Bonhams & Butterfields

Bonhams and Butterfield was a large American auction house, founded in 1865 by William Butterfield in San Francisco.

It was purchased in 1999 from Bernard Osher by online auctioneer eBay for $260 million.

In 2002, it was acquired from eBay by British auctioneer Bonhams and operated under the name Bonhams & Butterfields for about ten years. It now just goes by Bonhams.

Butterfield & Butterfield was founded in San Francisco in 1865 by William Butterfield, a former Nevada County sheriff who began by auctioning goods from ships arriving in San Francisco Bay to serve the fortunes generated by the Gold Rush.¹² The auction house quickly grew a reputation for handling estate goods, consignments, and distinctive Gold Rush-era artifacts, and became an important player in San Francisco's art and antiques market.²³

William Butterfield's son Fred joined the firm after his father's death, and his grandson Reeder Butterfield later played an important role in the company's expansion.¹ As the West Coast and its collecting markets evolved, Butterfield & Butterfield introduced specialist departments in areas such as fine art, jewelry, Western Americana, and decorative arts.⁴ The house became known for auctions of major California estates and for its role in selling high-profile collections, including works of art, estate furnishings, and Gold Rush memorabilia.⁵⁶

In 1970, businessman and art collector Bernard Osher acquired Butterfield & Butterfield. Under Osher's ownership, the company expanded its expertise, departmental organization, and reputation, opening a Los Angeles saleroom in 1988 and further developing its national and international reach.⁷⁸ Butterfield & Butterfield implemented technological innovations such as online bidding and real-time remote participation in auctions during the late 1990s.⁵

The company was acquired by eBay in 1999 for approximately $260 million.⁹¹⁰¹¹ The partnership brought Butterfield's specialist teams and appraisal services to eBay, though the blend of high-end offline and internet auctioning presented operational challenges.¹² In 2002, Butterfield & Butterfield was purchased by London-based Bonhams, which integrated the firm into its global saleroom network, operating for a time under the name Bonhams & Butterfields and expanding Bonhams’ presence on the U.S. West Coast.²¹³