Artists Sue Christie’s, Sotheby’s, eBay Over California Royalties Law

Famed New York painter Chuck Close and other artists are suing Sotheby’s, Christie’s and eBay, contending the auctioneers willfully violated a California law requiring royalty payments on sales of their works.

The three federal suits filed Tuesday seek class-action status to represent many other artists and demand unspecified royalties and damages — which could total hundreds of thousands of dollars given current art prices.

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