Christie's recently hosted an auction titled 'An Eye Towards the Real: Photographs from the Collection of Ambassador Trevor Traina' at their Rockefeller Center location in New York.

The auction showcased works by prominent photographers such as Diane Arbus, William Eggleston, Robert Frank, and Cindy Sherman, emphasizing mid-century photography trends.

Christie's has been at the forefront of blockchain innovations since 2021, notably auctioning Beeple's 'Everyday' collection for a record $69 million, which was the highest sale for a non-fungible token at that time.

In a significant advancement for the art world, each of the 132 lots in the auction came with a digital certificate minted by Kresus on Base, an Ethereum layer-2 blockchain developed by Coinbase.

These blockchain-based certificates are designed to simplify the authentication process and reduce dependence on traditional paper methods for managing physical art collections.

This initiative promotes transparency and security for art collectors, marking a notable shift in how art ownership is recorded and verified.

Nicole Sales Giles from Christie's highlighted that this initiative reflects their commitment to authenticity and transparency within the art sector.

Trevor Traina, founder of Kresus, pointed out the burdens of traditional paper documentation and emphasized the advantages of digital management through blockchain technology.

Kresus aims to set new standards for digital asset management, particularly in the realm of art authentication, as a trusted platform for managing crypto wallets.

This collaboration between Christie's and Kresus seeks to revolutionize how art collectors authenticate and manage their collections by providing a secure and permanent record of ownership.

In a related achievement, Christie's set a record in May for Diane Arbus's photograph 'Identical Twins,' which sold for $1.2 million.