Christie’s Raises Its Own Bid : The auction house now has a West Coast facility to rival Sotheby’s in the rapidly expanding Southern California art market.

The world’s two biggest auction houses are always in each others’ shadows, competing for consignments, market share and profits. So it was only a matter of time until Christie’s opened new, enlarged quarters in Beverly Hills--as Sotheby’s had two years ago.

Christie’s moment will arrive today, when the London- and New York-based firm launches its West Coast headquarters at 360 N. Camden Drive. The long anticipated move symbolizes the fact that Christie’s, as well as Sotheby’s, considers Los Angeles a major market.

“There’s no end to the potential here. It’s unfathomable,” said Marcia Hobbs, chairwoman of Christie’s Los Angeles. A former marketing consultant for Christie’s who ran her own public relations firm, Hobbs will be responsible for maintaining the auction house’s visibility in Los Angeles’ cultural, business and collecting communities, and for directing marketing and business strategies.

Jean-Rene Saillard, former general manager of Christie’s Paris office, has moved here to become chief of operations at the new office. Andrea Fiuczynski, who specializes in European furniture and has been based in Berlin, will arrive soon, as principal auctioneer and head of specialist departments.

With her team, Hobbs will oversee a program of auctions, exhibitions, educational programs and community events.

Christie’s is upgrading the Beverly Hills regional office to West Coast headquarters, Saillard said. The change in nomenclature and facilities entails increasing the number of sales each year from two or three to 12 to 15, he said, and enlarging the staff from a handful of people to 25.

The change in status also means the New York office will be more inclined to send its best consignments to L.A. for auction previews. The opening show features works from Christie’s sale of American art, to be held Thursday in New York. Among the highlights are paintings by Theodore Robinson, William Leroy Metcalf and Henry Farny, ranging in value from $500,000 to $2 million.

“I thought it was important to have a serious exhibition of serious paintings for our opening,” Hobbs said.

Formerly crammed into upstairs offices on Rodeo Drive, Christie’s has taken over an 8,000-square-foot, two-story building, previously occupied by a stockbrokerage. The Santa Monica architectural and design firm Kirkpatrick Associates has renovated the structure to accommodate an elegantly appointed lobby leading to a dramatic, high-ceilinged chamber with carpeted walls that doubles as a salesroom and exhibition space. Along the north side of the building are a boardroom and private cubbyholes for clients to view artworks and other merchandise. Offices are on the second floor.

The building is considerably smaller than Sotheby’s 13,000-square-foot space, at the corner of Bedford Drive and Wilshire Boulevard, and the only way Christie’s can approximate Sotheby’s terrace is to tent its rear parking lot--as it will for the opening and other festivities. But Christie’s new home has the advantage of exuding tasteful wealth.

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In sharp contrast to the cold, industrial-modern style of Sotheby’s space, Christie’s building was designed to replicate California’s spirit of the 1920s and ‘30s. Arched windows, burgundy awnings, cherry woodwork, wrought iron grills and cut-stone details contribute to a warmly opulent atmosphere.

Such appearances count in the art world, but the two buildings are only stage sets for the ongoing drama of the marketplace. Christie’s is riding high now, having gained a slight lead over Sotheby’s in worldwide sales in 1996, for the first time since 1954. Christie’s closed out the year with $1.602 billion in sales, while Sotheby’s racked up $1.599 billion. Christie’s also scored big May 12 in New York with its $92.7-million auction of the John and Frances L. Loeb collection, and it has landed a $125-million collection from the estate of Victor and Sally Ganz for November.

But being No. 1 is not a comfortable position, Hobbs said. “All businesses have their ups and downs. We owe everything to our clients and to their confidence in the service we can provide.” Furthermore, she said, people tend to forget which auction house sold what, so the two houses’ share each others’ successes and failures in the public’s perception.

Sotheby’s has a decided edge in Los Angeles, however, because it has raised its profile during the last two years. Enlarging its space has allowed the firm to stage more auctions and bigger exhibitions and to use its facilities for entertaining, said Andrea Van de Kamp, Sotheby’s West Coast chairwoman.

Sotheby’s most lucrative auction so far in Beverly Hills is a $2.8-million sale of jewelry, held May 20.

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Playing down rivalry between the two houses, Van de Kamp said Christie’s expansion is “good for the auction business and for the city. We love the idea that more people are interested in the arts in Los Angeles.”

Like its competitor, Christie’s has no plans to move major art auctions from New York to Los Angeles, but the new facility will be used for sales of American and contemporary art, photography, decorative arts, jewelry, memorabilia and cars.

First on the agenda, June 7, are auctions of vintage animation art and film and television memorabilia. Among items to be offered are Gustav Tenggren’s drawings for “Pinocchio.” Personal property of Claudette Colbert, Marlene Dietrich and Elvis Presley will go on the block in the memorabilia sale.

The premiere fine art auction, June 26, is a sale of photography, including images by 20th century masters Edward Weston, Man Ray and Edward Steichen. Composed of nearly 200 pieces, the auction is expected to bring a total of about $1 million.

Among other events on its agenda, Christie’s is spearheading a new program, Art at Night, the last Thursday of each month, when the two auction houses and Beverly Hills galleries will be open. A series of short courses and symposiums will begin with animation July 14-15 and contemporary art July 16-17. Information: (310) 385-2600.