Sotheby's is one of the oldest auction houses, which, together with Christie's, occupies 90% of the antiques and art sales market in the world. Founded in 1744 in London by bookseller Samuel Baker as a private club for aristocrats.
Over its more than 250-year history, Sotheby's has honed the art of auctioning to perfection, constantly modernizing the process. Modern innovations, such as broadcasting auctions and accepting bids online, allow you to participate in auctions from anywhere in the world.
Historical facts indicate that auctions (from the Latin auctio - sale at public auction) existed back in the 5th century BC. e. V Ancient Babylon and in Ancient Rome.
With the fall of the Roman Empire, auctions were closed and reappeared only in the 13th century in France. The emergence of modern auctions is associated with the Netherlands, where the first book auction in Europe was held in 1599. The history of Sotheby's auction house begins on March 11, 1744, when Baker's auction house opened. The founder of Sotheby's was the bookseller Samuel Baker, who held his first auction in 1744 in London and published the first fixed-price book catalogue. In 1754 Baker opened a permanent auction hall.
In 1778, the business passed to Baker's nephew John Sotheby, whose heirs headed the firm for more than 80 years. From this year, the company became known as Sotheby’s. During this period the company expanded its activities into the sale of engravings, coins, medals and other antiques, but its main business remained bookselling.
In the 19th century, Sotheby’s established itself as the world’s largest auction of book rarities. His auctions included the richest libraries, including those that belonged to prominent historical figures: the libraries of the Dukes of York and Buckingham, Napoleon's library, which he took to St. Helena, the collection of books by Charles Maurice de Talleyrand and many others. In 1909, Member of Parliament Montague Barlow, as well as entrepreneurs Felix Warr and Geoffrey Hobson, became the owners of Sotheby's. During this period, Sotheby's began to sell not only books, but also paintings.
Expansion of priorities
After the First World War, the new management of Sotheby's took up the sale of fine art and paintings by old masters. Gradually, Sotheby’s auctions began to turn into large-scale cultural events, which was facilitated not only by the quality level of the lots offered, the elite list of clients, but also by the location of the auctions.
In 1917 the firm moved from Wellington Street to 34/35 New Bond, in the very center of London. This building once housed the workshop of Monsieur Gustave Doré. At the entrance to the new residence of the company, a black basalt figure of the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet (goddess with the head of a lioness) was installed, which became a kind of emblem of the auction.
In 1936, the post of director of Sotheby’s was taken by Peter Wilson, with whom the brightest era in the history of the auction is associated. Ahead of his competitors, he was the first to appreciate the prospects of the foreign art market. His achievement was the triumphant sales of works by impressionists and modern artists. For the first time, it was possible to attract the attention of clients to the art of modern times and turn the works of these masters into expensive lots.
It was then, in the second half of the 1940s, that there was a significant increase in the company's profits, determined by the stability of the post-war economy. From 1946 to the end of the 50s, sales increased from 1.5 to 6 million pounds sterling. The company's entry into the international scene was the creation of the Sotheby's branch in New York in 1955.
An important success and a notable milestone in the history of Sotheby's was the sale in 1958 of the collection of the impressionist Jacob Goldschmidt (a major German banker who emigrated to the United States in the 1930s). For the first time in London, paintings sent by a seller from overseas were sold. The seven paintings on display sold out in just 21 minutes. Revenue amounted to 781 thousand pounds sterling - a record amount for painting sales at that time. Trade in works of art has now become a big business with its own specifics and intriguing surprises, and news of international auctions made it to the front pages of world publications.
Conquering America
Wilson's indefatigable energy contributed to the rapid international development Sotheby's. He created a large network of branches around the world, which is still expanding to this day. Branches in those years opened in Paris, Los Angeles, Zurich, Toronto, Melbourne, Munich, Edinburgh, Johannesburg, Houston, Florence.
In New York, Sotheby's acquired the largest American antiques firm, Park-Burnet, in 1964, and after a successful merger of companies, they managed to conduct several stunning sales that went down in the history of the antique business and determined a new level of prices for paintings. The development of business in the USA was connected not only with global ambitions, but also with the fact that taxes on the sale of antique paintings in this country are much lower than in England.
However, in the early 80s. Sotheby's nearly went bankrupt and itself became the target of a takeover by Brooklyn manufacturers carpets, and in 1983 the controlling stake was bought by the American Alfred Taubman, owner international network supermall Taubman Centers. Under his leadership in the 80s, the company's turnover began to grow, and trading was regularly demonstrated positive dynamics prices
In 1985-1986 over 80 works of art were sold for more than one million dollars. No auction company in the world had such results. In 1987, Sotheby's profit growth was 85% of the previous year, and sales exceeded a billion dollars for the first time. The sensations of 1990 were the sales of the Greta Garbo collection ($20.9 million), John Constable's landscape "The Dam" (10.78 million pounds sterling) and the 13th century manuscript "Bestiary of the Duke of Northumberland" (2.97 million pounds sterling) . Sotheby's sales in 1990 were already $2.4 billion.
The economic crisis due to the Gulf War significantly affected the world business, including the auction business. Since the end of 1991, Sotheby's annual turnover began to decline. The price level for contemporary art and works of the Impressionists has especially deteriorated. However, since 1993 the market has stabilized. In 2000, Taubman resigned as head of Sotheby's and was replaced by William Ruprecht, who previously served as director of the American department. He is still president today and general director Sotheby's.
Sotheby's headquarters are located in New York and London. At the beginning of 2000 both of them expanded their areas. In addition to the house on New Bond Street, there was an office in Kingston, a historic suburb of London. The main American office on York Avenue was renovated and grew six floors. A luxurious gallery was built, costing $130 million and earning the press praise as one of the most significant exhibition halls New York.
Russian trace
A striking milestone in the history of Sotheby's was the creation of the Russian branch. Commercial interest in Russian art in the Western market intensified by the mid-70s. In 1974, Sotheby's decided to hold the first auction of Russian art from the Diaghilev circle in New York; auctions began to be regular since 1984.
The peak of commercial interest in Russian art was in 1989. Its results were stunning. Things went away, compared to the starting price, by a huge margin. The consequence of these auctions was a real boom in the Russian avant-garde. At the same time, prices for paintings by Russians increased sensationally, tenfold. realists XIX century and the painters of the “World of Art”.
The heyday of these auctions is associated with the names of brilliant connoisseurs of Russian art and Sotheby's experts - John Stewart and Ivan Samarin, as well as a specialist in the Eastern European market Peter Batkin. It was they who determined the level and quality of Russian auctions until 1996. By the way, Sotheby's became the first international auction house to sell a collection dedicated to Ukrainian art of the 20th century. Most notable was the collection of 86 paintings created by a group of artists from the Society of Independent Artists, or Odessa Parisians, as they are sometimes called.
The collection was assembled by Yakov Peremen, a central figure in the world of Odessa art at the turn of the 20th century. At auction in New York in 2010, the collection sold for almost $2 million and is currently on a world tour. Trade in old Russian art is considered a promising area, but so far does not go beyond 1% of the company’s total turnover.
Sotheby's canons
Sotheby's operates on English type holding auctions. An English (or ascending) auction is based on setting a minimum price for further bidding, during which the price gradually increases, and the item goes to the highest bidder.
The second type of auction - Dutch or top-down - starts with a very high price and is conducted with its gradual decrease. The item or product goes to the one who was the first to “intercept” the reduced price. With BidNow, customers can monitor all Sotheby's auctions and bid in real time online from anywhere in the world. All Sotheby's auctions are free and open to everyone, and it is not necessary to participate in the auction - you can just be a spectator.
Most auctions are held in daytime, some are in the evening and require a ticket to visit. A week before the start of the auction, the lots are exhibited in the halls of the auction house. They can also be seen in the catalog, which appears about a month before the event. One of the determining factors for a successful auction is the preliminary assessment of the proposed works. In addition to fashion, the author’s place in the history of art, genre, technique, rarity and preservation of the work, its price is influenced by the so-called provenance of the painting (from the English provenance - origin, source).
This is a kind of “biography” of the work: author, date, which collections it was in, which exhibitions it was exhibited at. Interesting provenance can significantly increase the price level of the auction. To participate in the auction, those wishing to make a purchase must register and receive a token. If the client cannot be present during the auction, he makes a purchase by phone or leaves a written application in advance, which indicates the maximum price he is willing to pay for a particular lot.
The successful buyer should keep in mind that the hammer price is less than the actual purchase price: it will be necessary to pay the auction commission, as well as various taxes applicable in the country in which the auction takes place. For a long time, Sotheby's commissions were charged only to the seller, but now the buyer also pays for auction services. They amount to 12-25%, depending on the auction price of the lot - the higher it is, the lower the percentage.
Sotheby's records
Since 1988, Sotheby's auctions have provided access to the results of their auctions. The fact that their activities became public domain not only increased their credibility among collectors around the world, but also made it possible to make each auction a grand event, where the most famous personalities from all over the world are invited.
This made it possible to influence market conditions and dictate trends in the art world. After all, nothing shows the value of a job more than the amount paid for it. Thus, the most expensive painting was Pablo Picasso’s “Boy with a Blue Pipe” (1905) $104.2 million, sold in 2004. The most expensive sculpture was “The Walking Man” by Alberto Giacometti (1961), sold in 2010 for $103.7 million. And the most expensive gemstone was the 24.78-carat pink diamond “Pink Count,” sold in 2010 for $46.2 million.
In addition to price records, there is a huge number of unusual and exclusive lots sold. For example, the Vostok 3KA-2 space capsule, which went under the hammer for $2.8 million. This auction took place in April 2011, on the day of the 50th anniversary of the first human flight into space. The Vostok capsule is now on display in a Russian museum.
Another example is a sheet of paper with the words to the song “One Day in the Life” handwritten by John Lennon, sold in 2010 for $1.2 million. Having become the largest player in the art market, the auction house did not abandon its traditional business, trade book rarities. The most expensive book was sold for $12.4 million in 1983. This is the Gospel of Henry the Lion, the 12th century monarch of the Welf dynasty, Duke of Saxony and Bavaria.
Sotheby's of the 21st century
Currently, the auction house has a wide network of branches (90 branches in 40 countries around the world) and every year organizes 250 auctions in more than 70 areas (works of fine and decorative arts, books, manuscripts, prints, ceramics, jewelry, furniture, musical instruments, photographs, watches, wine, etc.).
Sotheby's holds auctions in ten halls: London, New York, Paris, Milan, Geneva, Amsterdam, Zurich, Toronto, Hong Kong and Doha (Qatar). Every year more than 250 thousand lots are put up for auction. Sotheby's not only conducts auctions, but also makes private transactions with antique collectors and museums.
In addition, Sotheby's is engaged in property valuation (the results of which are recognized tax authorities and insurance firms in the client's country), the sale of luxury real estate around the world, and also supports the activities of the Art Institute. Sotheby's Institute of Art trains students in Europe, the USA and Hong Kong. It trains future art critics, exhibition curators, art dealers - specialists in the fine and decorative arts of the West and East. The institute also conducts advanced training courses for established professionals.
On March 11, 1744, in London, Samuel Baker auctioned off several hundred rare and valuable books from the library of the Honorable Sir John Stanley. This event is officially considered the founding date of the auction house Sotheby's . We can safely say that the first lot in the history of Sotheby’s went for a good price for that time - the books were sold for several hundred pounds sterling.
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Almost 270 years have passed since then, and today Sotheby's is rightfully considered one of the largest and most respected auction houses in the world. It conducts trading in London, Paris, New York and Hong Kong, and has about 100 representative offices in more than 40 countries. The name of this house is associated with constant stability and respectability. But even here, in the world of traditions and strict rules, time makes its own adjustments. It wouldn't be much of an exaggeration to say that last decades went to Sotheby's under the motto “Russian Seasons”.
Every year the number of “Russian lots” put up for sale is growing: paintings, sculptures, dishes, jewelry, photographs, books and manuscripts. The world remembers the forgotten and learns new names of our masters. Paintings by such artists as Ivan Aivazovsky, Vasily Vereshchagin, Konstantin Korovin, Mikhail Larionov, Pyotr Konchalovsky, David Burliuk and many others began to be in stable demand, which was hard to believe just 15-20 years ago.
"Russian phenomenon" became so interesting and significant that the Sotheby's auction house in New York organized a Russian department, which is headed by my interlocutor today, Sonya Bekkerman.
Sonya Bekkerman has headed the Department of Russian Painting since 2004 and is one of the largest and most authoritative experts in the field of Russian painting in the West. Her work at the head of the Russian department allowed Sotheby's to receive recent years more than $300,000,000.
Thanks to Ms. Bekkerman, only recently many rare and unique works by Russian masters have appeared at Sotheby’s auction. These include such masterpieces as the painting “Vision St. Sergius” by Mikhail Nesterov, three wonderful works by Boris Grigoriev, “Pearl Mosque in Delhi” by Vasily Vereshchagin, and the painting “Street in Moscow” by Natalia Goncharova.
Note, June 2013 - today Sonya Beckerman left Sotheby's for her own business. Let's wish her Good luck! But what she talks about in her interview continues to be interesting, relevant and informative.
-Ms. Bekkerman, not many of our readers have been to large auctions, please tell us how Sotheby’s is organized, how the collections put up for sale are selected and compiled, and how one can get to the auction at this auction?
Our work begins when a person or organization contacts us, wanting to sell what they think is an interesting thing, or even just find out the cost of this thing. In this case, they contact our representative, and this can be done in any way, by phone, in person or even by email. Our specialist gets acquainted with the item being offered, studies the details, conducts research, makes inquiries, and determines whether this object can really be sold at our auction. It is important to determine whether it will be of interest to those who are usually our customers.
There are certain criteria for such a decision, but often the personal opinion of a specialist, based on his experience and intuition, is important. Then there should be a discussion between our representative and the seller himself, if they agree, this lot will be included in the auction.
We undertake the delivery of this object to the auction, photograph it, put it up for review and, ultimately, for sale. The important thing is that this entire procedure is the same for all objects, regardless of whether the lot is worth $500 or $5,000,000.
In addition, I think it will be interesting for your readers that all lots are offered for public viewing and inspection a week before the sale. Everyone is welcome to come and have a look, our auctions are open to all interested parties. By registering and passing a short verification process, anyone can take part in the auction. Everything can be done in one day.
In addition, Sotheby's holds exhibitions of outstanding and unique items sold at our auction. They take place all over the world, and I recommend visiting them, you can see absolutely amazing things.
-Who are Sotheby's clients?
– Now this question is both easy and difficult to answer. Now our clients wear more global character, and that means I spend a lot of time on planes and in airports! Today's collectors are not limited by location: a collector in Asia can purchase a piece in London to enjoy in his New York apartment.
– How do you estimate the value of an item put up for auction? 
When we conduct a pre-sale assessment of a certain item, be it a painting or a piece of jewelry, we rely on a whole series factors, including: prices paid for similar properties in the past, current market conditions and the actual condition of the property. Of course, what I say is just a schematic structure of the process. In fact, we are carrying out painstaking work in which we combine all our efforts. I work closely with colleagues around the world to determine the realistic value of each lot as accurately as possible. This is important both for attracting potential buyers and for obtaining interesting lots for sale.
An auction is a very complex thing; the smallest nuances and circumstances can play a role during bidding. An auction is always a surprise and improvisation - it’s almost impossible to say for sure what will happen at an auction. Each auction carries a certain surprise - often things that come up for auction for the first time or little-known ones go for huge sums of money. Sometimes the opposite happens and what seems to be the most interesting lot does not find the “right” buyer. Then the lot goes relatively inexpensively. But this doesn't happen often...
-Paintings, sculpture, jewelry or household items - what is most often sold at Sotheby's auction?
In general, paintings are our most frequent and largest seller, but sculpture and decorative arts also represent a large segment of the market and often sell for very high prices.
For example, at one of the recent auctions, the most sought-after and valuable lot was a rare lapis lazuli vase with golden legs in the form of dolphins by Faberge. She went for $115,500 at pre-sale expert assessment 50-70 thousand dollars.
Also, at a recent auction, a great impression was made by the unique “Kara Table” - a masterpiece of Italian micro-mosaic with a tabletop by Gioachino Barberi, made from a watercolor by Alexander Orlovsky for the Russian Imperial Court. It was an amazing exhibit, a real work of art - the pieces of the mosaic are so small that they can only be seen from a very close distance, and the color scheme is so rich and saturated that you simply can’t believe that this is a mosaic and not a painting.
-Diamonds – eternal values, do rare diamonds often come up for sale at Sotheby’s?
Of course, it cannot be said that unique diamonds are often put up for sale; the appearance of such a lot is always an event. But, of course, Sotheby's sells very rare, beautiful and expensive gems, diamonds and jewelry. Moreover, we sell them both through our retail network, Sotheby's Diamonds, and through our jewelry auctions, which are held throughout the year in our sales rooms in Geneva, London, Hong Kong and New York. Moreover, before the auction there is an exhibition of lots, where visitors can not only carefully examine the item for sale, but also have fun admiring its beauty.
But if we talk about the sale of unique diamonds, then of course we need to remember the most famous, rare and expensive diamond in the world, bearing the name “Pink Count”, weighing 24.78 carats. It was sold at Sotheby's in Geneva in 2010 for $46,000,000. Currently, this is the highest price for a diamond in the world. I must admit that this was a truly unique lot and, of course, there was an intense battle for it. Ultimately, the stone was acquired by the jewelry house of Laurens Graf, thanks to which the stone got its own name "Pink Count".
Information note: Pink diamonds make up only 2 percent of the world's diamonds. Considered to be ideal pink caused by the fact that during its stay in the bowels of the Earth for millions of years, it absorbed light in some unique, little-explored way. Lawrence Graf's collection contains many expensive and rare items; for example, he owns the diamond pendants of Marie de' Medici. But, nevertheless, the Pink Count became the pinnacle of his collection: “This is the most amazing stone that I have managed to acquire in the entire history of my collecting. I'm happy that he is now with me." .
Sonya Bekerman continues: -Also, the diamond aroused great interest Bo Sancy, recently put up for auction at Sotheby's in Geneva, and sold for $9,570,000. This stone is considered one of the most historically significant diamonds ever offered at auction. It is remarkable because for 400 years it belonged to the royal and princely families. For example, it was owned by the Queen of France Marie de Medici, Georg Friedrich of Hohenzollern, Prince of Prussia, great-grandson of William II, the last emperor of Germany.
Information note: It is known that the “Bo Sancy” diamond is made from a diamond that was mined in mines near ancient city Golconda, in southeast India. “Beau Sancy” was first purchased by the diplomat and financier Nicolas de Arley, Seigneur de Sancy, in Constantinople, around the middle of the 16th century. In 1604, Henry IV purchased the diamond and gave it to his wife Marie de Medici. “Beau Sancy” was placed in the crown that adorned Marie de Medici at her coronation in 1610. In 1702, Frederick I, having become the first crowned king of Prussia, sold all the jewelry he inherited in order to acquire the Beau Sancy. This famous stone had special symbolic value for the king and was chosen as the main decoration of the new royal crown. “Bo Sancy”, was the largest gem in the collection of the Royal House of Prussia, was inherited and remained in this family for many years. Traditionally, this stone adorned the bride's outfit of each new Prussian prince. Over the past 50 years, the Beau Sancy diamond has only been shown to the public four times. It is reported that the auction house initially planned to fetch between $2,000,000 and $4,000,000 for the stone. Five bidders competed for it. Ultimately, the diamond was sold for twice the original price - for $9,570,000. The name of the new owner has not been disclosed. We only know that the diamond was purchased over the phone.
-What historical items, or “things with history,” have been put up for auction at Sotheby’s in recent years?
I will name a few of the most interesting and memorable to me. Perhaps these are: the Duchess of Windsor's jewelry, Andy Warhol's cookie jars, and a collection of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's items. Such collections are very interesting to me, because they are personal in nature and allow us to lift the veil of their private lives. former owners. They talk about the habits and tastes of their owners, reveal unknown sides of character famous people. Such collections are a part of history, because their owners are historical figures or world celebrities, and their tastes and preferences are valued by collectors all over the world.
Information: The American Wallis Simpson, married to the Duchess of Windsor, received magnificent gifts from her husband, the former English king Edward VIII. Moreover, the Duke and Duchess ordered jewelry from the best jewelry houses, and many of them were made according to sketches by Wallis herself. 20 items from the Duchess of Windsor's jewelry collection were sold at Sotheby's auction.
Let's list just a few of them:
Record holder among the jewels put up for auction The highlight was a bracelet in the shape of a panther made of onyx and diamonds with green emerald eyes, which was created by the designer of the Cartier jewelry house Jeanne Toussaint. Its original price was almost tripled and, as a result, it was sold for more than 4.5 million pounds. Experts note that this is not only a record price for a bracelet ever sold at auction, but also a record for Cartier jewelry.
One of the Duchess's favorite pieces, a bracelet with nine Latin cross charms, sold for £601,200 from an original estimate of £350,000-450,0000. Pendants made in the shape of a Latin cross are decorated with precious stones. Each of them symbolizes important event in family life.
A diamond-studded heart brooch celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Duke and Duchess's marriage sold for £205,000.
–What was the most unusual lot, in your opinion, put up for auction at Sotheby's?
– Not long ago we sold the Vostok 3KA-2 space capsule for $2,800,000. The auction took place in April 2011, on the day of the 50th anniversary of the first manned space flight. The auction became a magnificent celebration dedicated to Yuri Gagarin, the world's first cosmonaut. The Vostok capsule was sold and is now on display in a museum in Russia.
Information note: Space capsule "Vostok 3KA-2". A few weeks before Gagarin’s flight, the mannequin “Ivan Ivanovich” and the dog Zvezdochka flew into space in this small sphere. It is interesting that the mannequin Ivan Ivanovich caused concern among the Siberian peasants who discovered a capsule flying from the sky in a field. They decided that it was a man and rushed to his aid. But he didn’t need help, and neither did the dog Zvezdochka, she was in in great shape and returned home safely. After this successful testing, an identical craft was launched into space with the first person on board.
– Please tell us, do things that belonged to representatives of the Russian aristocracy appear at Sotheby’s auctions?
Yes, we really do have such lots. They, first of all, have historical value and are always of great interest to collectors.
These truly unique lots include a small collection of items put up at our auction in April 2011: two pairs of skis and a pair of boots from 1910 that belonged to Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov. Tserevich Alexey was a big fan of skiing and at one time the Moscow Ski Club approached him with a request to become the official patron of their organization.
More traditional, but no less interesting lots were sold in 2009. Firstly, it was a rare miniature portrait of Tsar Peter the Great in a diamond-encrusted frame. The portrait belonged to a family in Arizona who did not realize the importance and value of the work until they showed it to my colleague.
This is a truly unique historical relic; in the 18th century, such portraits were given out as awards. It is now extremely rare and we believe there are only 6 left in the entire world.
Sotheby's employees assumed that the portrait would sell for between $80,000 and $120,000, but the reality exceeded all expectations - it was bought for $1,314,500.
Not long ago, a unique and previously unknown collection of personal belongings belonging to the Russian Imperial House was exhibited, which included the belongings of Her Imperial Majesty Maria Pavlovna Romanova and Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, the son of Emperor Alexander II. This was one of the largest “Russian collections” in the history of Sotheby’s London auction, which certainly aroused enormous interest and enthusiasm at the auction. The sales price was $11,658,920.
The most interesting lot was a silver cigarette case with a portrait of Emperor Alexander II, by Feberge. There was a desperate bidding for this item, and it went for 612,250 pounds, which was 12 times its estimated value and became a record price for cigarette cases by Feberge.
-What was the most amazing, curious lot during your years of work at Sotheby’s?
– One of the most amazing lots I have ever encountered during my fifteen year career at Sotheby's was sold in 2010. This is a piece of paper with the words to the song “One Day in the Life” written by John Lennon. This piece of paper sold for $1,200,000, an amazing result for all of us Beatles fans.
-Please tell us about the latest lots of Russian or Ukrainian paintings?
One of the most impressive recent records was set by Natalia Sergeevna Goncharova's “A Street in Moscow,” which Sotheby's sold in New York in November 2011 for $6,354,500—more than four times its estimate. This is the highest price for a sale of a Russian art painting at Sotheby's worldwide.
I would like to note that Goncharova is one of the most revolutionary and outstanding artists of her generation. Today, her work is the most collectible among women artists. The painting “Street in Moscow” is also interesting because most of Goncharova’s paintings of the early 20th century are dedicated to the life of the Russian peasantry, while “Street in Moscow” talks about city life.
Also, a big and unforgettable event several years ago was the sale of the unique painting by Vasily Vereshchagin “Pearl Mosque in Delhi” (1876-1879). This painting was the top lot at Sotheby's 2010 dedicated to creativity Russian artists of the 19th-20th centuries. It went for more than $3 million.
“Pearl Mosque in Delhi” is very great job, 4X5 meters, but of course, this is not the main thing. In my opinion, this painting can be considered true artistic perfection. In it, Vereshchagin revealed his versatility and fully demonstrated his high and mature skill. Everything about it amazes - from the superbly rendered details to the amazing transmission of light - it seems to glow from within. I believe that this is one of the most outstanding and valuable works by Vereshchagin, which has been put up for auction in more than a hundred years.
AND Information note: “Pearl Mosque in Delhi” was auctioned for the second time. The first time it was put up for auction by Vereshchagin himself was in 1891. And it was sold for $2100, after which it was not exhibited to the general public for 120 years.
If we talk about Ukraine, then of course this country has a long and rich cultural heritage, and our sales often include objects of great artists born in Ukraine or belonging to the Ukrainian school. But the most memorable collection in recent years was a collection of 86 paintings created by a group of artists from the Society of Independent Artists, or Odessa Parisians, as they are sometimes called. We sold this lot in New York in 2010. The collection was assembled by Yakov Peremen, a central figure in the world of Odessa art at the turn of the 20th century. For many years This collection was considered lost, we found it and put it up for auction. Before the sale, we exhibited the paintings at the Museum of Fine Arts in Kyiv, which I always visit when I come to this city. The reaction was simply amazing, people were shocked by what they saw.
At auction, the collection was sold for almost $2 million and is currently on a world tour, where it attracts public attention to a very interesting and previously little-known direction of Ukrainian painting.
Sotheby's became the first international auction house to sell a collection dedicated to Ukrainian art of the 20th century.
-I believe that the most interesting lots at auctions are those that appear on the market for the first time and have not previously been presented to the general public. Such sales allow people to discover new or forgotten names, which, in my opinion, is most important for both art and history,” said Sonya Bekkerman in conclusion.
We thank Sonya Bekkerman for a wonderful and very interesting story.
The interview was conducted specifically for Elegant New York by Tatyana Borodina.
Also read about auctions in New York: ; ;
The exhibition includes video recordings of the auction; excerpts from interviews with the organizers and participating artists; VR installation that allows visitors to witness the auction; archival materials demonstrating the controversial attitude towards the auction that continues to this day. Also on display at the exhibition are some of the works that participated in the auction, including a drawing by Varvara Stepanova (circa 1924), “Clown. Scene in the Circus (1935) by Alexander Rodchenko, Fundamental Lexicon (1986) by Grisha Bruskin (sold for a record £242,000) and All About Him (1971) by Ilya Kabakov. Last work was acquired by Alfred Taubman - then chairman of the board of directors of Sotheby's - and donated to the Soviet Ministry of Culture as the first work for the future Museum of Modern Art of the USSR.
The Sotheby's auction marked a change in the Soviet political landscape and was the last international cultural initiative of the perestroika era to require the approval of the Soviet government. It also proved to be one of the most successful trade exchanges in Soviet culture, which changed the position of the Union of Artists and other official institutions under the Ministry of Culture, which quickly realized the benefits that the West's interest in unofficial art promises - an interest that could become one of the sources of foreign currency inflow.
However, the record prices set at the auction, which took the Soviet and Western art world by surprise, could not withstand the collapse Soviet Union and collapsed with him. At the same time, “Russian Sotheby’s” led to the elimination of the strict division between official and unofficial culture, introduced a spirit of competition into art and caused new wave emigration among artists eager to take advantage of the intense international attention generated by the auction. Over time, the auction acquired a mythical aura, about which the writer Andrew Solomon said: “... so much was said about this event that in subsequent years, critics, curators, collectors and artists gave the auction house much credit: it opened one direction, invented another, put an end to a third.”
The Moscow Sotheby's auction is also covered in the book "" (English edition -), published by the Garage Museum in 2016. Focusing on 15 group exhibitions and other major projects that brought Russian artists to the attention of an international public or introduced the Russian public to the stars of Western art, this publication offers readers a unique perspective on the birth of the global art world. The book can be purchased at the Museum’s bookstore; an English-language edition is also available on the websites
The autumn season has begun at the Sotheby's auction house. Photo by Pavel Terekhov
The Sotheby's auction house was sold out on Thursday evening - Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh and the Soviet founder of abstract art Kazimir Malevich were selling. Among the buyers there were probably billionaires from Russia and other post-Soviet countries. At auctions where works by old masters are sold and European painting 19th century, they traditionally buy about a third of the lots. In the hall, alongside ladies in couture and gentlemen in bow ties, were mere mortals: they are regularly given the opportunity to admire art before it ends up in the collections of the rich and famous.
Sotheby's auction house in New York has been selling paintings for more than 250 years. different eras and directions, jewelry, furniture, vintage wine and even cars. And the art market is not afraid of either crises or sanctions. Sotheby's earned three billion seven hundred million dollars in the first six months alone; by 2016 the company plans to collect seven billion.
Into the holy of holies of art
It is customary here to greet wealthy clients right from the door. The smiling doorman will definitely say “Welcome to Sotheby’s” and open the door. The girls are already waiting for guests on the first floor. “Please come up to the second floor,” greets the long-legged lady in black. At the registration desk, the visitor receives a special number-plate, which he then raises at the right time at the auction.
The auction takes place in a special hall on the seventh floor, but first there is champagne. The waiters offered “Proseco”, someone asked about stronger drinks, but there were none. Small talk is a mandatory element of the event.
Some vigorously discuss art news, others gossip about stars. “Woody Allen came yesterday, did you see?” - says the gray-haired man to his friend.
Stars really do come to Sotheby's. Two years ago, pop diva Madonna sold Fernand Léger’s painting “Three Women at a Red Table” here for seven million dollars. And once I bought it for only three. They say that in exchange for Leger, the singer acquired something from the collection of old masters.
International director of Russian art at Sotheby's Jo Vickery specially came to New York from London for Malevich. She introduces the Forum to the auctioneer and host of the evening, Henry Wyndham. “We're starting soon. Hurry up,” he invites.
International director of Russian art at Sotheby's Jo Vickery came to New York for Malevich. Photo by Pavel Terekhov
Van Gogh, Picasso, Malevich
The hall could barely fit all the guests. There were about 250 of them, not counting those who bid online. The audience was varied: ladies in hats, elegant gentlemen in club jackets, and some in casual clothes. Most people are not rich art lovers, but their agents. There are experts who mark the sale price in the catalogue, and even onlookers - mere mortals are also allowed into Sotheby's to admire the art.
More than two hundred people came to the evening auction at Sotheby's in New York. Photo by Pavel Terekhov
The presenter, Henry Wyndham, resembled a conductor, only instead of a baton he had a hammer in his hands, with which he hit the pulpit. As soon as Henry's baritone voice was heard, deathly silence fell in the hall.
The initial price of each lot was displayed on an electronic board, and the art objects themselves appeared on a rotating carousel. Introduced them impeccable people in black aprons and white gloves. Passions are heating up, prices are serious: five, ten, twelve million dollars. Henry Wyndham asks for a glass of water and jokes: “Think well while I drink.” One of the first intrigues of the evening: the painting “Mystical Suprematism” Soviet artist Kazimir Malevich. The starting price for this black cross on a red oval is $35 million. Literally a moment later someone gives half a million more. The auctioneer is not impressed, pauses and says, “I’ll be waiting a long time.” In total, taking into account all taxes, the canvas was purchased for $37.8 million.
Sale of painting by Kazimir Malevich “Mystical Suprematism”. Photo by Pavel Terekhov
Vincent Van Gogh caused more excitement. The bidding lasted more than five minutes. The painting “Landscape Under a Stormy Sky” went for $54 million. The most expensive lot at auction is saved for the end of the auction. The presenter said “Picasso”, the hall became noisy. The painting “Cabaret Singer” was painted by 19-year-old Picasso in Paris. The canvas depicts a naked woman with dark hair. To the average person, the singer would not seem like a very attractive cabaret artist, but the buyers really liked her. A real struggle began for the lot; the auctioneer repeated more than once: “You have the last chance.” The new owner paid $67.5 million for “The Cabaret Singer.”
Russian trace
“The evening was a success,” Jo Vickery summed up for “Forum” in perfect Russian. According to the expert, who learned the language out of love for art, these auctions included large number Russian buyers. “It wasn’t even a big surprise for us. We know about the economic and political situation in Russia, but Russians are still big collectors and love to collect art,” Vickery added.
After the auction, the buyers quickly went home in high spirits. In total, for these trades they spent$726 million.
Many buyers do not come to the auction themselves, but trade for works of art through representatives. Photo by Pavel Terekhov
At Sotheby's it is not customary to tell who bought the works of art and where they will end up. Buyers often become not only millionaires, but also museums, however, Russian buyers are private individuals, Vickery notes.
That evening, the collection of the former head of the auction house was also sold -Alfred Taubman . His biography is worthy of a book. The billionaire made a fortune in real estate, but in 2001 he went to prison for conspiring with another auction house, Christie's, and defrauding clients. After ten months of imprisonment, he resigned, and in April of this year he died after a long illness. The collection, which includes Albrecht Durer, Raphael, Pablo Picasso, Amadeo Modigliani and Jasper Johns, began to be sold by the heirs. Buyers have already shown interest in it.
“ And I think that Russians will take first place on this list and will be interested in such works,” Mikhail Kamensky, general director of the Russian representative office of Sotheby’s, shares his forecasts.
Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov was spotted at auctions in the past. In September 2007, on the eve of the auction, he bought from Sotheby’s the collection of Russian art of the famous musician Mstislav Rostropovich and his wife - opera singer Galina Vishnevskaya. The collection of paintings, porcelain and silver was going to be sold for $30 million, but Usmanov paid twice as much just to have the collection returned to Russia. The billionaire presented it to the Konstantinovsky Palace in St. Petersburg. How often Alisher Usmanov participates in auctions is unknown. “Forum” contacted the billionaire, but at the time of publication of the article we had not received a response.
Another Russian-speaking connoisseur of world masterpieces is Kazakh businessman Nurlan Smagulov. This year, Smagulov purchased from Sotheby’s the bas-relief “Women with a Parrot” by the French sculptor Fernand Léger. The price is not known exactly, but we are talking about several million dollars. Many Russian buyers participate in auctions through foreign companies so as not to expose their name to the whole world, explains Kamensky.
“ Russians are the clear favorites among buyers. These are mainly private collectors who live between Russia and the West. We don't see any crisis today. Maybe millionaires won’t bargain so hard,” comments a Sotheby’s representative in Russia.
General Director of the Russian representative office of Sotheby's Mikhail Kamensky is confident that, despite the crisis, Russian buyers will always participate in auctions. Photo from personal archive
Buyers and onlookers: who comes to the auction
Anyone can enter the auction at Sotheby's for free by presentingID card . The company website hasevents calendar , auctions are held several times a month. As a spectator, you can freely attend morning or lunch auctions; in the evening, the number of seats is limited, and preference is given to buyers. But there are times when places remain, so everyone has a chance to get in; you just need to call Sotheby’s and ask about the availability of free tickets.
Brooklyn resident Oksana Ganzhara has been visiting the Sotheby's auction house for the third year in a row. Photo from personal archive
Oksana Ganzhara from Brooklyn does this regularly. “Friends are already joking, saying that you have become a millionaire,” Oksana says with a smile. She loves art, especially impressionist and modernist paintings, as well as wine collections. “To see how people calmly throw away millions! It’s just cool to look at these auctions in reality,” Oksana shares her impressions. This year, the New York resident has already attended the auction and watched several pre-auction exhibitions. “You can come to Sotheby’s just like a museum, I’ve already invited my friends here. And take a photo with Picasso’s masterpiece, is this possible anywhere else?” – Oksana rejoices.
But Sotheby’s, naturally, relies primarily on wealthy buyers, for whom there is a special department.
A few months before the start of trading, his employees call their regular clients and send out invitations. For some, they organize arrival, meeting at the airport, hotel accommodation and individual excursions.
A mandatory part of the program is pre-auction parties for a select few. Clients can view the lot they are interested in before bidding and make sure they make the right choice. “However, anyone can become a potential buyer at the auction. You need to register on the Sotheby’s website,” says Mikhail Kamensky.
Among the formalities is an extract frombank account . All information is available on Russian language . Requirements for the available amount vary.“ This, of course, depends on what the client intends to purchase,” notes Mikhail Kamensky.
The auction house maintains confidentiality; names are disclosed only at the request of the buyers themselves.
How the auction works
Sotheby's offers all kinds of assistance to art sellers:Before the auction, he spends several months creating a catalogue, selecting photographs and organizing exhibitions. If desired, the auction house staff can develop an advertising strategy and promote the collection, organize inspection, storage and transportation.
The auction house loves its clients so much that it buys the lot itself if no one buys the item at the agreed price. Joe Vickery notes that for the convenience of clients, even in the Sotheby's building itself, everything is thought out to the smallest detail. “We have very good lot storage here. You see high doors. They were installed for huge paintings,” she shows. The building has an alarm system, and any movement is recorded by microscopic cameras. Guests don't notice them.
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Art and money have been at the center of human attention for centuries. Genres and trends have changed, but interest in the mystery of creating great paintings and their sky-high prices is always great. How is the price of a lot determined at an auction? Who determines that “Sewing machine with umbrellas in a surreal landscape” by Salvador Dali today sells for 2 million euros, and “ Cathedral Square. Milan" contemporary artist Gerhard Richter goes under the hammer for 51 million? The best way Plunge into the world of big money and works of art - go to auctions and get first-hand information.
The auction house Sotheby's is one of the oldest. Since its founding in London in 1744, the geography and influence of these trades on the world market have changed significantly. Today, its headquarters are located in New York, with branches scattered around the world, including Paris, Zurich and Toronto. The annual turnover of the house reaches several billion dollars. Sotheby's auctions are free and open to everyone, even if you are not bidding. Most trading takes place during the day, but some start in the evening, in which case you will need a ticket to attend.
Auctions usually take place four times a year in London and New York. Attending such an event is a special and incomparable experience. Here you can see works of your favorite artists and sculptors that cannot be found in museum collections or gallery meetings. Surrounded by the best specialists from the world of trading, you become a witness to the mysteries of buying and selling items from several dozen categories: from ancient art to paintings by contemporary artists.
Today Sotheby's is recognized by professionals as a leader in the category " Contemporary art", the main sales of which take place annually in May and November in New York and in February and June in London.
Christie's
Another titan in the world of auction business and Sotheby’s main competitor is Christie’s, whose main location also managed to change from London to New York. The activities of both together account for about 90% of the world market for auction sales of antiques and art objects.
Christie's makes over six hundred sales a year, an average of two sales a day. Bidding takes place in 80 categories: fine and decorative arts, jewelry, photographs, furniture and interior items and much more. One of the most promising directions development of Christie's - a permanent Russian department and the prestigious Russian Sales.
The Russian department holds auctions every year in April in New York and in November in London, each time setting new sales records. The latest auction in London, for example, brought in 16.9 million pounds. Like Sotheby's, this auction house sets a minimum price at auction, which gradually increases, and the lot goes to the highest bidder.
Pre-auction exhibitions Sotheby's and Christie's
See the works of art that will be sold at two largest auctions for millions, you can by visiting exhibitions organized by auction houses before the auction. To increase the number of visitors, they are arranged not only in the main premises of Christie's (Rockefeller Plaza) and Sotheby's (York Avenue), but also brought to the world's largest capitals: Moscow, Tokyo, London and Paris. The highlight of such exhibitions is in the premises chosen by the organizers. It always combines historical value for the residents of a particular country and at the same time is reliable and safe enough for storing expensive lots.
Bonhams
Following the two leaders in sales of world cultural heritage objects, experts usually call the auction house Bonhams. The world's third largest auction house sells across 70 categories, including paintings and cars, musical instruments and home furnishings. Bonhams has branches in the USA, Australia, South Africa and Hong Kong. Such a wide geographical distribution allows this auction house to conduct more than 700 auctions per year around the world. Auctions are held in different cities depending on the specifics of the lots and the category that is being offered for sale.
Dorotheum
In German-speaking countries, the leadership belongs to the Viennese auction house Dorotheum. Over 300 years of existence make it the oldest major auction in the world. The headquarters of this house have not moved anywhere and are still located in Vienna. The only change within the framework of the globalization of the world art market is new representations in some Austrian cities, for example, in Salzburg, as well as in other parts of Europe, for example, in Prague and Milan. Every year Dorotheum holds about 600 auctions, most of which are daily “auctions without a catalog” at the Dorotheum Palace in Austrian capital. However, the most important part of the sale is the series of four main auction weeks. It is during them that auctions of rare works of fine art are held - from works of old masters to art nouveau and contemporary art.
Another feature of this house is its own jewelry store, Dorotheuma, which is currently the largest in Austria.