Sotheby's

Sotheby's operates a global auction house and marketplace for art and luxury objects, combining live auctions, private sales, e-commerce and retail channels. Founded in 1744, the firm conducts some 250 auctions a year across nine major salerooms in cities including New York, London and Hong Kong, and records yearly sales of more than $7 billion. Its 80 locations span 40 countries, and its specialists cover more than 70 categories, from Contemporary Art and Old Masters to jewelry, watches, wine and spirits, real estate and rare books.

The technology organisation concentrates on three domains: digital auction platforms, e-commerce technology connecting collectors with online buying and selling, and hybrid auction formats. The latter, pioneered during the global pandemic, allow remote bidders to participate in live sales alongside the physical saleroom. Technical work underpins channels that reach clients wherever they choose to transact, spanning live events, private treaty sales, online commerce and retail.

Sotheby's traces its origins to Samuel Baker's auction of several hundred scarce books in 1744. The business states a mission of widening access to art and luxury objects, combining longstanding specialist expertise with current technology, and maintaining commitments to cultural stewardship, trust and client service. Strategic partnerships, including in real estate, extend its marketplace beyond the traditional saleroom.