Biography
João is the Head of the Furniture Department at Sotheby’s London and also serves as the company’s representative in Portugal. His expertise spans both European and English furniture, with a particular passion for pieces crafted from or incorporating marble, hardstones, and micromosaics.
Joining Sotheby’s in 2013, João has had the privilege of handling some of the finest European furniture to appear on the market. He has played a key role in several landmark sales, including The Bernheimer Collection, Palazzo Volpi, Giordano Collection, and Hotel Lambert, numerous Royal & Noble sales, and in establishing the themed STONE sale series from 2017-2020, Among his achievements is the discovery and sale of the Swinton-Pompadour Wall Lights, which achieved £1,920,000 in 2024.
As Sotheby’s representative in Portugal, João supports and advises our clients in the country and has actively contributed to its cultural landscape, for example, by lecturing and also negotiating long-term loans to the National Museum in Lisbon. He also curated the 2017 selling exhibition The S.J. Phillips Collection of Jewels of Portugal. In 2019, he brought to market the white-glove Sáragga Collection sale with RM Sotheby’s, held in Comporta, which achieved a total of €10 million. Deeply passionate about Portuguese art, he has written extensively on the history of Portuguese collecting.
Before joining Sotheby’s, João spent six years with Mallett Antiques, the leading English furniture dealership, working both in London and New York. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art & Heritage from Universidade Católica in Porto, and a Master’s degree in Fine and Decorative Arts from the Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London.
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