LONDON.- Gold - the single metal that has seduced, obsessed and intoxicated mankind for over six millennia. From Ancient Egypt and the Greek myth of King Midas to the conquest of the New World and the Gold Standard, the precious metal has consumed alchemists, compelled explorers, decided the fate of civilisations and dominated the world’s economy.

The language of gold is universal. A symbol of power and status across the ages and across continents, the “king of metals” has been forged to represent the divine and the sacred. Non-corrodible and highly versatile, enduring where other fashions faded, gold has mesmerised artists both old and new, and inspired some of the greatest masterpieces in art history.

This autumn in London, Sotheby’s will stage the first ever live and online auctions entirely dedicated to gold. Taking collectors on a journey through the great civilisations of the world, The Midas Touch pits artists against artisans, sculptures against sacred objects, contemporary art against centuries-old texts on goldsmithing, to present an unrivalled history of nature’s most bewitching creation.

The sale will be staged on 17 October and will coincide with an online sale, open from bidding from 9–19 October 2018. All lots will be exhibited ahead of time in Sotheby’s London galleries. Further details will be available in due course.