The auction house has moved a short walk away from its old address in Thistle Street to the recently renovated The Edinburgh Grand building.
The move coincides with its 50th anniversary year in Scotland and the new space is designed to be more “client-facing” with ground-floor space including a wood-panelled private viewing room with “double height windows… providing ideal viewing conditions for artworks”.
Lucy Brown, who recently assumed the role of head of the Edinburgh office, will be based in Scotland, working closely with colleagues from Sotheby’s London, including David Macdonald and Thomas Podd.
Joining the team is Jonny Fowle, recently appointed Sotheby’s first-ever spirits specialist. Macdonald, Podd and Fowle will travel regularly from London to Scotland.
Brown said: “Sotheby’s has been the only international auction house with a continual presence in Scotland since the 1970s. In addition to operating as a sourcing centre, we will also be hosting a number of events in our new Edinburgh home.”
The auction house is previewing works from its upcoming September Scottish art sale with works by Scottish artists including George Leslie Hunter, John Fergusson, Samuel Peploe, Craigie Aitchison and Joan Eardley on show this month. Between August 13-16 the entire contents of the Scottish Art sale will go on public exhibition at the Edinburgh Grand.
Sotheby's held dedicated Scottish sales at Gleneagles until 2009. It then reinstated its standalone Scottish sales in London in November 2015.
