{"id":128521,"date":"2026-02-10T07:32:19","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T07:32:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/128521\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T07:32:19","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T07:32:19","slug":"bonhams-relocates-to-new-yorks-historic-steinway-hall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/128521\/","title":{"rendered":"Bonhams Relocates to New York\u2019s Historic Steinway Hall"},"content":{"rendered":"

After decades on Madison Avenue, Bonhams<\/a> has relocated its United States headquarters to the landmarked Steinway Hall at the base of 111 West 57th Street in New York. The move places the 230-year-old auction house within one of Manhattan\u2019s most storied cultural corridors, with Carnegie Hall, the institutions of Museum Mile, and the soaring residential towers of Billionaire\u2019s Row<\/a> nearby. Rising directly above the historic structure is the ultra-slender skyscraper designed by SHoP Architects<\/a>, now a defining feature of the Midtown skyline.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The relocation marks a significant next chapter for Bonhams, which leaves its former address for a highly visible, street-level presence intended to welcome a wider public audience. Spanning a generous 42,000 square feet, the new flagship increases the size of Bonhams\u2019s previous home by approximately 30 percent. The building unites the historic Steinway Rotunda with an 80-foot-tall glass atrium that serves as the main lobby and reception. A grand staircase designed by Gensler and illuminated with a constellation of dazzling Murano pendants leads to a triple-height gallery filled with natural light and flanked by two full-scale auction rooms, creating a setting intended to support exhibitions, auctions, and year-round public programming.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Modern\"Modern<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMurano pendants illuminate the stairwell leading to the third-floor gallery.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Colin Miller<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Modern\"Modern<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe triple-height gallery on the third floor.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Colin Miller<\/p>\n

\u201cOpening our new U.S. flagship marks a defining moment for Bonhams,\u201d Lilly Chan, managing director of Bonhams U.S., said in a statement. \u201cThis building enables a more experiential approach to the way we engage with collectors, audiences, and partners\u2014bringing together exhibitions, auctions, and public programming in a far more expansive and meaningful way. [The] opening program reflects the breadth of our expertise and commitment to making our space a cultural destination for the city.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

With more than 60 collecting<\/a> categories encompassing fine art, decorative works, jewelry<\/a>, cars, and pop culture, the headquarters incorporates multiple galleries designed to accommodate large-scale objects and special installations. The inaugural program reflects this scope, beginning with \u201cStriking a Chord,\u201d a one-of-a-kind exhibition inspired by the musical legacy of Steinway Hall and landmark moments in performance history. The exhibition examines points at which artwork moves beyond the visual and encounters the sublime, bringing together major examples of 20th- and 21st-century art. Among the highlights is La Muse endormie II, an exceptionally rare-to-market sculpture by Constantin Brancusi<\/a> shown alongside works by John Chamberlain<\/a>, Francis Bacon, and Lee Krasner.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Abstract\"Abstract<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLee Krasner, Offbeat (c. 1953-56).
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Courtesy of Bonhams<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Golden\"Golden<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tConstantin Brancusi, La Muse endormie II.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Courtesy of Bonhams<\/p>\n

At the heart of the Steinway Rotunda sits a historic 1910 Steinway & Sons Model B Grand Piano played by Sir Elton John<\/a> during the recording of his landmark 1974 album Caribou, including the single Don\u2019t Let the Sun Go Down on Me. Following its time at the Caribou Ranch recording studio and a decade on display at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, the piano has returned to Steinway Hall. It will host a series of live performances during the opening celebrations before being offered in Bonhams\u2019s Masters of Pop sale, running online April 23 to May 7.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Additional February programming will include \u201cModern Cuban Painters from Havana to New York: The Exhibition<\/a>,\u201d presented in collaboration with Fundaci\u00f3n Mariano Rodr\u00edguez. The exhibition pays tribute to the Museum of Modern Art\u2019s landmark 1944 exhibition \u201cModern Cuban Painters,\u201d a pivotal moment when Cuban modern art<\/a> gained visibility in the U.S. Reuniting for the first time in more than 80 years a selection of works associated with the original MoMA presentation, it brings together paintings once shown in influential New York galleries of the 1940s and not publicly seen for decades. Artists featured include Wifredo Lam, Mario Carre\u00f1o, Cundo Berm\u00fadez, Mariano Rodr\u00edguez, and Amelia Pel\u00e1ez.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Until February 19, Bonhams will also present a preview of fine art and modern design highlights from the collection of renowned New York gallerist Evan Lobel, ahead of the collection\u2019s auction on March 4. The presentation showcases figures who shaped the city\u2019s postwar design landscape, with works by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne, Karl Springer, and Stephen Rolfe Powell. The preview also includes a rare painting with diamond dust of investor and philanthropist Sid Bass by Andy Warhol<\/a>. Later in the spring, Bonhams will host dedicated programming for Asia Week New York in March, followed by the Marquee Fine Art Auctions in May.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Vintage\"Vintage<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhilip and Kevin Laverne. Bathers Sideboard, (c. 1968).
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Courtesy of Bonhams<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Two\"Two<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJean-Michel Basquiat, Icon 6 (1982) being installed in one of the new galleries.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Colin Miller<\/p>\n

The relocation also establishes Bonhams as the custodian of Steinway Hall, reopening the building to the public after more than a decade of closure. Completed in 1925 as the headquarters of Steinway & Sons, the neoclassical structure was designed by Warren & Wetmore, the architects of Grand Central Terminal<\/a>. Since the piano maker vacated the building in 2014, the hall has been largely inaccessible.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

A comprehensive restoration led by JDS Development Group has returned the building\u2019s architectural features to prominence through extensive hand craftsmanship. The limestone facade bearing the Steinway name has been preserved, as has the domed reception hall with its exquisite hand-painted murals, marble arches, and sculptural detailing. Interiors by Gensler establish a dialogue between historic materials and contemporary finishes, while styling by Nada Sawires introduces bespoke furnishings crafted from glass, stone, and liquid metals, complemented by soft suedes and rich velvets. Beyond its public galleries, the building consolidates Bonhams\u2019 full New York workforce under one roof, with cataloguing and photography studios, client meeting rooms, and a boardroom overlooking the atrium.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Modern\"Modern<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe entrance hall and reception spans 80 feet tall.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Colin Miller<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"Grand\"Grand<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA 1910 Steinway & Sons Model B Grand Piano played by Sir Elton John sits within the historic Steinway Rotunda.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Colin Miller<\/p>\n

\u201cThis new headquarters represents both continuity and ambition for Bonhams,\u201d says Seth Johnson, the auction house\u2019s CEO. \u201cBy establishing our U.S. home within Steinway Hall, we\u2019re honoring a site deeply embedded in New York\u2019s cultural history while creating a space designed for the way collectors engage today. It\u2019s a long-term investment in the United States and a clear expression of our confidence in the strength and future of Bonhams globally.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After decades on Madison Avenue, Bonhams has relocated its United States headquarters to the landmarked Steinway Hall at…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":128522,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[33452,55434,55087,22082,14630,9,24,55,54,56,39912],"class_list":{"0":"post-128521","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-city","8":"tag-auction","9":"tag-auction-house","10":"tag-billionaires-row","11":"tag-bonhams","12":"tag-gensler","13":"tag-new-york","14":"tag-new-york-city","15":"tag-new-york-city-headlines","16":"tag-new-york-city-news","17":"tag-ny","18":"tag-steinway-hall"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/128521","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=128521"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/128521\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/128522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=128521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=128521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=128521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}