BERLIN — (Marketwired) — 06/25/13 —
In its ninth live auction — “Paintings, Paper Works and Sculptures” — the online art and auction house has broken the previously existing record for a work of fine art sold at an online auction
Other auction highlights: Carl Moll-s Villa in Vienna sold for EUR 297,120 (US$393,255) and Gottfried Helnwein-s Untitled (Blue Madonna) sold for EUR 68,090 (US$90,121, each incl. buyer-s premium)
Auctionata, the Berlin-based Internet art and auction house, has achieved a record-breaking result in its online auction “Paintings, Paper Works and Sculptures”, its very first auction devoted solely to fine arts. The highlight of the auction, Egon Schiele-s watercolour Reclining Woman from 1916, was sold for EUR 1.827 million (US$2.418 million incl. buyer-s premium) at exactly 8:35 pm. Never has a work of fine art been auctioned for more on the Internet. The Reclining Woman has thus outdone the previous chart topper, a painting from Andy Warhol-s “Flowers” series that had been auctioned online for US$1.3 million (then EUR 910,000) on artnet in July 2011.
Additional high points in the unprecedented auction of 100 lots were provided by Carl Moll-s Villa in Vienna and Gottfried Helnwein-s Untitled (Blue Madonna). The one-meter-square painting by the Viennese Secessionist Moll had a starting price EUR 34,000 (US$45,000) and was sold for EUR 297,120 (US$393,255 incl. buyer-s premium) after a long period of intense bidding. Gottfried Helnwein-s Untitled (Blue Madonna) from 1998, which had started at EUR 24,000 (US$31,765), was sold for EUR 68,090 (US$90,121, incl. buyer-s premium). 792 participants from 46 countries brought the auction hall onto their laptops and their mobile devices, followed internationally renowned expert Victor Wiener-s fascinating and knowledgeable commentary on the works, and bore witness to the sale of the majority of the lots (68 of 100) under the direction of auctioneer Fabian Markus.
Alexander Zacke, CEO of Auctionata: “We are absolutely delighted about this record and the successful auction. It speaks volumes that the previous online record for fine arts has remained unbroken for almost exactly two years, as does the fact that we at Auctionata have broken that record from a standing start with our first auction devoted solely to fine arts. Not only does our type of auction on the Internet represent the technological avant-garde — but it also fills the enormous gap that the key players have thus far been unable to close: transferring classic auctions onto the Internet in a way that enables everyone to experience the objects and the auctioneer as well as the bidding behaviour of other participants, all in real time.”
As the world-s online auctions pioneer, Auctionata offers the gamut of services of a fine arts dealer and auction house. Working 100% online, the company offers evaluation, appraisal, authentication and marketing of precious objects, along with all associated logistics.
The innovative vision of the Berlin-based start-up is to open up the international art market to the general public via the direct access made possible by the internet.
Besides selling through its online shop, Auctionata offers live auctions from its own TV studio: On 6pm CET each Friday, fine art, antiques, collectibles and luxury vintage articles from Auctionata-s themed online auctions are offered for sale in real time. Thus, bidders are given the unprecedented opportunity to participate live and direct from their own computer, tablet, or mobile device, no matter where they may be in the world. Thanks to this concept, which is based on its own patented real-time technology, Auctionata is the first company to offer an authentic traditional auction experience on the internet — live and in HD.
Auctionata was founded by Alexander Zacke and Georg Untersalmberger and went online with its new business model in February 2012.
With approx. 250 internationally renowned specialists, Auctionata has the worldwide largest network of experts for art, antiques and collectibles at its disposal.
Auctionata has one hundred employees and offices in Berlin and New York.
To date, over 50,000 requests for professional appraisal services have been processed, representing a merchandise value of more than EUR 100 million ($132 million)
Every five minutes Auctionata is offered a painting, book, or antique object for sale.
Objects valued at more than EUR 20 million ($25,9 million) have already been appraised by Auctionata experts.
With its ever-growing network of renowned experts in every area of specialisation, Auctionata offers a comprehensive, 100% online-based service that extends from the evaluation and appraisal of valuable objects, as well as their authentication, to the sale and handling of all related logistical tasks.
Auctionata-s new online shop is live since the beginning of September 2012. It includes over 6,000 objects from a wide variety of specialty areas, making it Germany-s largest online shop for art, antiques and collectibles.
The first live art auction in the Internet took place on December 7, 2012. A total of 59 items from bidders in 31 countries brought in a total revenue of approx. EUR 350,000 ($446,000). The live auction is made possible by the patented auction software developed by Georg Untersalmberger. This software enables worldwide broadcast of live images from the auction room in HD quality while thousands of users bidding simultaneously.
Since 3 May 2013, live auctions are held every Friday at 6pm CET, which are transmitted worldwide from Auctionata-s specially built television studio in Berlin.
Auctionata has 35,000 registered users. This number grows by 150 users each day.
Investors include Holtzbrinck Ventures, e.ventures, TA Venture, Raffay Group, Bright Capital, Kite Ventures und Earlybird.
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Christine Herzhauser
Corporate Communications Director
Auctionata AG
Kurfurstendamm 212
10719 Berlin
Germany
+ 49 30 610 8061 75
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