The Lessons of the Christmas Auction – Numbers, Trust, and Joint Success

Dear Readers!

Given that the supportive community of the leading Hungarian art market stood by the Földváry Auction House almost as one, we would like to share with you the most important successes and experiences of this year.

We extend special thanks to the representatives of the profession, our buyers, and collectors for their trust, as well as to our curators for their often invisible yet defining professional work and dedication behind the auctions.

Four Auctions in One Year – Different Formats, Common Goals

This year we organized a total of four auctions.

Among these, the greatest interest was surrounding our Online Inheritance Garage Auction, which attracted a broad audience, with a numerical 24,126 clicks, bringing new entrants into the world of the art market.

The greatest professional and market success was undoubtedly achieved by the Christmas auction held in a hybrid format within the castle walls, which combined the experience of personal presence with the flexibility of online bidding.

The Numbers of the Christmas Auction – Speak for Themselves

At the Christmas auction:

1. 154 lots went under the hammer,
2. of these, 63 artworks found new owners,
3. which means a 40.9% sales rate.

This ratio is considered specifically strong given the auction held during a holiday period with very strong supply, considering there was a day when three auction houses were auctioning, and the auction market is seen by many as being on the verge of drying up.

Regarding prices:

1. the total starting value of the advertised lots exceeded 61 million forints,
2. while the sold artworks were sold for nearly 40 million forints.

A particularly important professional indicator is that the sold lots:

found new owners at an average of 35% above the starting price.

This so-called 135% price realization clearly indicates active bidding, genuine market interest, and well-chosen starting prices.

Our website traffic in the past month:

What Were Collectors Searching For the Most?

One of the most exciting lessons from the Christmas auction was the evolution of collectors' preferences:

1. In terms of quantity, Zsolnay and other highlighted applied arts items proved to be the most successful, with a stable and broad buyer base.
2. However, in terms of value, paintings clearly dominated, accounting for a significant portion of the total hammer value.

This duality clearly shows that:

1. applied arts remains a strong entry point for collectors,
2. while paintings remained at the focus of larger value, long-term investment decisions.

Check out the auction moments of the Aba-Novák painting.

Online Presence – The Future of Auction Space

One of the keys to the success of the Christmas auction was the hybrid format:

1. 93% of the bids came online,
2. 4% from the room,
3. and 3% in the form of phone bids.

This is clear feedback for us that the online auction system is not just a supplementary element, but one of the most important channels of the contemporary art market, which makes our offerings accessible to international interested parties.

Thank You for Your Trust!

The success of the Christmas auction is not simply measurable in numbers.

Equally important for us is the trust and professional cooperation that strengthens year by year between artists, collectors, buyers, and the team of Földváry Auction House.

We hope that in the upcoming auctions we can further deepen this relationship, and more valuable artworks can find a worthy place – as part of new collections and new stories.

If you are a collector and want to find a few empty spots for your new pictures, remember that our auction house is open to accepting consignment auction orders, provided you have quality paintings. Upload your painting to sell here and now.

We Wish You Happy Holidays!

Balázs Matusz

and the Auction House Team