He once paid a Swiss dealer $407,000 for one antique clock.

Doris Amann, the Swiss dealer, bought it for $847,500, far above its high estimate of $600,000.

"Contemporary art is the strongest area of the art market today," said Thomas Ammann, a Swiss dealer.

"The sale did remarkably well with average paintings," said Daniel Varenne, a Swiss dealer.

The measure was opposed by major Swiss dealers and auctioneers including Kornfeld in Bern.

The painting was being sold by George Marci, a Swiss dealer.

"So Swiss dealers and collectors could receive stolen works without any fear of the law or of losing money?"

Swiss dealers were extremely active in the buying, acquiring four of the top five artworks.

A Swiss dealer circulated photographs, and somehow the value of the papyrus was suspected.