7 Ways Online Auctions Are Shaping the Art, Antiques, and Collectibles Market

NEW YORK, June 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- What is selling at auction?  Who is buying at auction?  The answers are not what you might expect, according to a recent report on online auctions from Barnebys.com.

"Never has the vintage, art and antiques market been so robust with a flood of new buyers," explains Pontus Silfverstolpe, a founder of Barnebys.com, an international online service that helps people search for, compare, and buy items from dealers and auction houses around the world. "The burgeoning online art and auction market is building new audiences of younger buyers seeking unique items at all price points."

Status objects and – at the other end of the spectrum – a deep desire for nostalgia, dominate demand in the auction industry, explains Silfverstolpe, who points to interesting developments in the auction world:

1.    Flat pack classics

The staple of dorm rooms and first apartments, it may be ironic that Ikea furniture is in demand at auction. A 1950s Ikea "Åke" sofa recently sold at auction for $3,700, while a set of Ikea's Verner Panton chairs from 1994 sold for $2,875.

2.    Cheers to wine, champagne and whiskey

Sparked by a new generation of digitally savvy collectors and a more global market, wine – and increasingly champagne and whiskey – are among the most sought after collectibles. In 2016, the U.S. ousted Great Britain as the market leader in the vintage wine and spirits category.

3.    Out of Africa

A more open, accessible and global market is breaking down barriers and opening the market to all types of art from Africa, a continent with a rich and diverse art scene. Expect to see greater demand for Contemporary art, as well as sculptures, masks, furniture and more.

4.    Diamonds—and pearls and emeralds—are a girls' best friend

Vintage jewelry is a hot auction category. A little piece of luxury can be found in every price range. Barnebys.com shines a light on three iconic jewelry designs and how you can get the look at auction.

5.    Driving desire

Buyers around the globe have been scooping up classic autos and motorcycles at auction. Buyers are seeking out, bidding on, and buying cars they love, from Ferraris to Cadillacs and motorcycles like Norton and Harley Davidson.

6.    From mud to art

Ceramics are taking center stage in the auction market, as museum exhibits draw attention to the work of emerging and established artists. The sheer diversity of the ceramic arts – from bowling pins to fine Chinese ceramics and Picasso plates – makes it an interesting and popular category.

7.    Time flies

Demand for vintage watches, the darlings of today's auction market, continues to grow at a steady pace.  Auction houses are expanding their watch offerings and feature a wide range of collectible timepieces at the high end, as well as the lower end of the market.

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Barnebys.com (http://www.barnebys.com) is the world's leading aggregator for design and vintage items, as well as for arts, antiques, and collectibles. It offers access to items from 2,000 auction houses and dealers and has about 700,000 searchable lots available to its users every day. Barnebys also brings unprecedented transparency to the auctions market by providing buyers and sellers a free, online realized-price database documenting the final selling prices of 32 million items.

SOURCE Barnebys.com

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