I would like to know which online art auctions are are worth visiting for fine arts and antiques? Are these auctions reputatable and do they deliever the merchandise they discribe? Also, which would be the best ones for consigning artworks? I have been to Sothebys.com but they are very big and their auctions are too sporatic. I've heard of ewolfs.com but haven't tried them yet.

-- Rachel Wilkins (rwilkins@jjroop.com), February 03, 2000

Answers

They are all certainly worth a visit. While collectibles are more widely bought and sold on eHammer and eBay, for example, the latter company purchased Butterfield & Butterfield - the California auction house - last year, and through this venue offers higher-end items online. Sotheby's is actually Sothebys.amazon.com, the two companies merging their online resources last year, and features a range of items as a result. eWolf's is also a respectable online source, as it, like the others, is backed by an established auction firm, Wolf's, with most of the "guarantees" that a live auction would offer at those businesses.

Artnet.com appears to be the online leader in fine art sales, however. Their standards are very high - in accepting both a work for sale and a potential bidder. Please check them out.

Keep in mind, however, that live or online, "buyer beware" is always the rule at an auction. Most online services let the consumer view digital images of a piece from several angles, and should accurately report any repairs, alterations, or damage.

But the responsibility is ultimately yours to make sure what you believe you are buying is what you get. If you are not comfortable with what you see or read, go take a look at an item in person, if you can, particularly if you're going to spend a lot of money. After you've made the winning bid, have the item appraised by a licensed appraiser or another established auction firm IMMEDIATELY, to make doubly sure of your purchase. Also, each site should offer insurance for both the buyer and seller, a cyberspace place where the money is held until both parties are satisfied. It would be wise to invest a little more for this service - if just to give you more peace of mind.

And while there seem to be more and more companies jumping on the online auction bandwagon, if I were you, I'd stick with the big boys and their big names.

-- Liza Montgomery (liza@thebee.com), February 04, 2000.