While the difference reflects many factors, a major one is the general decline in art prices since the go-go years.

Museum directors attribute the drop to the 1986 act, the general lowering of tax rates for the rich and the soaring spiral in art prices.

The overall trend in art prices over the last 25 years has been up, but that hardly applies to individual items.

Given surging art prices, this single decision won't end the traffic in looted antiquities.

Significantly, the figures at both houses dropped to levels last seen in the 1986-87 season, just before art prices took off.

Of the 20 top art prices, only one is a work of classical art.

"We have to get used to another higher level of art prices," he said.

Neuendorf, for one, says he expects the Web to drive art prices through the roof.

In the early 1990's, though, art prices slumped.

To see how art prices have continued to increase since 2008, consider the case of Andy Warhol.