Art and wine reached record sales at online auctions during the pandemic
To experience these new trends in real life, Catawiki is now giving away a unique trip
The three-day luxury experience in Italy is meticulously curated by Catawiki’s experts in Art, Wine and much more.
Amsterdam, 6 May 2022 - Working, travelling, visiting family and friends, sharing experiences, consuming - the pandemic has forced everyone to shift our habits to the online world. Viewing and bidding on special objects online became a particularly popular trend for many amongst us during the pandemic: Catawiki, a leading online auction marketplace for special objects grew with over half compared to pre-pandemic times. In order to allow bidders to experience the world of online auctions in real life, Catawiki is now giving away a once-of-a-lifetime trip to Italy.
Most popular auctions on Catawiki: Wine and Art
Throughout the pandemic, Catawiki witnessed a record number of new buyers and sellers onboarding its online marketplace. With many shops and fairs closed during lockdowns, sellers have found a new and permanent solution in Catawiki, while more buyers have re-discovered new passions and enjoyed the ease of buying online. In 2021, over half a billion euros was spent on Catawiki, representing a +50% growth compared to pre-pandemic times. Wines were amongst the highest growers in terms of sales, more than doubling (+120%) compared to 2019. In the winter of 2021, for example, a bottle of the 2006 Romanée-Conti Grand Cru red wine was sold for €15,500. In the same year, close to €30,000 was paid by one person for 48 bottles of Pauillac 1er Grand Cru Classé from the Chateau Lafite Rothschild estate. The interest in art also spiked on Catawiki - almost doubling (+80%) between 2019 and 2021. Last year a painting from Jan Brueghel II reached over €45,000, while a drawing from Picasso reached €35,000 just a couple of months ago.
La Dolce Vita: Experience Catawiki in the real world through a unique trip
Art, Wine, Classic Cars, Music: Catawiki, together with its renowned experts, is now bringing the world of online auctions to the real world. From 6 to 22 May, every bid placed on any special object available on Catawiki will count as an entry into a draw to win a trip of a lifetime. The more bids are placed, the more entries will be recorded and the higher the chances are of winning. The grand prize: an exclusive, three-day, expert-guided trip worth tens of thousands euro that will bring some of Catawiki most popular auctions (Art, Classic Cars, Ancient History, Wine, Music) out of the digital and into the analogue. The lucky winners will look forward to an exclusive trip during which they’ll be chaperoned by Catawiki’s experts.
In Florence they’ll be guided through the Uffizi Gallery by Michaela Scharnreithner, art historian and Alumni from the Università degli Studi di Firenze. Next up are an exclusive private musical performance by acclaimed musicians - with a detailed explanation by Aaron Blomme, Catawiki’s music expert, violinist and graduate from Moscow’s Conservatory - and a guided tour through the Antinori Wine Estate by Mattia Garon, a renowned sommelier and expert at Catawiki. Also included are an overnight stay in an art-filled Renaissance palazzo in the heart of Florence, an exclusive dining experience at Ponte Vecchio and a unique classic car road trip through the Italian countryside.
Mattia Garon, Catawiki’s wine expert explains: “What was only possible online a few months ago, is now possible analogue again. All the more reason I’m looking forward to hosting Catawiki’s winners on a unique tour of the Antinori Chianti Classico wine estate in Tuscany. There, I will not only guide them through the architecturally impressive buildings or the extensive vineyards, but also accompany them to experience the noble Italian wines with all their nuances. A truly special Catawiki experience."
Notes to editors
More information on the trip and the competition can be found here or below:
Some of the highlights of the exclusive three-day experience includes
Start your luxurious trip in Florence with an exclusive tour of the world-renowned Uffizi Gallery, guided by a Catawiki Expert in Art
An absolutely exclusive private dining experience at Ponte Vecchio
Spend the night in a suite at the stunning, historical Four Seasons Hotel, Florence
A Tuscan countryside tour in a classic car, complete with a personal driver
A visit to the Antinori Wine Estate with a Catawiki Expert in Wine to walk you through the legacy of Chianti wine, followed by lunch
A private helicopter ride from the dreamy hilltop town of Siena to the tiny mediaeval city of Civita di Bagnoregio; known as the ‘dying city’ for its ruinous architecture
An exclusive evening in a frescoed music room, with a private musical performance by an acclaimed violinist and pianist on historical instruments - to accompany a meal prepared by your private chef
For imagery of the trip click here
