Sotheby's

Sotheby’s have been holding auctions since 1744.  Founded in London, where they moved into salerooms on Bond Street in 1917, Sotheby’s expanded to New York in 1955 and now have salerooms and offices around the world.

Sotheby’s offer specialist sales in over 70 different categories though four major salerooms, six smaller ones and through their online bidding platform BIDnow.


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Rothko heads Sotheby’s contemporary art sale in New York

13 May 2015

Mark Rothko’s 'Untitled (Yellow and Blue)' led Sotheby’s sale of Contemporary art in New York last night.

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Sweet scent for best of 18th century France

02 May 2015

Briefly owned by Louis XVI, who intended them for the Louvre, this 13in (33.5cm) high pair of fine gilt-bronze-mounted kakiemon porcelain and Egyptian porphyry brûle parfums sold for £1.65m at Sotheby’s in London this week.

Sotheby’s former owner Alfred Taubman dies aged 91

20 April 2015

Former owner of Sotheby’s A. Alfred Taubman – and central figure in the auction price-fixing scandal – has died aged 91.

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Sotheby’s to auction Castle Howard contents

13 April 2015

A stellar consignment of paintings and antiques from Castle Howard will be offered at Sotheby’s this summer.

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Your starter for £2.2m…

07 April 2015

Over 700 lots from West Horsley Place in Surrey, the home of the late Mary Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe, are going under the hammer at Sotheby’s in May.

Sotheby’s start their new eBay experiment

26 March 2015

Sotheby’s have begun live streaming their sales on eBay’s new auctions platform.

What the great role swap at the top means for Sotheby’s and Christie’s

24 March 2015

COMMENT: One is a marketing expert from outside the industry with a background in the media, luxury and entertainment sectors, the other is a career auction house professional with decades of service at the same company under his belt.

Sotheby's name Tad Smith as new president and CEO

16 March 2015

Sotheby’s have appointed Tad Smith, aged 49, as president and chief executive officer, effective March 31, 2015.

Sotheby’s seek new growth in middle market

09 March 2015

Sotheby’s year-end results for 2014 signal a refocus of activity to encompass much more of the middle market than in recent years.

RM deal puts Sotheby’s head to head with Bonhams in competition for the future of UK car market

27 February 2015

Sotheby’s have taken a 25% stake in RM, the classic and luxury car auctioneer, renaming the company RM Sotheby’s.

Sotheby’s to reinstate standalone sales of Scottish art in London

19 February 2015

Sotheby’s are re-starting dedicated sales of Scottish art, beginning in November 2015.

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Sotheby’s set £27m Richter record

11 February 2015

A large abstract painting by Gerhard Richter drew dramatic bidding last night and led Sotheby’s Contemporary art evening sale when it was knocked down at £27m.

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Artcurial pass Christie’s in French auctions as Sotheby’s lead the field

03 February 2015

Strong sales of Modern and Contemporary art plus the Félix Marcilhac decorative arts collection helped propel Sotheby’s to the highest auction total in France in 2014, with sales figures of €213m.

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Upgraded Constable sells for $4.5m in New York

30 January 2015

This version of John Constable’s (1776-1837) celebrated painting ‘Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows’ sold for $4.5m (£3.1m) at Sotheby’s Old Master sale in New York yesterday. It was an oil sketch with quite a backstory.

Sotheby’s alter buyer's premium structure

27 January 2015

Sotheby's have announced a new buyer’s premium structure in New York. Effective from February 1, the rates will apply as follows:

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Major collection of baroque paintings comes to auction

21 January 2015

What has been billed as the most significant sale of French 17th and 18th century paintings for 20 years was announced earlier this month.

£3.7bn/$6bn auction total for Sotheby’s in 2014

20 January 2015

Sotheby’s, who have yet to publish full results for 2014, have announced headline figures for auction sales (up 18% at £3.7bn/$6bn), their highest ever total.

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Sotheby’s fend off Caravaggio claim

16 January 2015

A High Court judge has dismissed a claim made against Sotheby’s surrounding the sale of a disputed version of Caravaggio’s ‘The Card Sharps’.

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Safra’s Canaletto heads to Sotheby’s

06 January 2015

As part of Old Master Week in New York, Sotheby’s will sell paintings assembled by J.E. Safra on January 29.

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Sale shows the bulldog spirit

24 December 2014

Personal effects of Sir Winston Churchill, including the morocco dispatch box pictured here, were among the highlights of Sotheby’s highly publicised estate sale of his youngest child, the late Mary Soames.

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