On August 29, 2024, the auction world came to a standstill as a small Chinese vase put Skånes Auktionsverk on the map for international auctioneers.
The vase, a square-shaped Kong vase, had been brought in during the clearance of an estate in Helsingborg; the heirs were unaware of its origin or value. With no marks and a tricky appraisal, Skånes Auktionsverk turned to an external expert in Chinese porcelain, who estimated its worth to around 400 GBP, based on previous similar sales.
Bidding, however, quickly skyrocketed. In the end, the 30-centimeter-tall, three-kilo vase sold for an astonishing 78,920 GBP, the highest price the auction house has ever achieved since joining Auctionet. With 257 bids from 21 different bidders, it also became the most contested item in the network’s history. Ultimately, the vase found its way back to China, concluding a remarkable journey.
Chinese Vase Makes Auction History
- It was incredibly exciting to be able to tell the sellers the result of the auction. Very few experts outside China can properly appraise this kind of object. This vase was particularly tricky, with Chinese markings and an inscription. We called in an external specialist for Oriental objects, who valued it based on comparable sales. Some buyers in China were eventually able to identify the artist, who rarely appears at auction, says Anna Rodman, CEO of Skånes Auktionsverk.
Landskrona’s auction house has a history of making waves with Chinese pieces. In the autumn of 2021, another vase that started at just 50 GBP went on to sell for an astonishing 22,000 GBP.
Online Success
Skånes Auktionsverk joined Auctionet in autumn 2023 and was already named Auction House of the Year the very next year. The award recognizes the auction house with the highest Net Promoter Score (NPS) during the competition period.
Since joining the platform, Skånes Auktionsverk has sold over 14,000 items. Anna Rodman, the CEO, describes the achievement as both thrilling and surprising:
- It was incredibly rewarding for Skånes Auktionsverk to receive this award. We had an intense first year and have worked very hard, so it’s extremely gratifying to get such positive feedback from our customers, showing that we’re doing a good job. My team and I are deeply dedicated to our work and really enjoy working together. That kind of commitment clearly shows in the results.
In the showroom representative home environments are created.
From Antique Shop to Auction House
The company’s roots stretch back further than many people may realize. In the mid-1980s, Anders Gustafsson founded Anders Antik in the central part of Landskrona. What began as a traditional antique shop gradually evolved into a business increasingly focused on auctions.
- Anders Antik really took off during the 2000s, selling numerous high-value items. Anders was ahead of his time and recognized the potential of the internet early on. He launched his own website and posted entire auctions online, and he built a substantial digital customer database, an invaluable asset for any auction house, says Anna Rodman.
After the change of ownership in 2009, the space has come to feature not only antiques but also design and collectibles, which now occupy the majority of its 1,300 square meters.
In 2009, the company changed its name to Skånes Auktionsverk, and since 2015 it has been run by Anna Rodman. Today, the business operates from newly renovated premises covering 1,300 square meters in northeastern Landskrona. With a team of seven employees, the auction house hosts several specialty auctions each year.
- We usually have around 20 themed auctions annually, covering everything from cameras and weapons to fashion and silver. Themed auctions are a fun way to work. We also try to create room-like settings here, displaying paintings and furniture as they would appear in a home, says Rodman.
The Hunt for Hidden Treasures
Beyond the Chinese vases, several high-profile sales have put the auction house on the map. In January of this year, an enameled incense burner went under the hammer.
- It was badly damaged, almost as if someone had dropped it on the floor. And it had no marks, so it was extremely difficult to determine its value or even what it actually was. But one of our experts discovered that an almost identical piece exists in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. Despite a modest starting price of 400 GBP, the burner sold for 4,300 GBP to a buyer in England.
- The detective work is incredibly fun and exciting, Rodman adds. Trying to decipher marks or identify the designer, it’s a bit like a treasure hunt, finding gems among the unassuming pieces.
Gems Among the Garbage
Another example of a successful treasure hunt comes from an estate where the heirs were about to throw everything away. Among the items saved was a French Selmer saxophone, which was clubbed for 5,800 GBP.
- Altogether, we sold around 80,000 GBP worth of items from that estate, says Rodman. And these were things the owners had simply planned to throw out.
What would you like to sell? Ask the experts at Skånes Auktionsverk
Other surprising items
Another success story involves three elderly women from Ängelholm who submitted an old wristwatch that had belonged to one of the women’s fathers.
- When we took a closer look, we had to call the ladies in for a meeting, says Rodman. It turned out to be an Omega Speedmaster “Broad Arrow”, reference number 2915-1, an extremely sought-after watch among collectors. With a starting price of around 31,500 GBP , a collector in New York ended up purchasing it for over 120,000 GBP.
Anna Rodman, with a strong passion for fashion.
For Anna Rodman, the joy of the job isn’t just about record-breaking sales.
- Personally, I love jewelry. Many classic antique pieces are incredibly good value considering the craftsmanship. Even diamond jewelry from the 1950s to the 1980s is very reasonably priced. It’s also exciting that fashion has become increasingly popular at auctions. We usually hold one or two fashion auctions each year. Everyone who works here has their own special areas of interest, and that’s what makes the job so exciting.
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