Sotheby’s, founded in London in 1744 by Samuel Baker, began as a book auction house, selling rare and valuable manuscripts. Over the centuries, it expanded its scope to include art, jewelry, collectibles, and luxury items, becoming one of the world's most prestigious auction houses. In 1955, Sotheby’s established its first international office in New York, marking the beginning of its global expansion. The auction house now operates in over 40 countries, with major salesrooms in New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong, and Geneva. Sotheby’s has played a pivotal role in the art world, hosting landmark auctions such as the sale of Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi in 2017, which became the most expensive painting ever sold at auction. Its global presence and expertise have made Sotheby’s synonymous with art, luxury, and innovation on an international scale.

Up coming auctions of interest at Sotheby's are:

March 2025:

Sotheby’s Modern & Contemporary Evening Auction on 4 March in London promises a dynamic showcase of artistic innovation spanning over a century. Featuring works from the late 19th century to today, the sale brings together pioneers of Modernism, Abstract Expressionism, and Pop Art, alongside contemporary visionaries. Highlights include pieces by Emil Nolde, Frank Auerbach, Rachel Jones, and Lisa Brice, whose striking painting featuring Nicki Minaj exemplifies the bold use of colour and form. Yoshitomo Nara’s "Cosmic Eyes (In the Milky Lake)" adds a captivating contemporary dimension, blending his signature childlike figures with an enigmatic, dreamlike atmosphere. This auction celebrates artists who have redefined artistic creation, embracing abstraction, colour, and new perspectives in visual storytelling.

February 2025:

Sotheby’s has a 19th-Century European Art auction, featuring a striking beach scene by Édouard Toudouze, rural life depictions by Barbizon masters, and remarkable works by Dutch Romantic painters. Highlights include single-owner collections of sporting scenes, such as horses at the St Leger race in Doncaster, captivating works on paper, and notable pieces by women artists.

Taking place in the historic premises of Diriyah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and titled 'Origins', the sale will feature Sotheby’s global offerings for new and seasoned collectors, providing a unique platform for the sale of major names in Luxury and Fine Art. The items from the  sale will be shown in a public exhibition from 1–8 February.

January 24 2025

Sotheby's - The Art of the Americas, featuring the American West auction celebrates an array of works, focusing on nineteenth-century landscapes, historical subjects, still lifes, and Western scenes. The sale highlights masterpieces by artists such as Albert Bierstadt, Frederic Remington, and Martin Johnson Heade, showcasing iconic Western imagery, from landscapes of Yosemite to sculptural representations of cowboys. Among the many treasures is Hummingbirds and Gold and Purple Orchids by Heade, and The Bride of Spring, a marble sculpture by Edmonia Lewis. The auction also includes a dedicated session of Western art, with contributions from both American and Latin American artists, such as Eanger I. Couse and Fritz Scholder. The cowboy has been immortalised in art by artists like Remington and more contemporary figures such as Bob Coronato, alongside Mexican artists like Manuel Serrano, who captured daily life and charro culture. A notable inclusion in this auction is a rare presidential portrait by Norman Rockwell, highlighting the diverse approaches to portraiture and the enduring influence of the American West in art.

December 2024:

Sydell Miller (1937–February 25, 2024) was a pioneering beauty entrepreneur and philanthropist. She co-founded Ardell, introducing professional salon eyelashes, and later established Matrix Essentials, which became a leading manufacturer of professional hair and beauty products. Miller owned several luxurious properties, including La Rêverie, an opulent mansion in Palm Beach, Florida. Following her passing, Sotheby's auctioned her extensive art collection in November 2024. The sale, titled "A Legacy of Beauty: The Collection of Sydell Miller," featured masterpieces by artists such as Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Wassily Kandinsky, and Henri Matisse. The auction achieved significant success, with 49 lots selling for a total of $268.6 million ($309 million with fees), reflecting Miller's discerning eye and passion for fine art. A portion of the proceeds is going to her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio: to a Cleveland non-profit research hospital, to the Cleveland Museum of Art and to an elephant house named after her at the city zoo.

November 2024:

Gianni Giordano, a 65-year-old Italian entrepreneur from Piedmont, renowned for his extensive collection of decorative arts. He inherited his family's wine business, established by his father Ferdinando, who specialised in mail-order wine sales.  Over three decades, Giordano amassed a remarkable array of furniture, silverware, porcelain, and micromosaics, inspired by the opulent interiors of Piedmont's royal residences. In November 2024, Sotheby's Paris auctioned 160 lots from his collection, estimated between €15-20 million. Giordano chose to sell because he felt the collection had become "too perfect," making it challenging to enhance with new pieces. He now plans to focus on assembling a Kunstkammer ( Cabinet of Curiosities) collection. The auction marked the first time his private collection was shared with the public.