Who knows about Auction Houses?

Triton

Triton

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Aug 8, 2000
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Specifically who knows anything about how Sotheby's works? Here's the thing, I'm trying to track down a very specific item that was sold by Sotheby's sometime before 1962. Do any of you know enough about how these auctions work to be able to give me some advice on:

1) How to determine when the item was actually sold

2) Determine if possible who the item was sold to?

I recognize I'm not giving you a lot to go on, but any and all thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
Calling would probably get you the farthest,but I'm not sure that they could or, depending on the piece,even would give you that information.There are websites that track sales at Southby's and Christies but it looks like that information only goes back to the middle '80s or so.If they are anything like half the auctions I deal with,that information probably gets lost shortly after the sale.
 
A good university library with a program in the area you're interested in will have the catalogs and maybe other information in its collection. If, for example, the item of interest is a painting by Monet, find a university with a good program in impressionist art and they will have the information you seek in their stacks.

You may say, "But I don't want to have to go to that library. It could be half-way around the world!" The answer is interlibrary loan. Even your local community library can arrange for you to borrow from most every library in the country (and many all over the world) through interlibrary loan.
 
Thanks for the thoughts guys I really appreciate it. I may have to go with the "give them a call" route. Gollnick your suggestion is a good one as well, but unfortunately the item in question is a sword and so I'm guessing (although I am looking) that there are few programs in universities for them. :)

The other thought I had was to try to track down their auction catalogs and at least be able to nail down exactly when they sold the item.

As you all have said the bidder may have been anonymous and I seriously doubt that they would part with the information if that was the case, but hope springs eternal that perhaps the bidder was not anonymous and I will be one step closer to tracking down the sword in question.
 
Triton said:
unfortunately the item in question is a sword and so I'm guessing (although I am looking) that there are few programs in universities for them. :)
Click to expand...

Metal arts?

Start at University of Iowa, then Penn State.
 
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