Sotheby's is the oldest auction house in the world. It first appeared as an auctioneer as an intermediary and an auction company as a profession. As the world's oldest and largest internationally renowned art auction house, its business includes art auctions, private art sales and art loans. It was born in March 1744 in a place called "Covent Garden" in London, England. The origin was a book auction held by a bookseller named Samuel Baker in a fruit, vegetable and flower market in "Covent Garden" for ten days.
John Sotheby's has been auctioning books, prints and manuscripts in partnership with Samuel Baker, the founder of Sotheby's auction, since 1778.
Sam Lee Sotheby is the son of John Sotheby. The name of Sotheby's auction house should come from "Sam Lee Sotheby" because his sophisticated auction skills have made the auction house more and more famous. Although the relationship between the Sotheby family and the auction house ended in 1863, its name has been retained to this day and has become part of the company's assets.
Sotheby's offices are spread across 40 countries around the world, including emerging markets such as the United States, Europe, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, China, Moscow and Doha; the main auction centers are located in York Avenue, New York, New Bond Street, London, Saint-Donau, Paris and Hong Kong, and auctions are held regularly in another 6 auction centers.
Sotheby's has auctioned the first movable type Bible, the first edition of the American Declaration of Independence, the Windsor royal property, the property of President Kennedy's wife, the bronze statues of the 12 zodiac animal heads in the Old Summer Palace and other famous artworks.
