Sotheby's

Sotheby's runs roughly 250 auctions a year across more than seventy collecting categories. For a European buyer the map matters more than the headline: the group's auction rooms on this continent are London, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Cologne, Zurich, Beaune and Edinburgh, and Beaune in particular exists because of Burgundy wine.

What you can buy

• Fine art across periods, from Old Masters to contemporary.
• Jewellery and watches, with Geneva as the traditional sale city.
• Wine, including dedicated Burgundy sales.
• Design, decorative arts and antiquities.
• Collectibles — from posters to books and manuscripts.

How the bidding works

Sales run as live room auctions with online and telephone bidding, alongside a large number of online-only sales that close on a timer. Registration is per account but bidding approval for high-value sales is granted per sale, and can require references or a deposit — worth starting before the day.

What to check before you bid

The room a lot sits in decides the currency, the premium scale and the export position, so read the sale header rather than assuming London. Online-only sales are on different terms from the room sales they sit beside. Where a lot has been on tour, the condition report may predate the travel — ask for a current one rather than relying on the catalogue photograph.