Here's to finding a Picasso in the attic and framing a new life

Great works of art have been fetching record prices, and Asians have emerged as deep-pocketed buyers.

In May, the collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller, which included paintings by Picasso, Monet and Matisse, took in more than $800 million, the most for a single-owner collection.

Christie's pitched to buyers in China and Japan with dedicated marketing campaigns, according to Marc Porter, Christie's chairman of the Americas.