Sotheby's: Bidding for Class by Robert Lacey

Book Description

Secondhand. Good condition. Wear to book corners and edges. Slant to spine. Faint marks on foredges. Dust jacket is in fair condition with ceasing to top edge and some scratches to front and back covers. Some marks on covers. Interior and binding are also very good.

The inside story of Sotheby's and the great auction wars from the 18th century to the Windsor sale.

A temple to civilised style, the art auction house Sotheby's makes its money when it manages to persuade those who already have a wealth of material goods that their happiness depends upon owning still more. They are bidding for class.

Since its beginnings as a modest book dealership in 18th-century London, Sotheby's owes its success to a series of clever and colourful entrepreneurs who have known how to read the winds of economic change and sniff out the buyers and sellers of the moment.

In this stimulating and entertaining book, Robert Lacey brings to life the personalities, ambition and shrewd business dealings operating behind the glamour and glitz of Sotheby's.