Quarterly Results (Unaudited) (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule Of Quarterly Results

	First Quarter			Second Quarter		Third Quarter			Fourth Quarter
	(In thousands, except per share data)
Year Ended December 31, 2014
Net Auction Sales	$	734,370		$	1,971,338	$	322,973		$	2,122,738
Income Statement Data:
Revenues:
Agency	$	123,128		$	316,187	$	76,229		$	309,582
Principal	26,001			8,733		6,273			28,951
Finance	5,682			8,140		8,917			10,274
License fees	1,697			2,462		2,376			1,949
Other	303			295		406			468
Total revenues	$	156,811		$	335,817	$	94,201		$	351,224
Net (loss) income attributable to Sotheby's	$	(6,114	)	$	77,632	$	(27,726	)	$	74,003
Per Share Amounts:
Basic earnings (loss) per share - Sotheby’s common shareholders	$	(0.09	)	$	1.12	$	(0.40	)	$	1.07
Diluted earnings (loss) per share - Sotheby’s common shareholders	$	(0.09	)	$	1.11	$	(0.40	)	$	1.06
Shares Outstanding:
Basic	69,143			68,938		68,990			68,992
Diluted	69,143			69,491		68,990			69,707
Year Ended December 31, 2013
Net Auction Sales	$	523,386		$	1,654,088	$	228,587		$	1,932,887
Income Statement Data:
Revenues:
Agency	$	94,175		$	294,943	$	76,929		$	327,592
Principal	1,083			2,122		23,491			5,619
Finance	4,933			5,561		5,164			3,942
License fees	1,186			2,090		1,902			1,724
Other	368			152		378			324
Total revenues	$	101,745		$	304,868	$	107,864		$	339,201
Net (loss) income attributable to Sotheby's	$	(22,345	)	$	91,729	$	(30,131	)	$	90,753
Per Share Amounts:
Basic earnings (loss) per share - Sotheby’s common shareholders	$	(0.33	)	$	1.34	$	(0.44	)	$	1.32
Diluted earnings (loss) per share - Sotheby’s common shareholders	$	(0.33	)	$	1.33	$	(0.44	)	$	1.30
Shares Outstanding:
Basic	67,951			68,306		68,361			68,876
Diluted	67,951			68,889		68,361			69,826