Sotheby’s Builds Better Relationships in Las Vegas
about 39 months ago (10/26/2021)
Sotheby’s Builds Better Relationships in Las Vegas Brooke Lampley presents Oliver Barker with the traditional white gloves after a sold out auction The Thursday before Sotheby’s Saturday-night-in-Las-Vegas sale of 11 Picasso works from the Bellagio’s eponymous restaurant, Brooke Lampley was feeling more than a little “trepidation.” MGM Resorts International, the corporation that had bought Steve Wynn’s Mirage Resorts in 2000—including Wynn’s pet art-cum-luxury-dining-experience restaurant at the Bellagio decorated with a number of significant works by the Modern master—had decided to cash out on the art market gains of the last 20 years. But there was nothing about the sale that required Sotheby’s to transport a substantial portion of their senior staff, including Principal Auctioneer Oliver Barker, CEO Charles Stewart, Lampley, David Schrader who runs private sales and Gregoire Billault, Chairman of Contemporary art plus a host of other client-facing personnel to Las Vegas. The Sotheby’s road trip wouldn’t necessarily lighten the effort that went into making sure the Picassos sold.