This spring, the auction houses are raring to go. Christie’s and Sotheby’s are unearthing treasures from storied collections, with a dash of mystery surrounding some consignors.

Christie’s highlights include a Constantin Brâncuși sculpture estimated at $100 million, alongside Gerhard Richter paintings from the late Marian Goodman's collection, each carrying hefty price tags. Sotheby’s is no slouch either, with its own Rothko masterpiece and a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting that could fetch up to $45 million.

Art aficionados are also eyeing lesser-known works like Lynette Yiadom-Boakye's Shoot the Desperate, Hug the Needy, which has an intriguing history and is set at a high but attainable price. The Fertitta brothers of Station Casinos are behind one such piece, a 1963 Andy Warhol work with a long and eventful past.

The market remains cautious after two years of decline, but the quality of consignments suggests a rebound is on the horizon. For now, it's all about who can outdo whom in offering the most valuable artworks for sale.