auctioneer

Joe Smith, founder and principal auctioneer at JS Fine Art, said: "It was one of those moments every auctioneer dreams of. We knew it was special, but the response was beyond anything we expected."

Barker eventually succeeded Meyer as principal auctioneer and has presided over milestone sales for the art world, as well as some of its most viral cultural moments.

When auctioneer Oliver Barker slammed down the gavel, collectors and dealers in the saleroom erupted in applause.

After the Decade One auction on 9 November, auctioneers Phillips said the sale of the J Player & Sons Hyper Complication Pocket Watch had set a world record for an antique British pocket watch.

The auction took place at the Los Angeles offices of international auctioneer Bonhams, but most bidders did not show up in person, placing bids instead via phone calls to auction workers and online.