The founder, Samuel Baker (died 1778), a London bookseller, held his first auction (under his own name) early in 1744, selling an estate library of 457 books. Establishing the firm in York Street and handling further libraries over the years, he went into partnership with George Leigh in 1767. Upon Baker's death, his estate was divided between Leigh and a nephew, John Sotheby (1778–1807), whose successors were to move the business to 13 Wellington Street in 1818 and were to lead the company for more than 80 years—until 1861, when the last Sotheby died. The company continued to prosper under a series of partners and in 1917 moved to the present London quarters at 34–35 New Bond Street. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Sotheby's concentrated chiefly on auctioning books, manuscripts, and prints; and, though other collectibles were occasionally offered for sale, paintings and other works of art did not begin to dominate Sotheby's sales until after World War I. Following World War II, principally under the leadership (1958–80) of its chairman Peter C. Wilson, Sotheby's became established in New York City and, in 1964, acquired Parke-Bernet Galleries, the premier American auction house (founded 1883).