Pinault, a long-standing Christie's client who left school at 16 to work in his father's timber yards before building his fortune in the French paper industry, made an offer through his holding company Artemis valuing the group at 721 million pounds.

Art dealers and cash-strapped aristocrats down the centuries have entrusted Christie's auction rooms in London's West End with the sale of treasures ranging from Van Gogh's `Sunflowers' to Princess Diana's evening dresses.Founded in 1766 by Scot James Christie, the group survived a direct hit on its London headquarters from a World War II German bomb, and went on to open auction rooms in all the major markets in the world.

It disputes the world number one spot in the industry withUS-based Sotheby's Holdings Inc.

Pinault, a friend of French President Jacques Chirac, adds Christie's to a diverse international collection of assets including the Chateau Latour French wine producer, upmarket French weekly magazine Le Point, luggage maker Samsonite, and the US chain of Ski Resorts.

Hope knighted
WASHINGTON: English-born comic Bob Hope has been knighted by Britain's ambassador to the United States, prompting the popular entertainer to gasp, ``Oh my God''.

Hope, who celebrates his 95th birthday on May 29, appeared frail and a bit overwhelmed by the ceremony, but still managed to crack a joke when his wife Dolores prodded him to make a speech.

His response ``Why?'' prompted laughter throughout the posh hall at the British embassy where Ambassador Sir Christropher Meyer carefully drapped a red-ribboned medal over Hope's neck during the knighthood ceremony on Sunday.

The king of wise-cracks, Hope had said in February that he was rendered speechless by the honoraryknighthood when Queen Elizabeth informed him of her plans. Hope was born Leslie Hope in Eltham, on May 29, 1903, the fifth of seven sons of a stonemason.

Egyptian mummies
SYDNEY: Australian scientists began autopsies yesterday on three ancient Egyptian mummies to find out more about their lifestyles and to get insights into the evolution of diseases such as cancer and syphilis.

Sydney University researchers expect the series of DNA tests will also establish how exactly the trio from Luxor -- a priest, a cult singer and a child -- died.