The Lewis Collection—assembled by former Tottenham Hotspur owner Joe Lewis—is being offered at Sotheby’s with a combined pre‑sale estimate of about £200 million. Forty‑eight works by artists including Klimt, Modigliani, Picasso, Freud and Bacon are on public view at Sotheby’s through June 23 and will be auctioned on June 24–25. Sotheby’s calls the estimate the largest pre‑sale valuation for a private European collection, and auctioneers expect strong demand that could push results higher.
Ex‑Tottenham Owner’s £200m Art Sale — Klimt, Modigliani, Picasso and Freud Head to Sotheby’s
Staff members pose next to Amedeo Modigliani’s 'Nu assis au collier', during a media preview by Sotheby's in London to highlight masterpieces from the Lewis Collection, with an initial estimate of at least 200 million pounds ($267 million) (JUSTIN TALLIS)(JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/AFP)
Forty‑eight masterpieces from the Lewis Collection, assembled by former Tottenham Hotspur owner Joe Lewis, are set to be offered at Sotheby’s this month with a combined pre‑sale estimate of around £200 million ($267 million).
Major Works And Estimates
The sale includes highlights across modern and modernist movements: Gustav Klimt’s 1902 Portrait of Gertrud Loew (est. £20–30m); Amedeo Modigliani’s once‑scandalous Nu assis au collier (Seated nude wearing a necklace), expected to fetch in excess of £45m; Pablo Picasso’s 1938 Buste de femme (est. £12–18m); and Lucian Freud’s 1995–96 Sleeping by the Lion Carpet — a nude of his muse Sue Tilley valued at £25–35m and described by Sotheby’s as “arguably the greatest Lucian Freud painting ever to make its way to market.”
The offering also features works by Egon Schiele and René Magritte, and a bronze dancer by Edgar Degas estimated at £18–25m.
Public Viewing And Sale Dates
The lots are on public display at Sotheby’s through June 23 with free access. The top 25 most valuable works are scheduled to go under the hammer late on June 24; the remaining lots will be auctioned on June 25.
“There’s never ever been a collection of this magnitude that’s ever been offered, actually, either in the UK or indeed in Europe,” Oliver Barker, chairman of Sotheby’s Europe, told AFP.
Background And Market Context
Joe Lewis, an 89‑year‑old British billionaire who transferred his majority stake in Tottenham Hotspur to a family trust in 2022, is listed with a £5.8 billion fortune on The Sunday Times Rich List. Sotheby’s says the firm estimate of more than £200 million is the largest pre‑sale estimate ever placed on a private collection offered in Europe, and auctioneers hope results may exceed that total.
The sale follows a period of revived demand for top‑tier works: earlier spring auctions in New York set new records for artists including Jackson Pollock, Constantin Brancusi and Mark Rothko, and Sotheby’s itself sold four Lewis Collection paintings by members of the School of London for £35.8 million in March.
Controversy And Personal Note
Barker described the sale as a “new beginning” for Lewis and his family. The auction comes after Lewis was reportedly pardoned by US President Donald Trump following a 2024 guilty plea for insider trading — a development noted by auction commentary and press coverage.
Why This Sale Matters
Beyond the headline prices, the Lewis Collection brings a rare concentration of masterpieces to the market at once — an opportunity that dealers, collectors and museums view as unusually significant after a lull in high‑value offerings.
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