Auction houses are the hangout hub for art enthusiasts and curators. Ranging from antiques to significant paintings, auction houses are the best option to collect and articulate art. Here are 11 auction places in India that art enthusiasts should know and check out:
1. Osian’s: Based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, it is India’s 1st Auction House for Fine Arts, Antiquities, Vintage & Classic Automobiles & Film Memorabilia. It opened in 2008 and is still in the functioning spectrum, its last auction being organised in 2019- an auction on vintage and classic automobiles and Indian modern fine arts- both of these were based in Delhi. As of now, no upcoming auctions are being held by them.
Visit:https://www.osians.com/
2. Saffron art: Founded in 2000 by Minal and Dinesh Vazirani, Saffronart is a leading international auction house, and India’s most reputed, with over four hundred auctions to its credit. Its flagship gallery is in Mumbai, with offices in New Delhi, London, and New York. At the forefront of selling Indian art, Saffronart has held online and live auctions, exhibitions, and Dialogues in Art working with collectors, gallerists, and artists to develop a strong market for art and aesthetics. Its focus is to bring transparency to the auction process and provide easy access and information to collectors around the world. Saffronart’s services go beyond auctions to include private sales, appraisals, and valuations for clients. Saffronart has set several global benchmarks for online auctions and was the subject of a case study at Harvard Business School in 2005.
Visit: https://www.saffronart.com/
3. Artdeal Auction House: Artdeal Auction House is a privately owned art auction house in New Delhi, India. Artdeal Auction House was initiated in the year 2015 by a team of experts under the leadership of Siddhartha Tagore, a veteran art connoisseur, and Director of Art Konsult Gallery, which focuses on the areas in the Modern art & Indian contemporary art scene. With a clear vision and target in place, Artdeal Auction House intends to identify and promote Master Artist’s work, Folk & Tribal art, and young talents from all over India, by placing their works in the right collections and shows.
Visit: https://www.artdealauction.com/
4. Bid and Hammer: Established in 2007 by Maher Dadha (industrialist, art collector and also the publisher of the book ‘Views of India – Art of the British Raj’) and his sons Ankush Dadha & Apoorva Dadha along with Charu Sharma (auctioneer & commentator), HRH Gaj Singh II (Maharaja of Jodhpur and convener of Marwar INTACH), Rukmini Varma (great-grand niece of Raja Ravi Varma), Bob Hayton (international auctioneer & decorative arts specialist) and Savita Apte (world renown Modern & Contemporary Indian Art specialist) amongst others, Bid & Hammer’s team of directors, advisors & specialists have a wealth of international experience allied to a deep understanding of the complex dynamics of the Indian market.
Visit: https://www.bidandhammer.com/about-us/overview-the-auction-house
5. Pundole’s: Pundole’s is a privately owned Mumbai-based auction house founded in 2011. Pundole’s is recognised both locally and internationally as one of the leading auction houses specializing in Indian Art. It was started by a group of art professionals who combined their many years of expertise to offer Indian collectors a new local buying platform.
Visit: https://www.pundoles.com/about/
6. Asta Guru: Established in 2008, AstaGuru is India’s premium online auction house for art, antiques, and luxury. We empower collectors and connoisseurs to discover, acquire, and consign Modern Indian and Contemporary art, jewellery, fine silver, timepieces, textiles, celebrity memorabilia, rare books, numismatic, philately and vintage cars. In 2018, AstaGuru became the first Indian auction house to present an exclusive edition for vintage and classic cars.
Visit: http://astaguru.com/about-us/who-we-are
7. Christie’s: Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business. Renowned and trusted for its expert live and online auctions, as well as its bespoke private sales, Christie’s offers a full portfolio of global services to its clients, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s has a physical presence in 46 countries, throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, with flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. In India, it is situated in Mumbai.
Visit: https://www.christies.com/
8. Sotheby’s: Born from the rich heritage of the Sotheby’s Auction House, The Sotheby’s International Realty network is present in 81 countries and territories with 1075 offices and 26,000 sales associates and has achieved global sales of $167 billion in the year 2022. India Sotheby’s International Realty established its presence by setting up its first office in New Delhi in July 2014. It now has offices in Mumbai, Kolkata, Goa, Colombo and the mandate for the Maldives. The team in India comprises senior private bankers and experts from the real estate, hospitality and luxury goods industries who have lived and worked in India and abroad. They bring a wealth of experience which has enabled them to win the trust of an affluent and exclusive clientele.
Visit: https://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/sir-india
9. Artiana: Artiana is a click-and-mortar hybrid auction house, that provides a credible and engaging auction platform sans boundaries. We deliver to a global audience the excitement of art auctions through the convenient medium of timed online auctions, held using our state-of-the-art proprietary auction application software together with previews at our viewing gallery, in the heart of Dubai’s downtown business district. We offer bespoke solutions and extensive support to our clients leveraging on our in-house storage, delivery, logistic infrastructure, and an expanding network of client service centre locations. In India, it is situated in Mumbai.
Visit: https://artiana.com/Index.aspx
10. Story Ltd: Launched in 2013, StoryLTD (pronounced “Story Limited”) is a shopping and auction platform catering to our customers’ unique sense of style and aesthetics. From modern and contemporary art and books to jewellery, textiles, home décor and furniture, we offer buyers a unified and convenient shopping experience encompassing a diversity of styles, designs and periods. Browse through, learn the nuances of, and acquire some of the most coveted objects.
Visit: https://www.storyltd.com/
11. Indigo Auction House: Based out in Mumbai, the Founders of Indigo Art Auctions Ashok & Parag Agrawal have been collecting and trading in art for nearly 30 years and have deep knowledge of the Indian Art Market. It has one of the most unique collections of art pieces and is a must-check-out for art lovers.
Visit: https://www.indigoart.in/
