"The Scream" has appeared on T-shirts and mugs, and has inspired scenes on "The Simpsons" television series and in the 1990 movie "Home Alone."
Sotheby's charges buyers 25 percent of the hammer price up to $50,000, plus 20 percent from $50,000 to $1 million, and 12 percent above $1 million. Presale estimates don't include the buyer's premium.
Labor Dispute
Outside Sotheby's, art handlers from Local 814 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters picketed. They've been locked out of their jobs for nine months because of a labor dispute.
"Anyone who buys it is lucky to have it," Jason Ide, the union's 30-year-old president, said of "The Scream" before the sale. "We don't like Sotheby's labor practices but we love art."