Photographs

Sotheby's was the first international auction house to offer regular sales of Photographs, beginning in 1971 in London, 1975 in New York, and 2002 in Paris. We sell photographs from the entire history of the medium, from salt prints and daguerreotypes of the 1840s to contemporary works of the present decade.

Our international team comprises experienced and highly regarded Photographs specialists, whose passion and expertise have resulted in dozens of world records in photography auctions for individual photographers, brought new categories of work to the public’s eye and defined many of the market criteria against which photographs and collections are judged.

Major Photographs auctions are held seasonally in New York, London, and Paris. Independent of the auction calendar, Sotheby’s also assists collectors in selling photographs discreetly and privately throughout the year.