Parke-Bernet

Parke-Bernet Galleries is an American auction house, founded in 1937, acquired by Sotheby's in 1964, and later reintroduced. The company was founded by a group of employees of the American Art Association, including Otto Bernet, Hiram H. Parke, Leslie A. Hyam, Lewis Marion and Mary Vandergrift. By 1964, the company was the largest auction house in America, with 115 employees and total sales of $11 million ($114 million in 2025). That year, Sotheby's purchased a controlling interest of 75% in the gallery for $1.5 million ($16 million in 2025).