Uncertain Tax Positions	6 Months Ended
Uncertain Tax Positions	Jun. 30, 2011
Uncertain Tax Positions
Uncertain Tax Positions	13. Uncertain Tax Positions As of June 30, 2011, the liability for unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest and penalties, was $31.8 million, representing an increase of $2.6 million when compared to December 31, 2010. As of June 30, 2010, the liability for unrecognized tax benefits was $51.4 million. As of June 30, 2011 and 2010, the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would favorably affect Sotheby's effective tax rate is $15.0 million and $31.6 million, respectively. Sotheby's believes it is reasonably possible that a decrease of $0.5 million in the balance of unrecognized tax benefits can occur within 12 months of the June 30, 2011 balance sheet date as a result of the expiration of the statute of limitations and an expected settlement of a currently ongoing tax audit. Sotheby's is subject to taxation in the U.S. and various state and foreign jurisdictions. Years still open for audit are, for federal purposes, from 2007, and for the following major state and local jurisdictions: New York State from 2007; New York City from 2007; and California from 2005. Sotheby's foreign subsidiaries file income tax returns in the countries in which they have operations. Years still open to examination by foreign tax authorities include Hong Kong from 2005 and the U.K. from 2005. Sotheby's recognizes interest expense and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of Income Tax Expense. Sotheby's accrual for such interest and penalties increased by $0.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2011. Sotheby's policy is to record interest expense related to sales, value added and other taxes as Interest Expense in its statements of operations. Penalties related to such taxes are recorded as General and Administrative Expenses in its statements of operations. Interest expense and penalties related to income taxes are recorded as a component of Income Tax Expense in Sotheby's statements of operations.

The disclosure required for tax positions taken in the tax returns filed or to be filed for which it is more likely than not that the tax position will not be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities (i.e., uncertain tax positions) and other types of income tax contingencies, including: (1) the policy on classification of interest and penalties; (2) a tabular reconciliation of the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits at the beginning and end of the period; the total amount(s) of: (3) unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate, and (4) interest and penalties recognized in each of the income statement and balance sheet; (5) for positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts unrecognized will significantly change within 12 months of the reporting date the: (i) nature of the uncertainty, (ii) nature of the event that could occur that would cause the change, and (iii) an estimate of the range of the reasonably possible change or a statement that an estimate of the range cannot be made; and (6) a description of tax years that remain subject to examination by major tax jurisdictions.

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