PARIS (AFP).- French firm Artprice, the world leader in art market data, on Wednesday said it was joining forces with Chinese art services company Artron in a bid to strengthen its foothold in Asia.

Artprice, which has over two million members, has entered into "a strategic alliance" with the Chinese firm in a move that is "unprecedented in the art world", Thierry Ehrmann, founder and president of the Artprice.com website, told AFP.

"We will exchange information about our art markets, our know-how," said Ehrmann, adding that his firm would also share its experience of online art auctions with Artron.

Artprice's periodic reports will from now on include data and analysis from Artron about the booming art markets in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, he said. In return, Artron will receive figures and data compiled by Artprice.

Founded in 1993, Artron now counts some 4,000 employees and provides a range of services from training auctioneers to transporting works and collecting information about artists and collections.

The firm is considered a leading player in the Chinese art world, Ehrmann said.

Some of the France-based employees of information specialist Artprice will transfer to its Hong Kong offices in August.

By 2015, the majority of Artprice staff is expected to be based there to take advantage of the fast-growing art markets in the Asia-Pacific region, he added.




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