We've come a long way since we first started to peddle unwanted items on eBay. Over the years, independent auction houses have sprung up online and now offer a sophisticated way to buy and sell, especially if you're in the market for antiques and collectables. Whether offering live streamed auctions or timed sales, we have chosen some of the leaders in the field, where you have the reassurance that the items are what they say they are. These sites also make for an enjoyable browse if you just feel like window shopping.

PADDLE8
paddle8.com
Paddle8

Paddle8 styles itself as an auction house for the 21st century collector, showcasing auctions of museum quality art and objects. The company sources art from a global network that is evaluated by experts. Its website is rich with covetable things from jewellery, contemporary art, furniture...

1STDIBS
www.1stdibs.com
1stDibs

1stdibs connects the world's best dealers, finest shops and most important galleries with individuals, sophisticated collectors, designers and curators. Launched in 2001, 1stdibs has become the global destination for those who must have 'first dibs' on treasures — from around the world — that would otherwise be inaccessible. As Marc Jacobs says, "I can't imagine living without 1stdibs."

AUCTIONATA

Auctionata

Auctionata is the leading online auction house for art and luxury collectibles. The company was one of the first to livestream auctions, providing an online auction room for its clients worldwide. With a global network of 250 experts in all kinds of fields, Auctionata can provide anyone with free valuation for art, antiques, collectibles and luxury vintage items. The Auctionata Guarantee, ensures that buyers are always in safe hands.

SAATCHI ART
www.saatchiart.com
Saatchi Art

There are no suprises to find Saatchi Art on this list with its unparalleled selection of paintings, photography, sculpture and drawings by over 50,000 artists worldwide. What's more, there is art to suit all budgets and space. The free advisory service helps you find the perfect work, the first steps to curating your very own collection.

ARTSY
www.artsy.net
Artsy

The resource for art collecting and education, Artsy features the world’s leading galleries, museum collections, foundations, artist estates, art fairs, and benefit auctions, all in one place. With a growing database of 350,000 images of art, architecture, and design by 50,000 artists spans historical, modern, and contemporary works, and includes the largest online database of contemporary art. All this interesting information aside, collectors can browse 230,000 works available for sale on Artsy, provided by galleries, museums, and institutions from around the world. These works range in price from $100 to over $1,000,000, with new ones added every day.

OWN ART
ownart.org.uk
Own Art

If all this talk of spending money has made you blanch, Own Art makes buying art easy and affordable by letting you spread the cost of your purchase over ten months with an interest free loan. With over 250 galleries and thousands of original works of art to choose from, you can start a collection of your own today from as little as £10 per month. What's not to like about that?

February 2017