Drouot is a French auction house that opened in 1852 and held a monopoly on auctions in France. It holds 2,000 auction sales a year, with 2 million items changing hands for a total of around $610 million. The article notes that Christie's auctions off $2.3 billion per year, and Sotheby's auctions $1.9 billion per year. The French government is now allowing Christie's and Sotheby's to do business in France, so Drouot will face serious competition. http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/free_forbes/2001/1224/088.html