Art Basel Qatar closed its inaugural edition this week with numbers that suggest Doha has quickly established itself as a serious market platform. Getting there required patience.

Selling in Doha was always going to unfold differently. The Qatari royal family was given a private walkthrough on Monday, the day before VIP preview began. Sorces told ARTnews that galleries were told that any work placed on hold would either be confirmed as sold or released within 24 hours.