What is Catawiki?
Are you looking to buy or sell special items or collectibles? Then Catawiki is the place for you! Catawiki is an online action site for both selling and buying unique special items and collectibles, through online weekly auctions.
As Europe’s fastest growing online auction platform, Catawiki’s 300 weekly auctions, hosted every Friday, are compiled by a skilled team of experts. With millions of visitors from all around the world, Catawiki is sure to offer you an unforgettable auctioning experience!
History
In 2008, the company was founded by a Dutch comic collector and developer – René Schoenmakers and Marco Jansen. Although they first focused on buying and selling comics, the platform has now taken on a number of other categories like classic cars, art, jewelry, coins and model trains to name a few! The name itself is made up of the two words, ‘catalogue’ and ‘wiki’. Over the years, Catawiki has been hosting auctions that feature thousands of different special objects. Now, the site is also available in a number of languages, namely: English, Dutch, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Chinese.
Buying and selling art items on Catawiki
One of the biggest categories on Catawiki is art! If you’re looking to buy art collectibles, own art collectibles or have created any special art of your own – the Catawiki auction is the place to be.
The kind of objects that are included in the auctions are those that are striking, hold strong emotion, historical value and cultural significance. Submitting special pieces for auction is completely free and there is no limit to the number of items you can submit.
What items can I submit for auction?
Catawiki is strictly ‘special objects only’ – meaning objects that are rare or hard to find are welcomed. There is also a pricing requirement, objects should be valued at a minimum of €75. Objects that are valued below this amount will not be accepted, as Catawiki is based on exclusive, high quality auctioning.
As an alternative, you can group a bunch of special objects, making the total value estimate higher. The special objects you’re required to submit can be described as items that trigger memories, passion, excitement, rather than common store bought items. Catawiki gave the example of:
“A mass produced print of a famous work of art is not considered a special object. However, an original, high quality artwork by a renowned artist is considered special.
A new pedal car for sale at any store is not considered a special object. But an antique 1950s pedal car is considered special.”
Objects that should be avoided when submitting for auction include contemporary items that can be found in stores or online, heavily damaged items and services.
When submitting your item make sure to include a detailed description of your item, a minimum of 5 high quality photos of your item.
What Makes Catawiki a Unique Online Sales Platform?
With countless existing online auctions and marketplaces available, it’s important to know which one is best for you! Catawiki is the most trusted platform for buying and selling high quality and rare objects. Their team of in house professionals guarantee a specially curated, broad selection of items. Catawiki also prides itself on their incredibly safe and secure payment system.
Below you can see a comparison table between Catawiki and its competitor platforms.
| Catawiki | Online auction platforms | Traditional auction houses | Other online marketplaces | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selection of special objects | ✓ | X | ✓ | ✓ |
| In-house experts curate auctions | ✓ | X | ✓ | X |
| Safe and Secure payment system which protects both buyers and sellers | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X |
| Swift sales | ✓ | X | ✓ | X |
| No listing fees | ✓ | X | X | ✓ |
| Dedicated Customer Support team that speaks your language | ✓ | X | ✓ | ✓ |
| International Audience | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ |
What Notable Items has Catawiki Sold?
Are you wondering what notable special objects Catawiki has sold over the past few years? Here’s a list of a few of them:
- Oil on canvas by Aristarkh Lentulov, sold for €24,000 in August 2015
- Porsche 356 from 1960, sold for €165,000 in October 2015
- Star Wars Darth Vader helmet with Swarovski crystals, sold for €3,000 in December 2020
- Jaw of a T-rex, sold for €10,000 in November 2014
- DeLorean DMC-12, sold for €20,500 in September 2014
- Signed first Tin-Tin comic book (Tin- Tin au pays des Soviets), sold for €30,000 in May 2015
- Tin-Tin book, one of c.10 exemplars, used by Hergé, sold for £61,050 in September 2017
- A bottle of Romanée-Conti Grand Cru, sold for €4,500 in May 2015
- Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon set, sold for €4,700 in June 2015
Star Wars – 10179 – Millennium Falcon 
DeLorean DMC-12 Aristarkh Vasilevich Lentulov
Extra Notes from the Catawiki Auctioneers
- Be Aware of Shipping Costs: as Catawiki auctions items from all around the world, shipping costs can differ. Catawiki offers great shipping costs to its sellers around the world, even offering free shipping in some cases!
- After Submission: once you’ve submitted your object for auction, you’ll receive a conformation message to let you know your item has been approved and is scheduled for auction.
- If you’re unsure of something or require more information you can visit the official Catawiki Help Pages where all your questions should be answered! The help pages will answer all you questions regarding how to get started, submissions, approval and so much more.
External Links
How to Make Money online: 5 Expert Tips for Being a Successful Seller on Catawiki
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