Curated Hammer
Early Access

Pre-launch · Curated live auctions & marketplace

The world’s greatest works, at the hammer.

Explore the most expensive art and objects ever sold at auction, from Leonardo to Warhol, the Pink Star to a Ru-ware washer. Then join the waitlist for live and timed sales, curated for you.

Join the waitlist
Explore Top Records

The most expensive works ever sold at auction

See all Top Auction Records →

Prices are as published by the auction house or reported by the press, including buyer’s premium. Works in copyright are shown as text cards; images marked “Comparable image” show a similar object, not the lot.

Free. No paywall.

The Top 500 auction results, open to everyone.

The most expensive works ever sold at auction, each checked against the auction house’s published result and linked to its source. Our list is growing toward 500.

Explore Top Auction RecordsAsian art records
  • Curated Hammer Top RecordsFree to browse, no account, every result sourced.
  • Paywalled price archivesOne major marketplace limits free accounts to 12 months of results; deeper history needs a paid subscription. (source)

Masterpieces at the hammer

The moments the room stood still.

Landmark results from the world’s salerooms, across the categories we’ll curate. Choose one to see what’s coming up in that category.

Historic results shown for context; not Curated Hammer sales. Prices include buyer’s premium as reported by the source. Images are public domain or Creative Commons; see image credits.

Why collectors switch

Curated Hammer vs a typical aggregator.

FeatureCurated HammerTypical aggregator
Total costAll-in estimate on every lot, before you bidPremium, tax, payment and shipping fees often added on the invoice
ShippingQuote beside the bid button, by ZIPVaries by house; often quoted after the hammer
PaymentEscrow until you’ve inspected the piecePaid to the house; disputes go back and forth
SellersVetted houses and dealers onlyThousands of houses, mixed standards
CatalogueCondition, provenance, literature on every lotDepth depends on the house
BrowsingCurated, masterpiece-firstHuge volume, endless scroll

Example: on a US$10,000 hammer, a 28% buyer’s premium means US$12,800 before tax and shipping. Source: a Japanese art house selling on an aggregator published a 28% premium (Sept 2021 sale). The aggregator column summarises common complaints in public reviews; see our benchmark notes. Curated Hammer fees will be published before launch.

Curated collections

Edits to wander through.

Themed collections drawn together by our specialists. Lots from vetted houses will fill them at launch.

All collections

What we fix

Built around the things collectors told us go wrong.

01

All-in pricing, upfront

Every lot shows the full cost of buying it — hammer, premium, tax and shipping — before you bid. Our fee schedule will be published before launch.

02

Sub-second live bidding

A real-time bid engine designed so every bidder sees the same price at the same moment, on desktop or phone.

03

White-glove shipping quotes

Crating, insurance, customs and climate-controlled freight quoted on the lot page, not after the hammer falls.

04

Escrow through inspection

Funds are held in escrow until delivery, then released after an inspection window, unless you open a dispute.

05

Vetted provenance

Sellers are reviewed before listing, and every lot carries condition, provenance and literature fields.

06

Trade & designer portal

Tear-sheets, room boards and tax-exempt workflows for interior designers and the trade.

Launch categories

From the podium to the private room.

Five collecting areas at launch, each with specialist vetting.

Japanese works of art

Meiji bronzes, Satsuma, lacquer, netsuke

Old Masters

Paintings, drawings and prints

Design

Mid-century and twentieth-century design

Jewelry

Fine and period jewelry

Antiquities

Ancient art with documented provenance

Example listing — for illustration

How lots will look.

These cards show how lots will appear. They are illustrations only — not real objects, sellers or prices.

Japanese works of art · Timed auction

Example: bronze vase, Meiji style

Condition report · provenance · shipping quote

Price: shown at launch

Old Masters · Live auction

Example: oil on panel, studio of

Condition report · literature · shipping quote

Price: shown at launch

Design · Fixed price

Example: lounge chair, mid-century

Condition report · dimensions · shipping quote

Price: shown at launch

Jewelry · Make offer

Example: gold and gemstone ring

Condition report · certification · shipping quote

Price: shown at launch

Price clarity

The all-in price explainer.

No post-auction surprises. Every line that makes up what you pay is shown on the lot page before you bid. Our own fee numbers will be published before launch.

Hammer priceSet by bidding
Buyer’s premiumPublished before launch
Sales tax / VATCalculated at checkout by destination
Shipping, crating & insuranceQuoted live on the lot page
Your all-in priceShown before you bid

Illustrative example · not a Curated Hammer fee

What a 28% buyer’s premium adds

Hammer price
$10,000
Buyer’s premium at 28%
+ $2,800
You pay, before tax and shipping
$12,800
Sales tax and shipping
Added on top

On a $10,000 hammer at a 28% premium, you pay $12,800 before tax and shipping. On Curated Hammer you see one total before you bid.

Sources: a Japanese art auction house selling on LiveAuctioneers states a 28% buyer’s premium, with sales tax and shipping charged on top (September 2021 sale). For comparison, Catawiki charges sellers a 12.5% success fee plus a fixed amount, and buyers pay shipping. Figures are the platforms’ own published terms, not quotes.

How bidding works

Six steps, no surprises.

  1. Register & verifyCreate an account and complete identity checks once; you’re then cleared to bid across every sale.
  2. See the all-in costEach lot shows estimate, condition report, buyer’s premium and a live shipping quote before you commit.
  3. Bid live, timed or set a maximumBid in real time, or leave a confidential maximum and the system bids for you, one increment at a time.
  4. Soft close protects youIn timed sales, a late bid extends the lot so no one wins by sniping in the final seconds.
  5. Pay into escrowYour payment is held, not released, while the piece is packed and shipped.
  6. Inspect, then releaseCheck the piece against its condition report during the inspection window. Funds are released when it ends, unless you open a dispute.

Shipping & escrow

From the saleroom to your wall.

1

Quote

Dimensions and weight drive an instant shipping and crating quote on the lot page.

2

Crate

Specialist packers handle fragile, oversized and high-value pieces.

3

Insure & clear

Transit insurance and customs paperwork arranged for cross-border moves.

4

Deliver

Tracked, climate-aware delivery to your door or designer’s site.

5

Release

Funds are held in escrow until delivery, then released after an inspection window, unless you open a dispute.

For dealers & auction houses

Reach serious collectors without the hidden extras.

Live and timed auction tools, fixed-price and offer listings, catalog import and built-in logistics. Commission tiers will be published before launch.

Apply to sell
Contact our partnerships team

FAQ

Questions, answered.

When does Curated Hammer launch?

We’re pre-launch. Join Early Access and we’ll write when the first sales open.

What fees will buyers pay?

Our buyer’s premium and any other buyer fees will be published before launch, and every lot will show its all-in price before you bid.

What do sellers pay?

Commission tiers for dealers and auction houses will be published before launch.

How does escrow work?

Funds are held in escrow until delivery, then released after an inspection window, unless you open a dispute. The exact window will be published in our Buyer Terms before launch.