between Sotheby’s, Bouvier, and Rybolovlev. While the drama unfolded, Bouvier took a moment to remind everyone he’s not the bad guy. The billion-dollar art world saga keeps rolling on, and each day brings a new twist to this wild ride.
