The world's leading auctioneers are anticipating a robust start to 2013. Estimates for artwork in upcoming sales at Sotheby's and Christie's are steep, indicating a belief that the world's super-rich will continue to pay ever-rising prices for blue-chip artists.

Sotheby's expects to tally 103-149 million pounds at an auction on February 5 of impressionist, modern and surrealist art. The estimated total in 2012 for the same sale was 79-113 million pounds, although it brought 78.9 million in the end.

Christie's sale on Feb. 6 is estimated to total 98-147 million pounds, well above last year's estimate of 86-127 million pounds and an actual total of 135 million.

A rare Modigliani portrait of his muse, "Jeanne Hebuterne (au chapeau)," is set to lead the Christie's sale with an estimate of 16-22 million pounds.

Picasso's 1932 portrait "Femme assise pres d'une fenetre," of his muse Marie-Therese Walter, is estimated at 25-35 million pounds in the Sotheby's sale.