Sotheby´s

Sotheby´s

Now notorious for illegal price setting with its long-time rival Christies, Sotheby’s founded in 1744 by Samuel Baker, is one the leading auction houses in the world. Beginning as an humble books seller, Sotheby´s has risen to be a multinational auction house, with offices in a 100 countries and auction sales of just under $2 Billion, in 1998.

Sotheby´s maintains London and New York as its two most important locations and auctions everything from fine art and antiques to space capsules, Tyrannosaurus fossils and really old wedding cakes.

This auctioneer is credited for setting several of the leading record in the auction world, such as the sale of Rembrandt's Aristotle Contemplating the Bust of Homer to The Metropolitan Museum of Art for a record $2.3 Million.

In 2002, Sotheby´s joined resources with the eBay.com, the internet’s leading “garage sale” operator.

Will this three-centuries-old esteemed auctioneer survive the antitrust investigations, the settlements and the conviction of its majority-shareholder, A. Alfred Taubman, remains to be seen.

Visit Sotheby´s at http://www.sothebys.com

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