Auction House↕ | Founded↕ | Headquarters↕ | Primary Specialty↕ | Known For↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Christie's | 1766 | London, UK | Fine art, jewelry, wine | World's largest auction house by revenue, sold the $450M Salvator Mundi, James Christie founded it, owned by Francois Pinault |
Sotheby's | 1744 | New York, USA | Fine art, decorative art, real estate | Oldest auction house in the world, sold for $3.7B to Patrick Drahi in 2019, iconic hammer logo, New York flagship |
Bonhams | 1793 | London, UK | Motor cars, jewelry, Asian art | Third-largest in the world, major vintage car auctions, strong presence in Asia, acquired by private equity in 2018 |
Phillips | 1796 | London / New York | Contemporary art, photography, watches | Youngest of the Big Four, focuses on 20th-21st century art, watch auction powerhouse, hip and modern brand |
Heritage Auctions | 1976 | Dallas, Texas, USA | Comics, coins, sports memorabilia | Largest collectibles auctioneer, sold Action Comics #1 for $6M, American pop culture focus, strong online platform |
Dorotheum | 1707 | Vienna, Austria | European fine art, antiques, jewelry | One of the oldest auction houses, founded by Emperor Joseph I, housed in a baroque palace, Central European art focus |
Poly Auction | 2005 | Beijing, China | Chinese art, calligraphy, ceramics | Largest auction house in Asia, subsidiary of China Poly Group, dominates Chinese antiquities market, rapid global expansion |
China Guardian | 1993 | Beijing, China | Chinese paintings, calligraphy, ceramics | Second-largest in China, co-founded by Chen Dongsheng, IPO on Hong Kong Stock Exchange, brought modern auction culture to China |
Artcurial | 2002 | Paris, France | Fine art, automobiles, luxury goods | Leading French auction house, located on the Champs-Elysees, strong in classic car auctions, Herge and comic art specialist |
Swann Auction Galleries | 1941 | New York, USA | Rare books, maps, photographs | Premier rare book auctioneer, specializes in works on paper, African-American art and history focus, intimate specialist sales |
Freeman's | 1805 | Philadelphia, USA | American furniture, fine art, jewelry | America's oldest auction house, merged with Hindman in 2023, strong in American decorative arts, East Coast institution |
Drouot | 1852 | Paris, France | All categories (venue for multiple houses) | Not a single auction house but a venue hosting 70+ auctioneers, the heart of French auctions, iconic glass-roof building |
Woolley and Wallis | 1884 | Salisbury, UK | Asian art, jewelry, furniture | Leading UK regional auction house, punches above its weight in Asian art, charming English countryside setting |
Skinner | 1971 | Boston, USA | Fine art, antiques, jewelry | New England's premier auction house, strong in American antiques, merged with Hindman in 2022, academic approach |
Ketterer Kunst | 1954 | Munich, Germany | Modern and contemporary art | Germany's leading art auctioneer, strong in German Expressionism, family-owned for three generations, record prices for Ernst Ludwig Kirchner |
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