2006_05_mysterybid.jpgThe art world is still buzzing about Wednesday night's amazing $95 million bid for a rare Picasso at Sotheby's, namely because no one has a clue about the bidder, who spent over $100 million during the even. The NY Times article sheds light on the rarefied world of art auctions: The "high-rollers" are seated in the front or in skyboxes (plied with Champagne), agents bidding for billionaires are usually on a cellphone (unlike this man) and, naturally, other rival auction houses would love to know who this mystery man is in order to have him bid up a storm of their works. Bloomberg News has a photograph of the man, who looks middle-aged, though you can't quite tell whether he's Russian from the picture. The speculation is that he's either a new Russian billionaire or is working for a new Russian billionaire; if he were dressed like Boris Badenov, clearly the mystery would be solved. And it still hasn't been confirmed whether or not Sotheby's has been paid -- imagine if they were paid in vats of Russian caviar!!