ArtNet Auctions

Over the past decade, buying art on the internet has surfaced and resurfaced with degrees of success. I've always been very skeptical of the whole thing, personally. When we think of an auction, we all think of hushed rooms and voices, suave auctioneers, and glamourous dealers fighting each other to pay $50 million for a painting. Or we think of eBay, a rather different experience. As an appraiser, I am constantly faced with the eBay issue. A client who insists they know the value of a work they have, because they've seen something similar on eBay.

ArtNet, the industry's go-to resource for information, research, and examples of artists' works has launched its own auction site, ArtNet Auctions, which is changing the world of art auctions and art sales on the internet. It has online sales, divided by category, featuring works that are listed for one week. You can watch the bidding and see what people are buying. Additionally, provenance and condition reports are right there on the site. ArtNet stands behind buyers by giving them the right to return an item that is not as described. It's full of quality work you can look at and watch, with opening bids anywhere from $1,000 to $225,000 for the Francis Souza piece pictured to the right. I am curious about how much is selling. I'll be watching it closely to see if I can get a read on it. Check it out, it's going to be a real timesuck for me!