Bonhams opens the new New York location in Steinway Hall, transforming an iconic Manhattan address into a space for international collecting open to the city.
How the new Bonhams location in New York was born
The new U.S. location of Bonhams at 111 West 57th Street marks a strategic milestone in the global expansion of the auction house. The goal is to surpass the traditional idea of a headquarters to propose an accessible cultural environment, designed for both local and international audiences.
The complex integrates the historic Steinway Hall, linked to New York’s musical memory, with the super-slim tower designed by SHoP Architects. This dialogue between memory and contemporaneity reflects the ambition to combine historical heritage and innovation in the way of presenting works and sales.
What spaces does the new headquarters offer
With about 4,000 square meters distributed over four floors, the location gathers the entire universe of the auction house. It hosts over 60 sales categories, from vintage cars to high jewelry, and offers an updated way of experiencing auctions, closer to a museum experience than just a transaction.
The visitor’s journey begins at street level, where a 25-meter high glass atrium serves as a monumental public entrance and transparent showcase of activities. From here, one accesses a sequence of exhibition halls, museum-quality environments, and more intimate spaces.
Among these stands out the restored Steinway Rotunda, intended for smaller-scale exhibitions. Additionally, work environments, client reception areas, internal storage, and cataloging and photography studios are gathered under one roof, forming a true operational and cultural engine.
What is Bonhams’ strategic vision for New York
“This building marks a decisive moment for Bonhams,” says Lilly Chan, Managing Director of Bonhams U.S. According to the manager, the new location allows for a more experiential and inclusive approach, capable of organically connecting exhibitions, auctions, and public programming.
For CEO Seth Johnson, the choice of Steinway Hall is both a gesture of historical continuity and a sign of confidence in the future of the U.S. market. In this perspective, the New York location becomes a crucial node in the company’s global network.
What exhibitions inaugurate the exhibition program
The opening is accompanied by an intense program of exhibitions and sales that directly dialogue with the architectural and cultural identity of the building. The symbolic centerpiece of the inaugural calendar is the exhibition Striking a Chord (February 9–March 6), inspired by the musical tradition of Steinway Hall.
The exhibition explores the relationships between visual art, sound, and emotion, presenting works by 20th-century and contemporary masters. Among the highlighted works is La Muse endormie II by Constantin Brancusi, a sculpture rarely seen on the market, alongside works by Francis Bacon, John Chamberlain, and Lee Krasner.
What role does music play in the opening celebrations
Alongside visual arts, music occupies a central position in the inaugural phase. A Steinway & Sons Model B Grand piano from 1910, played by Elton John during the recording of the album Caribou in 1974, is one of the key pieces of the program.
The instrument, with an estimate between 250,000 and 350,000 dollars, will be a highlight of the celebrations before being offered in the online sale Masters of Pop (April 23–May 7). This digital auction is part of a broader strategy that integrates physical presence and online channels.
What are the strengths of the Evan Lobel collection
Another highlight of the month is the sale New York Modern: The Evan Lobel Collection, with a preview from February 9 to 19 and auction on March 4. The selection reconstructs the design and art of postwar New York through a targeted choice of works and furnishings.
The exhibition features pieces by Karl Springer, Philip and Kelvin LaVerne, Stephen Rolfe Powell, as well as a rare diamond dust painting by Andy Warhol dedicated to Sid Bass. Compared to other market offerings, the collection stands out for its strong identity linked to the city’s history.
How is the tradition of modern Cuban painters reinterpreted
In parallel, the auction house presents Modern Cuban Painters from Havana to New York, an exhibition that revisits and updates the historic MoMA 1944 exhibition. The initiative brings together works by Wifredo Lam, Amelia Peláez, Mariano Rodríguez, and other protagonists of Cuban modernism.
Some of these works will be included in future online sales dedicated to modern and contemporary Cuban art, expanding attention to historically underrepresented scenarios. In this way, the new New York space becomes a platform for critical and market reinterpretation of transnational artistic traditions.
What is the role of online auctions in the new model
The February program is completed with several digital sales. Among these stands out Heavyweights & Headliners: Legends in Sports and Rock, which presents materials related to great sports and rock figures from the collection of photographer George Kalinsky.
This is accompanied by a selection of international modern and contemporary art offered online, in line with the evolution of collecting towards hybrid models. Overall, the new New York location consolidates Bonhams’ role as an international platform capable of uniting exhibition, market, and cultural experimentation.
As expert in digital marketing, Amelia began working in the fintech sector in 2014 after writing her thesis on Bitcoin technology. Previously author for several international crypto-related magazines and CMO at Eidoo. She is now the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Cryptonomist and Econique.
She is also a marketing teacher at Digital Coach in Milan and she published a book about NFTs for the Italian publishing house Mondadori, while she is also helping artists and company to entering in the sector. As advisor, Amelia is also involved in metaverse-related project such as The Nemesis and OVER.
