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A Toast to Autumn: Sotheby’s Best Events & Parties

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Whether we were celebrating music icons like David Bowie, hosting talks with entrepreneurs and art world insiders, or throwing parties during major international art fairs, Sotheby’s worked hard and played hard during autumn 2016. And with record-breaking sales, office anniversaries and thrilling collaborations, there was no shortage of reasons to celebrate this season at Sotheby’s worldwide. Click ahead to toast to autumn and reflect on some of the year’s most memorable affairs attended by guests such as Brooke Shields, Bobby Flay, Tommy Hilfiger and more.

A Toast to Autumn: Sotheby’s Best Events & Parties

  • Celebrating David Bowie Around the World
    This November, music icon David Bowie touched his fans once again, when the three-part Bowie/Collector sale was 100% sold in London. Ahead of the auction, highlights from Bowie’s personal collection toured to New York, Hong Kong, LA , San Francisco and more, not to mention, Sotheby’s London hosted late night viewings , dance parties and a festival of talks to ensure this incredibly thoughtful and well-curated collection could be enjoyed by thousands of guests. 

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  • Photograph by Leandro Justen/BFA.com
    Cai Guo-Qiang & Wendi Murdoch Bring Sky Ladder to Sotheby’s
    On 13 October, to celebrate the documentary Sky Ladder’s Netflix debut, Sotheby’s hosted a private reception and screening hosted by Samantha Boardman, Aby Rosen, Tad Smith and executive producer Bennett Miller. The film’s star, explosion artist Cai Guo-Qiang, was joined by Miller and the film’s producer Wendi Murdoch for a Q&A. 

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  • Photograph by Madison/BFA.com
    Eleven Madison Park’s Star Chef Prepares an Artful Menu
    For chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park and The NoMad, meals always feature four fundamental qualities: delicious taste, beauty, creativity and purpose. On 11 November, the directors of Sotheby’s had the privilege of welcoming guests to experience the Michelin and James Beard Award-winning chef’s cuisine at a dinner in honour of the autumn exhibitions of Impressionist & Modern and Contemporary art.  

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  • Parisian Flair at de Balkany's Hôtel Particulier
    This September, nearly 800 guests had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the luxurious world of Robert de Balkany as the extraordinary Hôtel Particulier opened its doors for a three-day event series . On view were works from the entrepreneur’s stunning collection which was auctioned at Sotheby’s Paris on 20, 28 and 29 September.  

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  • T.O.P Auction Highlights in Seoul & Hong Kong
    This October, Sotheby’s Hong Kong presented #TTTOP, a special contemporary art evening sale guest-curated by Asian pop icon T.O.P. Ahead of the auction, now the highest-value sale of western contemporary art ever held during a major auction series in Hong Kong, highlights travelled to Seoul, South Korea – T.O.P’s birthplace for a public preview .  

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  • Photograph by Julian Cassady
    Cocktails & Conversations
    To complement viewings of our autumn exhibitions of Impressionist & Modern and Contemporary art, Sotheby’s invited guests to a dynamic series of informal talks with industry insiders held in our New York lounge. Our programme included Joan Quinn, a journalist, producer and arts patron, celebrated artistic directors and curators Roya Sachs and Mafalda Millies and famed collector and restaurateur Michael Chow in conversation with Sotheby’s Eric Shiner.  

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  • Sotheby’s & Miami Art Week
    In a jam-packed week of events , Sotheby's hosted book launches, conversations and parties during this December's Art Basel Miami Beach. Events included Mediterranean lunches, rooftop parties and talks at Soho Beach House and The Standard Hotel, as well as a book signing and panel for 100 Secrets of the Art World, a compilation of “secrets” revealed by prominent dealers, curators and other art world insiders. 

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  • Photograph by Joe Schildhorn/BFA.com
    The 25th Annual Take Home a Nude Party
    On 24 October, Sotheby’s was honoured to host and co-sponsor the 25th annual Take Home a Nude party and benefit auction in support of the New York Academy of Art. The silent and live auctions, which featured more than 180 works by top contemporary names, raised over $1.1 million for the Academy, far surpassing previous years. Guests included Brooke Shields, Bobby Flay, Naomi Watts, John Varvatos and other stars from the media, art and creative industries. 

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  • Luxury Week in London with Anya Hindmarch & More
    To coincide with London Fashion Week this September, Sotheby’s Luxury Week showcased works from our Contemporary Curated sale, guest curated by Anya Hindmarch, alongside highlights from Aboriginal Art. As part of the week, Harper’s Bazaar also hosted a series of talks in our New Bond Street galleries. 

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  • A Night of Rock & Roll at Sotheby’s
    The spirit of rock & roll took over Sotheby’s on the evening of 8 December in celebration of the auctions A Rock & Roll Anthology: From Folk to Fury and Boo-Hooray Presents: Post-War, Counterculture & Pop. The night featured a panel discussion, an all-female tribute band Lez Zeppelin, a set with DJ Hesta Prynn and a special tasting of Jose Cuervo's commemorative edition tequila bottling 250 Anniversario Rolling StonesTM Edition. 

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  • The 35th Anniversary of Sotheby’s Vienna
    This November to mark its anniversary , Sotheby’s Vienna presented a special exhibition of works from Austrian private collections bought over the years through the auction house. Held at the baroque Palais Schönborn-Batthyány, A Glimpse into Austrian Private Collections brought together a range of pieces and was celebrated in an elegant dinner.  

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  • Photograph by Jesse Carmody
    Danny Fox's New Show Debuts in Los Angeles
    On 26 October, Sotheby’s Los Angeles welcomed guests to an opening reception for its first-ever S|2 Gallery exhibition: a series of six new paintings by British artist Danny Fox. Titled Adder Among Choughs, the show was Fox’s second collaboration with Sotheby’s.  

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  • Photograph by Kelly Taub/BFA.com
    A Night of Luxury Presented by Maserati
    On 2 December, more than 600 people came to Sotheby’s for Night of Luxury , an evening celebrating our December auctions, presented by Maserati. While listening to live music by Peter & The Master Keys, guests could view a wide range of art, try on jewels and watches, relax in a lounge dedicated to IfOnly, an online sale of one-of-a-kind experiences, that also featured the private aviation company Sentient Jet, and enjoy tastings with Dalmore Whisky and The Caviar Company.  

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  • Idris Khan Joins Sotheby's Young Collectors in Dubai
    British artist Idris Khan was the guest of honour at a glamorous evening of dinner and cocktails as Sotheby's hosted a young collectors event in Dubai this November. More than 130 guests piled into the Luna Sky Bar, Four Seasons to watch the artist speak about his current project in Abu Dhabi.  

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  • Photograph by Harrison Epstein
    Moda Operandi & Sotheby’s Pair Designer Jewels & Fashion
    This autumn, luxury online retailer Moda Operandi opened an appointment-only atelier in a town house just off Madison Avenue, and on the evening of 15 September, Sotheby’s was delighted to co-host with them the space’s inaugural event . Highlights from Sotheby’s Important Jewels sale were on view alongside fresh-from-the-runway looks by Giambatista Valli and other designers.  

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  • Impressionist & Contemporary Highlights During Frieze Week
    As the art world descended upon London for Frieze, Sotheby’s invited guests to enjoy a private view of five upcoming sales at New Bond Street at an event sponsored by Mamont Vodka. Highlights from this week’s London Italian Sale,Contemporary Art Evening and Day sales were on display alongside a preview of highlights from November’s New YorkImpressionist & Modern Art andContemporary sales.  

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  • Photograph by Tiffany Sage/com
    Fortune & Sotheby's Unite Women of Influence
    This September at Sotheby’s New York headquarters, professionals from diverse fields gathered Women of Influence, an inaugural series of panels featuring women from business, technology, publishing and the arts with moderators from Fortune. Fortune editor at large Jennifer Reingold, Kristen Bellstrom, a senior editor at Fortune and the author of The Broadsheet, Nanette Lepore and Tonya Lewis Lee were just a few of the inspiring women who participated in the weeklong event. 

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  • A Paris Museum & An Outstanding Book Collection
    This October, Le Musée de la chasse et de la nature, Paris, opened its doors to Sotheby’s and its guests to view a selection of books from the Hunting Library of the Counts du Verne sale. The largest ensemble to appear on the market for the last thirty years, this collection presented a magnificent overview of the development of hunting practices in every form over five centuries.  

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  • Photograph by Samantha Nandez/BFA.com
    Tommy Hilfiger, Marc Quinn & More Fête Contemporary Art
    On 27 September, guests were invited to our New York headquarters for drinks and private viewings of a building’s worth of contemporary art –Henry Hudson’s S|2 show, Contemporary Art Online and Contemporary Curated sales and the Bowie/Collector travelling exhibition were all on view. On hand, at Henry Hudson’s selling exhibition Sun City Tanning, were Tommy Hilfiger, Dee Ocleppo Hilfiger and Marc Quinn.  

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  • ‘Ming Ma: The Artist Upstairs’ Opens in Hong Kong
    This August, Sotheby’s Hong Kong gallery was packed with collectors and friends at the cocktail reception for Ming Ma: The Artist Upstairs, a selling exhibition. On hand were the artist Ming Ma, as well as filmmaker Yonfan, who recited a poem during the evening. 

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