Christie’s London brought in £218.6 million ($289.4 million) across two evening sales Wednesday, more than doubling last year’s total and offering an encouraging sign for the art market ahead of the New York auctions next month.

Seven auction records were set, including five during the sale of British businessman Peter Simon’s collection, while a Wassily Kandinsky painting fetched £31.6 million ($41.8 million) in the evening’s second auction. (All prices reported include buyer’s premium.)