In their 2006 year-end results, Sotheby's announced that they would be moving away from middle-range auctions to focus on sales at the top end of the global art market. Accordingly, the minimum lot threshold at Sotheby's has been raised to £3000. Scientific instrument sales have been discontinued, all catalog subscribers have been notified by letter, and the specialist responsible for these sales, Catherine Southon, has already left the company. Library globes will continue to be sold by Sotheby's and will be included in furniture sales. If some high-end exceptional scientifc instrments were consigned with other property, it is possible that they would also be included in furniture sales. I would like to thank Michael Turner, Director of Sotheby's Clock and Watch Department, for providing this information.
My immediate reaction was that the combined Christie's and Sotheby's changes would create a vacuum in the international auction market for scientific instruments, allowing Bonhams and others to expand significantly in this area, especially in England. I hope to get comments from Bonhams, Skinner's, Dorotheum, and Auction Team Koeln regarding their scientific instrument auction plans for future postings.
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