Noted Auctioneer. Samuel Sotheby's uncle, John Sotheby, was a co-founder of the firm which would eventually be known as Sotheby’s, in 1744. His father, also Samuel, joined the firm in 1800, then his father brought him into the firm by 1826. His chief contribution to the firm was cataloguing collections and publishing his researches. In 1836 he compiled the ‘Exhibition Catalogue of Giovanni d'Athanasi's Collection of Egyptian Antiquities, Exeter Hall, Strand.’ In 1840, he published a quarto describing his discoveries in public and private libraries, entitled ‘Unpublished Documents, Marginal Notes, and Memoranda in the Autograph of Philip Melanchthon and of Martin Luther.’ In 1842 he took into partnership his chief accountant, John Wilkinson, who became the salesman, while he superintended the cataloguing. His most prominent literary work was to edit the materials collected by his father, which he published as ‘The Typography of the Fifteenth Century: being Specimens of the Productions of the early Continental Printers’ and ‘Principia Typographica: the Block Books, or Xylographic Delineations of Scripture History issued in Holland, Flanders, and Germany during the Fifteenth Century.’ He took a great interest in the management of the Crystal Palace, displayed in a couple of pamphlets, ‘A few Words by way of a Letter addressed to the Directors,’ and ‘A Postscript to the Letter.’ His last publication was ‘Ramblings in the Elucidation of the Autograph of Milton.’ He apparently suffered a heart attack while on a walk near the Dart river at Buckfastleigh Abbey, Devonshire, and his body was found the next day in the river.
Noted Auctioneer. Samuel Sotheby's uncle, John Sotheby, was a co-founder of the firm which would eventually be known as Sotheby’s, in 1744. His father, also Samuel, joined the firm in 1800, then his father brought him into the firm by 1826. His chief contribution to the firm was cataloguing collections and publishing his researches. In 1836 he compiled the ‘Exhibition Catalogue of Giovanni d'Athanasi's Collection of Egyptian Antiquities, Exeter Hall, Strand.’ In 1840, he published a quarto describing his discoveries in public and private libraries, entitled ‘Unpublished Documents, Marginal Notes, and Memoranda in the Autograph of Philip Melanchthon and of Martin Luther.’ In 1842 he took into partnership his chief accountant, John Wilkinson, who became the salesman, while he superintended the cataloguing. His most prominent literary work was to edit the materials collected by his father, which he published as ‘The Typography of the Fifteenth Century: being Specimens of the Productions of the early Continental Printers’ and ‘Principia Typographica: the Block Books, or Xylographic Delineations of Scripture History issued in Holland, Flanders, and Germany during the Fifteenth Century.’ He took a great interest in the management of the Crystal Palace, displayed in a couple of pamphlets, ‘A few Words by way of a Letter addressed to the Directors,’ and ‘A Postscript to the Letter.’ His last publication was ‘Ramblings in the Elucidation of the Autograph of Milton.’ He apparently suffered a heart attack while on a walk near the Dart river at Buckfastleigh Abbey, Devonshire, and his body was found the next day in the river.
Bio by: Pete Mohney
Family Members
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See more Sotheby memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
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1851 England Census
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London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812
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Brompton, London, England, Cemetery Registers, 1840-2012
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London, England, Crisp's Marriage Licence Index, 1707-1841
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London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1938
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