WORLD BRIEFING / FRANCE
Times Wire Reports
Two rare bronze sculptures that disappeared from China in 1860 sold for $18 million each as an auction of art owned by the late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Berge, concluded with total sales of more than $484 million.
The telephone bidder or bidders who bought the disputed bronze fountainheads -- heads of a rat and a rabbit that disappeared from China’s summer Imperial Palace -- were not identified.
China had hoped to stop their auction, but on Monday a French judge refused the request.
Berge said he would use a large portion of the proceeds to support AIDS research.