Best Hess Collection Podcasts (2026)

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Dagmar Schafer, "Ownership of Knowledge: Beyond Intellectual Property" (MIT Press, 2023) 41:56

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3h ago41:56

41:56

Ownership of Knowledge: Beyond Intellectual Property (MIT Press, 2023) provides a framework for knowledge ownership that challenges the mechanisms of inequality in modern society. Scholars of science, technology, medicine, and law have all tended to emphasize knowledge as the sum of human understanding, and its ownership as possession by law. Break…

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The Ostrich that François-Xavier Lalanne Hid in his Bedroom, with Florent Jeanniard 10:21

5h ago10:21

10:21

On today’s episode, Florent Jeanniard, Sotheby's Chairman, Co-Worldwide Head of Design, Paris, dives into the surreal world of François-Xavier Lalanne. Le Bar aux Autruches, a whimsical fusion of sculpture and furniture, proved so intriguing for visitors to his home studio that Lalanne decided to hide it away in his bedroom. Further details about t…

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Abigail Bainbridge, "Conservation of Books" (Routledge, 2023) 32:10

1h ago32:10

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Editor Abigail Bainbridge and contributing author Sonja Schwoll join this discussion of Conservation of Books (Routledge 2023), the highly anticipated reference work on global book structures and their conservation. Offering the first modern, comprehensive overview on this subject, this volume takes an international approach. Written by over 70 spe…

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Collecting Time: The Market Life of a Patek Philippe, with Sam Hines 10:59

1d ago10:59

10:59

On today’s episode, the pivotal collector relationships that keep the market for rare watches ticking. Sam Hines, Sotheby's Global Chairman, Watches, explores the landmark sale of the only first-series Patek Philippe ref. 2499 to be signed by British-heritage luxury brand Asprey. Further details about the episode subject. The Specialist is brought …

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Suzette van Haaren, "The Digital Medieval Manuscript: Material Approaches to Digital Codicology" (Brill, 2025) 50:46

12d ago50:46

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We increasingly encounter medieval books as digital facsimiles—zooming in on high-resolution images, clicking through virtual pages, or engaging with interactive displays. But what actually happens when a parchment manuscript is translated into a digital object? How does this change affect our understanding of cultural heritage? In The Digital Medi…

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Amanda Nichols Hess, "Information Literacy and Critical Thinking: Using Perspective Transformation to Break Information Bubbles" (ALA, 2025) 58:16

13d ago58:16

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Higher education is about transformation: research shows that the most well-prepared graduates are those who have experienced changes in how they think about and experience the world around them. Combined with flexible information-seeking and evaluation skills, learning ways to break information bubbles is essential for dealing with today's challen…

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The Anonymous Altarpiece: Decoding a Renaissance Enigma, with Alex Bell 10:41

9d ago10:41

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On today’s episode, what happens when a work of art is so enigmatic that you think about it for 60 years? Alex Bell, Chairman Emeritus of Sotheby's UK and Old Masters Worldwide, tells the story of how a mysterious Renaissance altarpiece entered the collection of the National Gallery in London as the museum celebrated its bi-centenary. Further detai…

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James A. Jacobs and James R. Jacobs, "Preserving Government Information: Past, Present, and Future" (Freegovinfo Press, 2025) 1:07:38

14d ago1:07:38

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We're pleased to welcome James A. Jacobs and James R. Jacobs, authors of Preserving Government Information: Past, Present, and Future (FreeGovInfo Press, 2025), to the New Books Network. In this book, Jacobs and Jacobs introduce the different US federal institutions tasked with managing and preserving government information in a range of media form…

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The Contingency Lunar Sample Return Bag: An Apollo 11 Treasure, with Cassandra Hatton 13:23

20d ago13:23

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On today’s episode, Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby’s Vice Chairman & Worldwide Head of Science and Natural History, examines the turbulent journey of the bag that brought back the first sample of the Moon — collected by Neil Armstrong on Apollo 11. She specialises in creating new markets, selling unique artefacts, and exploring what it means to put a pr…

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J.D. Sargan, "Trans Histories of the Medieval Book: An Experiment in Bibliography" (Arc Humanities Press, 2025) 58:04

27d ago58:04

58:04

Archival collections are political spaces: the decisions that govern whose histories are preserved, when, and by whom are not neutral. They reflect the communities that make them. For most of western history queer, trans, and gender non-conforming people were excluded from such communities. Premodern trans experiences went largely unreported and re…

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The Collector and the Ceramicist: Sydney Denton and Magdalene Odundo, with Julia Fischel 13:11

23d ago13:11

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On today’s episode, Julia Fischel, Sotheby's Head of the Modern Art Day Sale in London, examines the trailblazing impact of Dame Magdalene Odundo, a Kenyan-born British potter, who redefined the field of contemporary ceramics. Her sculptural vessels set new records for the medium at the auction of visionary collector Sydney Denton, one of her great…

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The Library of Lost Maps: An Archive of a World in Progress 57:58

24d ago57:58

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At the heart of University College London lies a long-forgotten map library packed with thousands of maps and atlases. Professor James Cheshire stumbled upon it, and spent three years sifting through hundreds of dusty drawers to see what was there. He was stunned to uncover some of the most significant maps and atlases from the last two centuries -…

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Virgil Abloh’s Reimagining of the Iconic Nike Air Force 1 for Louis Vuitton, with Brahm Wachter 11:01

1M ago11:01

11:01

On today’s episode, an auction built overnight - Virgil Abloh’s reimagining of the iconic Nike Air Force 1 for Louis Vuitton. The auction became a global phenomenon, with two hundred pairs sold exclusively through Sotheby’s, attracting bidders from more than 50 countries. Brahm Wachter, Sotheby's Head of Modern Collectibles based in Los Angeles, or…

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Gracen Brilmyer and Lydia Tang eds., "Preserving Disability: Disability and the Archival Profession" (Library Juice Press, 2024) 40:26

1M ago40:26

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A transcript of this interview is available [here] Preserving Disability: Disability and the Archival Profession (Library Juice Press, 2024) weaves together first-person narratives and case studies contributed from disabled archivists and disabled archives users, bringing critical perspectives and approaches to the archival profession. Contributed …

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The Lost Seal of the Emperor Qianlong, with Nicolas Chow 11:48

1M ago11:48

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On today’s episode, the spark that led Nicolas Chow, Chairman of Sotheby’s Asia, and Head of Asian Art Worldwide, to rediscover of the Qianlong Yulan Zhi Bao Seal. The carved soapstone seal has left its imprint upon some of the greatest works of Imperial China. Further details about the episode subject. The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's…

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Thomas Kador, "Object-Based Learning: Exploring Museums and Collections in Education" (UCL Press, 2025) 41:10

2M ago41:10

41:10

In Object-Based Learning: Exploring Museums and Collections in Education (UCL Press, 2025), Thomas Kador provides a concise overview of some of the most important approaches to material culture and object analysis in plain and easily understandable language that is equally accessible to undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as lecturers. …

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The Secret Pendant of Marie Antoinette, with Andres White Correal 10:47

2M ago10:47

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On today’s episode, the story of Marie Antoinette’s pearl and diamond pendant, told by Andres White Correal, Chairman, Jewellery, Sotheby's EMEA. The pendant was hidden, smuggled, and reclaimed before becoming the star lot in one of the most important royal jewelry ensembles ever to appear on the open market. Further details about the episode subje…

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The Lost Portrait of Moctezuma: One of the Last Aztec Emperors, with Lulu de Creel 12:39

2M ago12:39

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On today's episode, Lulu de Creel, Chairman, Sotheby's Latin America, tells the extraordinary journey of an anonymous 17th-century portrait believed to be the only surviving likeness of Moctezuma II, the last Aztec emperor. Lulu reveals how the painting was passed down through noble families, vanished into obscurity, and then resurfaced centuries l…

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Sylvester Stallone's Patek Philippe, with Geoff Hess 11:53

2M ago11:53

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On today’s episode, Global Head of Watches Geoff Hess gives us a behind the scenes look at the rare Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime, one of the most complicated wristwatches in the world and once owned by Sylvester Stallone. Further details about the episode subject. The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asse…

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Kate McDowell, "Critical Data Storytelling for Libraries: Crafting Ethical Narratives for Advocacy and Impact" (ALA, 2025) 53:06

2M ago53:06

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In today’s polarized landscape, libraries face two key challenges: the difficulty of turning raw data into narratives that effectively advocate for libraries, and the ethical complexities of representing communities in these stories. In Critical Data Storytelling for Libraries: Crafting Ethical Narratives for Advocacy and Impact (ALA, 2025), Kate M…

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Princess Diana and the Black Sheep Jumper, with Morgane Halimi 12:15

2M ago12:15

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On today's episode, Diana, Princess of Wales, and her iconic 'One Black Sheep' jumper. First worn to a Windsor polo match in 1981, the jumper was rediscovered in an attic after forty years and meticulously authenticated by Morgane Halimi, Sotheby's Global Head of Handbags and Fashion in Zurich. Further details about the episode subject. The Special…

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Deborah Devonshire’s Chickens and Four Eggs on a Plate, with Tom Eddison 11:20

3M ago11:20

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On today’s episode, the story of Four Eggs on a Plate, a small but powerful painting by Lucian Freud. Hidden away for years at Chatsworth House, the painting was unearthed by Tom Eddison, Head of Contemporary Art at Sotheby’s London, and went on to become one of the surprises of the Contemporary Art Evening Auction in 2015. Further details about th…

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The Most Valuable Car in the World, with Gord Duff And Marcus Breitschwerdt 15:49

3M ago15:49

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By Sotheby's

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Amanda Belantara and Emily Drabinski, "Ways of Knowing: Oral Histories on the Worlds Words Create" (Litwin Books, 2024) 36:15

3M ago36:15

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Ways of Knowing: Oral Histories on the Worlds Words Create (Litwin Books, 2025) sits at the heart of the library project, shaping how materials are described and organized and how they can be retrieved. The field has long understood that normative systems like Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress do this inadequately and worse, deploying language …

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Michael Fernandez and Amauri Serrano, "Streaming Video Collection Development and Management" (Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited, 2025) 47:03

3M ago47:03

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Streaming video is not new to the library environment, but recent years have seen an exponential growth in the number of platforms and titles available for streaming. For libraries, this has meant an increasingly complex acquisitions landscape, with more vendors occupying the marketplace and larger portions of the budget dedicated to streaming. Use…

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The Specialist Continues 2:00

3M ago2:00

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This is The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. Explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best. The Specialist returns with more episodes weekly from October 8th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy Sotheby's

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Julia Rensing, "Troubling Archives: History and Memory in Namibian Literature and Art" (Transcript Publishing, 2025) 46:14

3M ago46:14

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Namibia’s colonial history casts a long shadow over the country’s present. Contemporary authors and artists confront the legacies of German and South African colonial rule and engage creatively with the persistent remnants of the past. In their works, the archive remains both an invaluable and fraught resource for accessing obscured histories. In T…

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The Art of Seeing: Two Brueghel Discoveries, with George Wachter 10:56

3M ago10:56

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On today's episode, George Wachter, Sotheby's Americas Chairman, and Co-Chairman of Old Master Paintings Worldwide, takes us back over 50 years to the start of his career to tell the tale of the discovery of two remarkable Brueghel paintings, hidden in plain sight — one at the back of a wardrobe. Further details about the episode subject. The Speci…

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Gabrielle Durepos and Amy Thurlow, "Archival Research in Historical Organisation Studies: Theorising Silences" (Emerald Publishing, 2025) 1:08:59

4M ago1:08:59

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Archival Research in Historical Organisation Studies: Theorising Silences offers an accessible account of theorising the archive, contesting the narrow definitions of the archive with a view beyond a mere repository of documents. Scholars Gabrielle Durepos and Amy Thurlow discuss the ways that business archives have marginalized various populations…

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The Forgotten Swaminathan Triptych, with Manjari Sihare-Sutin 12:20

4M ago12:20

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On today’s episode, how a paper brochure began a treasure hunt to authenticate a masterpiece of modern Indian art – Jagdish Swaminathan’s “Homage to Solzhenitsyn”. Manjari Sihare-Sutin, Head of Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art Worldwide, shares the story and how it culminated in a record-breaking sale that redefined the artist’s place in the…

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The Multi-Million Dollar Banana, with David Galperin 12:11

4M ago12:11

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On today’s episode, Maurizio Cattelan’s Comedian - an artwork that provoked scandal, sparked imagination, and upended the very definition of contemporary art. David Galperin, Sotheby’s Vice Chairman, Head of Contemporary Art for The Americas, examines the complexities and challenges that come with bringing such an ineffable and metaphysical artwork…

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Daisy Livingston, "Managing Paperwork in Mamluk Cairo: Archives, Waqf and Society" (Edinburgh UP, 2025) 57:49

4M ago57:49

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Archives are not only sources for history but have their own histories too, which shape how historians can tell stories of the past. In Managing Paperwork in Mamluk Cairo: Archives, Waqf and Society (Edinburgh UP, 2025), Daisy Livingston explores the archival history of one of the most powerful polities of the late-medieval Middle East: the ‘Mamluk…

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S. Sudjojono and the Awakening of Indonesian Modern Art, Jasmine Prasetio 10:31

4M ago10:31

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On today’s episode, the emergence of a monumental painting by S. Sudjojono, long hidden in a private collection. Jasmine Prasetio, Managing Director of Sotheby's Southeast Asia, first encountered the composition as a blurry photo on a mobile phone, but went on to orchestrate its record breaking sale at auction. Further details about the episode sub…

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Jimi Jones and Marek Jancovic, "The Future of Memory: Jimi Jones and Marek Jancovic" (U of Illinois Press, 2025) 59:00

4M ago59:00

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We're pleased to welcome Dr. Jimi Jones and Dr. Marek Jancovic, authors of The Future of Memory: A History of Lossless Format Standards in the Moving Image Archive (U of Illinois Press, 2025), to the New Books Network. In this book, Jimi Jones and Marek Jancovic document the development and adoption of JPEG 2000, FFV1, MXF, and Matroska while inves…

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Fabergé’s Rediscovered Imperial Flower, with Helen Culver-Smith 12:18

5M ago12:18

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On today’s episode, the beauty of nature suspended for eternity. Helen Culver-Smith, Head of Decorative Arts Worldwide and Head of Fabergé and Russian works of Art, reveals how the digital discovery of an apple blossom study, rendered in gold, enamel and rock crystal by master maker Fabergé, led her down a fascinating path of provenance, all the wa…

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Liz Fischer, "Network Analysis for Book Historians: Digital Labour and Data Visualization Techniques" (Arc Humanities Press, 2025) 46:54

5M ago46:54

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Researchers and archivists have spent decades digitizing and cataloguing, but what does the future hold for book history? Network Analysis for Book Historians: Digital Labour and Data Visualization Techniques (ARC Humanities Press, 2025) explores the potential of network analysis as a method for medieval and early modern book history. Through case …

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David's Farewell of Telemachus and Eucharis, with Benjamin Doller 10:14

5M ago10:14

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On today’s episode, how Benjamin Doller, Chairman of The Americas, reattributed ‘Farewell of Telemachus and Eucharis’ to Jacques-Louis David. Long believed to have been painted by a student of David, he was able to authenticate it before many modern analysis techniques were available. Further details about the episode subject This is an episode of …

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Bahman Mohassess’ Enduring Legacy, with Ashkan Baghestani 13:06

5M ago13:06

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On today’s episode, Ashkan Baghestani, Head of Contemporary Art Day Sale in New York recounts his quest to trace and recontextualise the scattered corpus of artist Bahman Mohassess, and, in so doing, to restore him to his rightful place in the history of Middle Eastern art. Further details about the episode subject This is an episode of The Special…

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The Greatest Persian Manuscript: A Story Fit For Kings, with Benedict Carter 12:28

5M ago12:28

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On today's episode, the legendary Shahnameh – the Persian Book of Kings – an epic poem composed of around 50,000 rhyming couplets that recounts the mythical and historical past of the Persian Empire. Head of Islamic and Indian Art, Benedict Carter tells the tale of how one remarkable version of the Shahnameh, containing 258 pictures, was split up. …

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From Orsay to Auction: The Turbulent Journey of Vollard’s Gauguin, with Aurélie Vandevoorde 12:21

5M ago12:21

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On today’s episode, the tangled history of a Paul Gauguin still life – once a fixture at the Musée d’Orsay and originally misappropriated from the estate of renowned art dealer Ambroise Vollard. Aurélie Vandevoorde, Head of Modern and Contemporary Art in Paris and Deputy Chairman of Sotheby’s France, unpacks the complexities of the case and how thi…

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The Scream Heard Around the World, with Simon Shaw 12:04

5M ago12:04

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More than a masterpiece, The Scream has become a cultural icon. Simon Shaw, Senior Advisor, Impressionist & Modern Art, oversaw the landmark auction of the work, a sale that offers insight into today’s art market and shows how the piece resonates with a universal human truth. Further details about the episode subject This is an episode of The Speci…

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The Rise of Carrington and the Female Surrealists, with Julian Dawes 11:27

5M ago11:27

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When Les Distractions de Dagobert shattered records, it marked not only a market milestone but also a shift in interest toward the female Surrealist market. Julian Dawes, Vice Chairman and Head of Impressionist & Modern Art New York and a driving force behind this shift, reflects on Carrington’s ascent and what it reveals about changing tides in co…

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A Ten-Year Vermeer Attribution Project, with Gregory Rubinstein 13:16

5M ago13:16

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On today’s episode, Head of Old Master and Early British Drawings Worldwide Greg Rubinstein’s journey leading the decade-long effort to reestablish a once-doubted Vermeer as an authentic, autograph work. This extraordinary achievement in scholarship has redefined the painting’s cultural significance and market value. Further details about the episo…

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The Chicken Cup: Mankind’s Most Faked Object, with Nicolas Chow 12:17

5M ago12:17

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On today’s episode, the story of the Ming dynasty Chicken Cup, one of the most iconic objects in Chinese ceramics, which has followed Nicolas Chow, Chairman, Sotheby’s Asia and Head of Asian Art Worldwide, throughout his career and family ancestry. Further details about the episode subject This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of w…

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Beyond Black: Pierre Soulages' Market Turning Point, with Grégoire Billault 10:07

5M ago10:07

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Grégoire Billault’s personal relationship with Pierre Soulages reflects a longstanding commitment to championing the artist on a global stage. The connection culminated in the sale of a work Billault, Chairman of Contemporary Art New York, had followed for more than two decades, showcasing his adroit skill in navigating complex market dynamics. ⁠Fu…

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Clyfford Still: The Mission to Establish a Museum, with Lisa Dennison 11:04

5M ago11:04

11:04

In a rare move, four paintings by Abstract Expressionist Clyfford Still were released from the artist’s estate to support the founding of a museum in his honor. Lisa Dennison, Chairman, Sotheby’s Americas, was instrumental in shaping the sale and ensuring it fulfilled its purpose. Further details about the episode subject This is an episode of The …

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The Rediscovery of Rubens’ The Massacre of the Innocents, with George Gordon 11:45

5M ago11:45

11:45

Rubens’ early masterpiece The Massacre of the Innocents was hidden away for nearly 250 years. George Gordon, Deputy Chairman, Sotheby’s Europe and Co-Chairman of Old Master Paintings & Drawings Worldwide, spearheaded its discovery, attribution and triumphant sale. More than 20 years on, it retains the record for the highest price paid anywhere for …

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The Cabinet Detective of Urbino, with Mario Tavella 11:13

5M ago11:13

11:13

Commissioned by the Della Rovere family and separated across the centuries, a pair of Renaissance cabinets was finally brought back together. This is a story of friendship and detective work, with Président of Sotheby’s France Mario Tavella’s deep ties to European heritage and cultural institutions making the impossible possible. This is an episode…

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Jenny Saville and the Art of the Sale, with Ottilie Windsor 10:36

5M ago10:36

10:36

On today’s episode, the alchemy of industry experience, market intelligence and a true passion for art, and how these factors converged in the landmark sale of Jenny Saville’s Shadow Study, orchestrated by Ottilie Windsor, Head of Contemporary Art London. Further details about the episode subject This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly do…

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A Masterpiece by Kandinsky: A Story of Restitution, with Helena Newman 11:22

5M ago11:22

11:22

On today’s episode, a remarkable restitution story involving the loss of a family’s Kandinsky painting in Nazi-era Germany. Helena Newman, Chairman, Sotheby’s Europe and Impressionist & Modern Art Worldwide and a trained classical violinist, brings her love of music’s rhythm and tonality to her appreciation of art, making Kandinsky one of her favou…