CHRISTIE’S CHAIRMAN QUITS OVER AUCTION SCANDAL

The chairman of the prestigious London-based auction firm Christie’s resigned Friday after disclosure that he lied about the sale of major Impressionist paintings in New York.

David Bathurst’s admission to an American court that he falsely reported the sale of two pictures in May, 1981, shocked the art world and touched off an investigation by New York consumer officials about the fitness of Christie’s to continue in business in the city. A company statement said a “complete settlement and resolution” had been reached with the New York Consumer Department allowing Christie’s to maintain its operations.

Bathurst was president of Christie’s New York at the time of the sale there of three major Impressionist works. He reported that all three paintings--a Van Gogh, a Degas and a Gauguin--had been sold for millions of dollars.

In fact, only the Degas was sold. Earlier this month, Bathurst said he had made the false report to “contain the possible negative impact on the art market” of the two works not selling.

He also resigned from the boards of Christie’s International and Christie’s New York. He voluntarily surrendered his New York auctioneer’s license while Christopher Bruce, current chairman of Christie’s New York, gave up his license for four months. The company said it would pay an $80,000 settlement.

Bathurst has stated it would have been hard to sell the Van Gogh and Gauguin if the fact they failed to fetch the expected price had become widely known. He denied acting for personal gain.