Art enthusiasts, curators, and artists enjoy the paradoxical calm and intense feeling of an art auction event for the sale of paintings and historic artificers. However, with the current state of the world and the risk involved in traveling, the digitalization of this process has become necessary.
With auctions taking a new form online, one might wonder if it is as enjoyable as an in-person auction event. Well, the answer here is yes! Either you delight in spending on buying artworks or selling your works, there are several online auction websites to suit your needs.
Online auction websites are digital platforms developed to bring artists, curators, and art collectors together without the barrier of location or time zone. These auction sites create a central room for art lovers and galleries to collect paintings and artifacts from all locations around the world, globalizing art collection.
On the internet today, there are several online auction sites with different features offering various forms of paintings and artifacts from around the world. As a curator or collector, the endless options to choose from will make the process of buying or selling artifacts and paintings hard. With the open market of the global web to anyone, it is difficult to know which websites are legit and which ones proffer the best offer in the market. Therefore, knowing and choosing the best auction sites online is of essence. This is so you can get the best deal for an artistic investment.
What makes an Online Auction Website the Best?
There are thousands, if not millions of online auction sites available on the internet today. The vast variety and options leaves one with the question of how to spot the best auction website online for artifacts and paintings? This isn’t exactly rocket science. There are features and offerings online auction sites you need to consider before making a decision. Some of these features include;
- User Interface and Design
The best auction sites online must have a good user interface and a peculiar design. The pages of the site must be easily navigable and the speed should be impeccable. Scrolling through the site should be a seamless operation because of the nature of active bids. As an art seller or curator, you want to make sure that your buyers will find the process of purchase easy. This is why the quality of the user interface and design is non-negotiable.
- Specialization
Different online auction websites are specialized for different purposes. There are general purpose sites for all products and specific sites for the sale of artworks and artifacts. The best auction site for paintings and artifacts should be specialized for artworks alone. This is important because a specialized website will have additional features that will favor buyers and sellers in terms of commission, shipping, and packaging.
- Ratings
Never fail to check the ratings of a site before subscribing to buy or sell on it. Buyer and sellers ratings are vital to know the legitimacy of the website. Ratings will give you an idea of the quality of service you can expect. Highly rated online auction sites are guaranteed to give you good service. Constructive negative ratings on search engine sites will give you a bigger picture of the adverse features of the auction website service. Comparing each of these ratings to see which best suits your taste and needs for selling or purchasing art is vital to your investment.
- Commission and Pricing
The pricing and subscription rate on the online auction website is vital to the final decision to subscribe to the online auction service. This is because some online auction sites for paintings and artifacts offer better commission rates and subscription rates than others. Imagine purchasing an art piece at a high price and having all your profit from an auction sale taken by the website’s commission rate. This is neither profitable nor suitable for business.
Taking all these factors and features into cognizance, the best auction sites online must meet your needs.
To aid curators and collectors in the buying and selling of art at auctions, the following is a comprehensive list of the best auction sites online. These auction sites offer the most suitable qualities and features that will facilitate the auction of paintings and artifacts for the best value and security.
ONLINE AUCTION SITES
Artplode
Artplode specializes in selling and showcasing artworks and art pieces only. It is one of the best online auction free sites with coverage reaching over 40 countries around the world. Artplode boasts of having up to 10million art pieces in its network. It is a commission-free website that only requires a flat rate of $60 for every listing by art sellers. The website interface is user-friendly and has categories for artworks including paintings and artifacts. Both buyers and sellers are at the advantage on Artplode. As an artist looking to auction your art, you receive a 100% value of your art’s worth without any cut from the website. The organization and seamless arrangement of art pieces on Artplode is what makes it one of the outstanding auction art websites.
With Artplode you get;
- No commission charged on the sale of an art piece or listing
- User-friendly website, easy to navigate and understand
- Choose who bears the cost of shipping
- Sell and buy art through a seamless bidding process.
Artfinder
Find the perfect fit painting or artifact for your room space with Artfinder. The online auction website is an extension of a physical location in the US, UK, and Switzerland, making the site a legit art auction platform.
For art collectors, Artfinder offers;
- a platform to reach and purchase beautiful art from artists across 180countries in the world
- Buy high-quality art paintings and artifacts at a standard rate
- Get the best deals through frequent discounts offered on the site.
Artnet
Established in the late 90s, Artnet is the art dealer you will want to handle your auction business. The website was introduced in 2008 and has since been a go-to hub for art sales, auction, and purchases. The website is established to specifically auction listings and provide a safe space for artists and art enthusiasts to engage.
Artnet offers a print database where members can see the current price and value of art pieces. Get accurate listings of art and access to millions of artists on Artnet. There are auction houses on the sites and buyers can participate in auction activities through the website in a way that mimics real-life auctions.
Artnet is the most suitable site because it provides;
- a suitable platform for artists, art collectors, and art lovers to buy and sell art.
- has an accurate database of different artworks dated as far back as 1990 to aid in gauging the right value of art.
- mimics a real-life auction with its online process
- is reputable and has a user-friendly website.
Saatchi Art
Get your artwork on the biggest art network known in the industry by listing on Saatchi Art. The website is notable for having a large following. There are several advantages to selling and buying on the Saatchi art website. Buyers are guaranteed quality art pieces bid for, packaged in a safe and secure method to be delivered on time. For sellers, the website offers a 35% commission fee which comes with a variety of benefits. Saatchi art will handle the packaging and shipping of the art piece to the buyer.
The website itself is a great space, simple and suitable for anyone to easily sign up and register. On Saatchi Art, you get;
- a high profile platform to reach buyers of art
- 35% commission on sale
- packaging and shipping to buyers
Artsy
Popularly known for its seamless online system, Artsy is amongst the best online auction site for its large following and expert auctioning process. The platform was established to aid collectors in choosing the best art for their taste, needs, or business investments.
There are open auctions daily on the site with biddings open to collectors from auction houses, nonprofits, sellers, curators, and artists from around the world. Artsy offers great customer service and agents that are trained art experts to guide you through your price range, taste, and preference. Sellers could sign up as partners to list their paintings and artifacts on the artsy website. To date, it remains a great platform to reach buyers and sell in a safe space.
Artsy offers;
- a large market for the auction and sale of paintings and artifacts
- modern-style website that is easy to understand and navigate
- customer service and art experts to handle process explanation and complaints
LIVE AUCTION HOUSES
Although online auction houses and websites offer a good experience through video conferencing and online bids, the joy of live auction houses cannot be replaced. If you are traveling and seek to add to your art collection, here are the top live auction houses to visit.
Sotheby’s is the perfect olden auction house to visit to multiply your art collection. With over 260years of experience, Sotheby’s has established its name as a formidable buying and selling auction house in the industry. The auctions are open to the public and could be streamed online from any location. At Sotheby’s, bidders are guaranteed professional expert and transparent auctioneers. The auction house auctions paintings, artifacts, books, antiques amongst other artworks.
Since 1766, Christies has developed its reach and is now present in 46 countries with over 10sales rooms. The expertise and poise of auctioneers during auctions distinguishes Christies from the crowd. The auction house auctions out artworks from over 80 categories including paintings and artifacts. The global network of Christies is vast with 61 representatives and offices. As wide and accessible Christies auctions are, the live auction house also provides an opportunity for an online community to broaden its reach wider. Collectors can view the calendar of auction events on the website and book a space physically or virtually.
Heritage Auctions prides itself as a transparent and trustworthy auction house. Standing by this principle the company has developed into the third-largest auction house in the world. With over one million bidders registered on the website, Heritage Auctions offers one of the best auction services. There are live auctions with the status updated in real-time on the website daily. Enjoy the intense build-up of a fair auction at Heritage Auctions locations or join an event online. Either way, you are assured quality art at the right value.
Bottom Line
Paintings and artifacts from all around the globe are sold and traded not only at live auction houses but on online auction websites. The best auction sites online will offer good quality service including features that make buying and selling a smooth process. It is important to look out for the best online auction sites with good ratings, fair commission rates, and good design that fits your budget and delivers value. Choose the best auction site that suits your needs and will provide the best sale and purchase value.
Hear From Auction Houses
For any questions about the artwork listed by the auction houses mentioned above, please contact the auction houses listed above directly.
If you need help with a particular piece of art, or you are looking for something “special”, please contact us and we will do our best to provide you with the Off Market proposals.
