Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
WOODHEAD ROBIN
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
SOTHEBYS HOLDINGS INC [BID] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
EVP Chief Exec.Sot Euro & Asia
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
38500 WOODWARD AVENUE, SUITE 100		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
12/16/2004
(Street)

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48304		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 12/16/2004   C   25,000 A (1) 25,000 D  
Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 12/16/2004   S   100 D $ 18.24 24,900 D  
Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 12/16/2004   S   9,400 D $ 18.25 15,500 D  
Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 12/16/2004   S   100 D $ 18.26 15,400 D  
Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 12/16/2004   S   1,300 D $ 18.28 14,100 D  
Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 12/16/2004   S   1,200 D $ 18.3 12,900 D  
Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 12/16/2004   S   800 D $ 18.34 12,100 D  
Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 12/16/2004   S   500 D $ 18.35 11,600 D  
Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 12/16/2004   S   6,700 D $ 18.36 4,900 D  
Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 12/16/2004   S   1,100 D $ 18.37 3,800 D  
Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 12/16/2004   S   1,200 D $ 18.38 2,600 D  
Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 12/16/2004   S   300 D $ 18.39 2,300 D  
Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 12/16/2004   S   200 D $ 18.4 2,100 D  
Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 12/16/2004   S   800 D $ 18.41 1,300 D  
Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 12/16/2004   S   1,300 D $ 18.47 0 D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option-Right to Buy (2) $ 8.65 12/16/2004   M     10,000 08/05/2004 08/04/2013 Class B Common Stock 10,000 (4) 30,000 D  
Class B Common Stock (1) 12/16/2004   M   10,000     (1)   (1) Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 10,000 $ 8.65 72,500 D  
Class B Common Stock (1) 12/16/2004   C     10,000   (1)   (1) Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 10,000 (1) 62,500 D  
Employee Stock Option-Right to Buy (2) $ 11.24 12/16/2004   M     15,000   (3) 09/27/2011 Class B Common Stock 15,000 (4) 35,000 D  
Class B Common Stock (1) 12/16/2004   M   15,000     (1)   (1) Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 15,000 $ 11.24 77,500 D  
Class B Common Stock (1) 12/16/2004   C     15,000   (1)   (1) Class A Ltd. Voting Common Stock 15,000 (1) 62,500 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
WOODHEAD ROBIN
38500 WOODWARD AVENUE
SUITE 100
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48304		   X     EVP Chief Exec.Sot Euro & Asia  

Signatures

 /s/ Robin Woodhead   12/17/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The Issuer's Class B Common Stock is freely convertible into the Issuer's Clss A Limited Voting Common Stock on a one-for-one basis.
(2) Granted under the Issuer's 1997 Employee Stock Option Plan.
(3) 9/28/2002 as to 10,000 options and 9/28/2003 as to the remaining 5,000 options exercised.
(4) Not Applicable
 
Remarks:
This Form 4 is being filed to report a stock option exercise by Mr. Woodhead for the following: the exercise of 10,000 and 15,000 options for the same number of the Issuer's Class B Common Stock shares at a price of $8.65 and $11.24, respectively, per share, the conversion of such Class B Common Stock shares to 25,000 Class A Limited Voting Common Stock shares and the sales of such Class A Limited Voting Common Stock shares.

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