13 Best Online Art Auction Sites

Let’s have a look at some of the best online art auction sites in the world that offer a variety of art forms in different parts of the world.

One would expect that in this day and age of Amazon, eBay, the platforms offered by NFT, and several other online buying sites, art brokers, and auctioning companies would likewise migrate their platforms online.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that art collectors and those who are interested in luxury goods are gravitating toward taking part in online art auctions and meeting online art brokers to add to their investment.

These online art auction sites continue to post record-breaking sales, particularly the ones that have gained worldwide attention.

While many art galleries and art dealers now offer their wares for sale via online platforms, nothing can compare to the mystique and excitement of placing a bid in person.

The following is a list of the most significant companies that deal in the sale of artwork via online auctions.

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13 Best Online Art Auction Sites

1. Christie’s

It is common knowledge that Christie’s is the best auction house in the world when compared to other auction houses in a number of categories. It has 85 offices located in 43 countries, and its primary auction room in South Kensington is the busiest in the whole globe.

In 1988, the auction house Christie’s was purchased by the private holding firm Artemis, which was owned by the billionaire Francois Pinault. Since then, Christie’s has amassed holdings that include artwork, real estate, jewelry, fashion, and antiquities.

It is easy to see why Christie’s is considered the preeminent art auction house, from the fact that they sold Marilyn Monroe’s Jean Louis gown that she wore when she serenaded President Kennedy with a famously seductive rendition of “Happy Birthday” to the fact that they sold the painting Salvator Mundi, which is attributed to Leonardo da Vinci and which became the most expensive piece of art that has ever been sold.

Christie’s celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2016, and during the course of its history, the company has shattered a large number of records.

With a total of $832.6 million raised for charity, the Rockefeller collection auction held at Christie’s achieved the distinction of being the most successful charity auction in the history of the event.

Christie’s has responded to the growth of e-commerce by launching an online auction service, and customers are gradually building their confidence in this innovative platform.

The thrill and excitement of a live auction at Christie’s with some of the most priceless items in history is something that just cannot be replicated in any other setting.

2. Sotheby’s

Since its establishment in 1744, Sotheby’s has developed into one of the most well-known and respected art auction houses in the whole world.

The high-quality of the customers that visit Sotheby’s flagship store in London, which is located in England, is likely responsible for the company’s ongoing growth.

It began in 1744 as an art auction company in London and then relocated to its current location in New York City.

Sotheby’s worldwide clientele is comprised not just of private people but also of public institutions and other cultural organizations. They not only give assessments, but also services in the form of consultations.

They offer an online viewing room where prospective purchasers may inspect the artworks for sale in advance of the auction, in addition to streaming their auctions live for possible buyers who are unable to make it to the actual venue of the auction.

3. Bonhams

Bonhams is an international auction company that specializes in fine art and presents works from a diverse variety of epochs, creative trends, and media in its sales.

They have a large selection of pricey works of art, including paintings, prints,  sculptures, photos, jewelry, decorative arts, watches, images, and more.

The first location of the business was in London in 1793, and it has since expanded to include locations in a number of other major cities around the world, such as New York, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong.

In addition to holding their normal art auctions in these places, Bonhams also holds auctions that are only held online. These auctions are accessible to bidders from all around the world.

The likes of Picasso, Warhol, and Monet are just a few examples of the illustrious painters whose works have been put up for auction at Bonhams in the past.

Other popular items include works of art from Asia, as well as pottery and jewelry from the United Kingdom and Europe, and various types of ceramics.

It is a good idea to read through the catalogs that will be used for their upcoming auctions in order to get an idea of the different types of artworks that will be up for auction.

4. Heritage Auctions

Heritage auctions offer exquisite art and artifacts. An auction company that specializes in numismatic collectibles (coins), fine art, literature, and luxury accessories, Heritage Auctions may be found throughout the United States.

In point of fact, it was established in the late 1970s and early 1980s by two competitive collectors who joined forces to form a partnership.

Heritage Auctions was founded by two young people who went on to have a contentious rivalry with one another. In 1982, Halpeter uprooted his life and moved to Dallas, where he began working for Ivy’s Heritage Auctions.

He also invited along his buddy Marc Emory, who is now serving as the head of Heritage’s activities in Europe.

Greg Rohan began his career with the company in 1986 and is now the President of Heritage Auctions. The firm was first started by three men named Halpeter, Rohan, and Emory.

The business was once an online marketplace for the auctioning of coins. At some time, it branched out into the auctioning of comic books.

In the end, it was transformed into a shop selling collector’s items. Throughout the 2000s, Heritage Auction House had three auctions each year in which they sold memorabilia related to celebrities.

These auctions achieved a great deal of success. There were a number of famous people that attended these auctions and purchased a lot of goods. Unique antiques that were up for sale attracted bids of more than $200,000 each.

The auction website will be hosting many auctions in 2022; for example, the fine and decorative arts showcase sale will begin in the first week of February of that year.

The United States-specific coinage and collectibles, sports memorabilia and rare sports cards, comics and animation art, fine art and antiques, vintage movie posters, and jewelry and timeless luxury items from all around the world are some of their most popular auction topics.

For those of you who have “finer” tastes in life, this auction house is geared more toward the antique and memorabilia style of collecting rather than the modern artifacts type.

Signing up and registering for an account on their website is all that is required to place a bid; their website has a big number of departments, but navigating them is not too difficult.

5. Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA)

You need go no farther than Los Angeles Modern Auctions if you are interested in purchasing or selling modern and contemporary works of art and design (LAMA).

They make it a practice to auction off items created by both well-known and emerging artists. LAMA, which was established in 2003 and has its headquarters in Los Angeles, caters to the media and entertainment sectors all over the world. In addition, they provide evaluation services and consignment sales to individual customers as well as governmental entities.

6. Artsy

The best way for artists to connect with fans all around the globe is via Artsy, the most popular online arts community. Artists are welcome to submit inquiries for gallery collaborations and investigate some of the gallery’s international outlets (e.g., Europe).

Once known as Artsy Inc., the company now operates as an online art brokerage known as Artsy. It is involved in the creation of websites, as well as the hosting and sales of websites, for a number of different galleries.

It does this by connecting artists with collectors and other art dealers via the use of a search engine and a database system. Also, Artsy offers services such as artist biographies and portfolios to its customers.

Carter Cleveland established Artsy when he was still a student at the University of Virginia. He envisioned people being able to post their artwork and learn about up-and-coming artists on a website that he would develop.

In addition to this, he had the intention of introducing young people who may not know too much about art to the subject.

In addition to that, he was successful in securing financial backing from investors in order to maintain the website.

The startup firm was able to get initial funding of one million dollars, and the website went live in December of 2010.

By the time June rolled around in 2011, Artsy had more than one thousand workers. It received more than 20 million unique visits each and every month. It was awarded a number of prizes, one of which being the Yahoo! Rookie Award.

On the other hand, in 2018, the information associated with 1,071,000 accounts was stolen. Names, email addresses, physical locations, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, and passwords were among the information that was provided.

Despite the fact that the passwords were not stored in plain text, users were strongly encouraged to change their passwords following the data breach through an email sent by Artsy.

Nowadays, a lot of people enjoy engaging in artistic pursuits as a sort of enjoyment. Stunning works of art, such as paintings and sculptures, are always popular tourist attractions.

There are various subgenres to any kind of artistic expression. Some individuals find that listening to music or watching movies is more relaxing than sketching images or painting, while others are more interested in the former two activities.

The majority of those who invest in works of art do so with the intention of using them to adorn either their private or professional spaces. These accomplishments would not be attainable without the work of artists.

Artists not only produce works of aesthetic beauty, but they also spin tales about the society we live in. These tales instruct us on the proper way to conduct ourselves and respond to situations.

Reading some of these narratives allows us to gain insight not only into ourselves but also into the experiences of others. This is precisely what web platforms like Artsy are intended to do!

On a monthly basis, Artsy receives an average of more than 2.3 million visits, and the site’s associated galleries showcase more than one million pieces of artwork created by more than 100,000 different artists from all over the globe.

Buyers have the opportunity to get acquainted with a diverse selection of artworks, all of which are connected to one another in some fashion via Artsy. The majority of these works are either unknown to the general public or are unavailable to all but the most seasoned of art enthusiasts.

7. Phillips de Pury & Company

Phillips de Pury & Company (Phillips) is widely regarded as one of the most successful auction houses in the world, and its areas of specialization include contemporary art, photography, and design.

They concentrate on selling artwork created by American artists. These auctions take place in New York, Geneva, and Zurich respectively.

8. Artspace.com

Within the United States, Artspace is the most successful non-profit builder of live/work artist housing, artist studios, and art centers. They develop and run artistic properties around the nation while collaborating with them in various capacities.

Raleigh is the location of the non-profit community arts institution known as Artspace. Artspace focuses on the visual arts.

Visit Artspace to see exhibits by local and national artists; there are also more than 35 resident local artists working in their studios. Classes are available for people of all ages and skill levels.

In 1988, Artspace opened its doors for the first time. It has expanded to become the most comprehensive arts organization in the nation, and it hosts a wide variety of different seminars and workshops. It is housed in a brand-new facility that provides much greater space for art.

The online shopping experience is greatly enhanced by the presence of this priceless collection of beautiful art. You may find fantastic bargains on unusual things.

The organization’s educational facilities of learning recovery through an artistic approach helped them acquire the title of Best Charter School.

The mission of the school is to inspire and prepare pupils by providing them with direct instruction in critical thinking abilities, and throughout their time there, students also learn to acquire respect for themselves as artists.

This accolade was bestowed to Artspace as a result of their participation in a virtual history day, which contributed to their overall excellence. In addition, they were awarded the prize for “Best of Show” in the competition. This was the seventh time that Artspace has participated in the event, and it took place this year.

The school that houses the online auction was founded in 2001, and as of right now, more than 400 students enroll annually in the institution. There are 17 extracurricular activities and clubs accessible, and the service is provided free of charge by the public education system.

9. Grisebach

The auction house Grisebach in Germany has a diverse selection of artworks available for purchase. These pieces of art include sculptures, paintings, even furniture, and other decorative items.

They often hold auctions of works from a diverse variety of historical periods, but they have an especially strong focus on German and international art from the 19th and 20th centuries.

In addition to this, they are well-known for their expertise in dealing with works by Old Masters as well as Asian art. Their primary location is in Berlin, which is the capital city of Germany.

10. Lauritz.com

With over 30 distinct local auction houses located across 6 different nations, Lauritz.com has grown to become the biggest auction website in all of Scandinavia.

Their goal is to not only make fine art and antiques more accessible to the general public, but also to encourage individuals to sell and purchase goods particularly via online auction platforms.

They get more than 4 million online guests and visitors every single month from a wide variety of nations all over the world.

By giving customers a place to list products for sale on the internet, Lauritz.com is able to keep its place at the top of the online auction market and preserve its status as the industry game-changer.

Lauritz.com is a service that brings together and publicizes local items via the use of a centralized online platform. Their objective is to achieve higher sales via the use of auctions.

The auction house of Lauritz Christensen was established in the year 1885. During the course of many years, the house transitioned from its previous location to become a regular auction house that is both modest and reputable.

In 1996, Bengt Sundstrom bought the company that had been in his family for generations. He was the one who came up with the concept to conduct auctions online rather than in traditional physical auction houses.

In 1999 Lauritz Christensen was renamed Lauritz.com. The first ever online auction began on December 9 and went on until offspring 2000, a full two weeks later.

Since that time, each and every public auction has been conducted only on the www.Lauritz.com website.

The new online auction site incorporates the classic aspects of auction houses, such as objective appraisals and viewings, much like the physical auction houses.

Prior to submitting their bids, customers still have the chance to inspect the goods in which they are interested before the auction begins.

The auction is conducted entirely online, and prospective buyers may see descriptions, images, and valuations of each item before placing their bids.

11. Dorotheum

The Dorotheum Auction House has been around since 1707, when it was established in Vienna, Austria, and has developed into one of the oldest and biggest auction houses in Europe.

Their areas of specialty include things like fine art, antiques, jewelry, clocks, and other luxury products, although this list isn’t exhaustive by any means.

They also have a presence in other European locations such as Milan and Prague , where they have frequent auctions, and their salerooms are located in Vienna and Salzburg, respectively.

In addition to providing services to customers all around the world, they also hold frequent auctions online. Austrian art, works by Old Masters, and decorative arts are some of their particular areas of expertise.

12. Doyle New York

Since its inception in 1962, the organization has grown to become an authority on a variety of artistic subfields, including but not limited to furniture, fine art, decorative arts, watches, jewelry, manuscripts, and books.

Its saleroom is located in Manhattan, where they regularly host auctions, and they also have a physical presence in other locations around the country.

In addition to providing services to customers all around the world, they also hold frequent auctions online.

You may put your faith in the skilled team at Doyle New York to assist you in locating the ideal item, whether it be a painting, a piece of decorative art, or a piece of furniture from Europe, China, or the United States.

They have been in business for a considerable amount of time and have established a name for themselves as one of the most reputable auction houses in the nation.

13. Rago Auctions

The auction house Rago specializes in selling a wide variety of products, including decorative art, fine art, jewelry, and furniture, among other things. The year 1994 marked the beginning of operations for the business, which now has locations in both Manhattan and Lambertville.

They also operate an online shop, in addition to holding regular auctions in both of their physical locations. The expertise of Rago Auctions in 20th-century Arts and Crafts, Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and Mid-Century Modern design is well-known.

Final Thoughts

The convenience and accessibility of online art auctions have contributed to their meteoric rise in popularity among art aficionados and collectors all over the globe.

It is now more simpler than ever before to acquire artwork via the use of the internet due to the availability of a broad range of artistic styles, pricing ranges, and auction forms.

The best online art auction sites and houses, such as Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Artsy, and Heritage Auctions, provide great service in addition to a comprehensive assortment of artwork spanning several time periods and geographical locations.

It does not matter whether you are an experienced collector or a first-time buyer; it is essential to do some research and choose a platform that has a good reputation and can be trusted in order to have a pleasant and successful experience bidding at auction.

The proliferation of online art auction sites has provided art lovers with access to a world of artwork, making it simpler than ever before for them to locate and acquire the piece that best suits their aesthetic needs.

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