Ansorena

About Ansorena

Ansorena is a Madrid jeweller and auction house founded in 1845 by Celestino Ansorena. It was appointed jeweller and diamond merchant to the Spanish Royal Household in 1860 and began holding auctions in 1974. Today it combines jewellery, auctions, a contemporary art gallery and valuations from its premises on Calle Alcalá in Madrid.

The house was one of the pioneers of the modern Spanish auction market. Its sales cover old master and modern paintings, decorative arts, jewellery and antique watches.

History

Celestino Ansorena opened his jewellery workshop in Madrid in 1845, and within fifteen years the firm was working for the Spanish court. For the 1906 wedding of King Alfonso XIII and Victoria Eugenia, the king gave his bride a diamond necklace and a tiara with fleur-de-lis motifs by Ansorena, pieces later worn by Queen Sofía and Queen Letizia.

In the 1970s Alfonso Mato transformed the family business of his wife, Paloma Ansorena, by adding art and jewellery auctions to the jewellery trade. The first auction was held in 1974.

• 1845: Celestino Ansorena opens a jewellery workshop in Madrid
• 1860: appointed jeweller and diamond merchant to the Royal Household
• 1906: royal wedding jewels for Queen Victoria Eugenia
• 1974: first Ansorena auction
• 1986: contemporary art gallery opens, with monthly exhibitions
• 1995: publication of Ansorena: 150 años de la joyería madrileña

What they sell

Ansorena's auctions mix fine art with jewellery and objects. Highlighted results on its website include Eugène Boudin's Bassin de Deauville (1883), hammered at 68,000 euros, and Jorge Eielson's Quipus 27-B-2, hammered at 50,000 euros.

• Old master paintings
• 19th-century and modern Spanish and European painting
• Contemporary art
• Decorative arts
• Jewellery
• Antique watches

In its June 2024 auction, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo's Santa Catalina de Alejandría sold at its starting price of 250,000 euros, or about 305,000 euros with the buyer's premium, as reported by ARS Magazine.

Selling

Ansorena offers valuations for sale at auction as well as for insurance, the division of estates and wills. The seller's commission is agreed case by case. Alongside its auctions, the house also sells jewellery directly and runs a contemporary art gallery, so consignors deal with a firm that has traded in jewellery and art in Madrid for more than 175 years.

Buying and bidding

According to the house, auctions are held every month, as live saleroom sales and as online auctions. Buyers can bid in the room, leave written bids before the sale, bid by telephone on lots over 300 euros, or bid online through the website as registered users.

• Hammer prices up to 1,000 euros: premium of 20.66% plus VAT, 25% in total
• Hammer prices over 1,000 euros: premium of 19.01% plus VAT, 23% in total
• Payment is due within seven working days of the auction
• Accepted payment: cash, debit or credit card, bank transfer or account deposit
• Storage is charged at 6 euros a day once the collection period has passed

Lots can be collected at the Madrid premises from the day after the auction, and shipping, packing and storage are at the buyer's expense.

Location

Ansorena is at Calle Alcalá 52 in central Madrid. The premises are open from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:30 to 20:00.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Ansorena?

Ansorena was founded as a jewellery workshop in Madrid in 1845 and held its first auction in 1974.

What is the buyer's premium at Ansorena?

It is 20.66% plus VAT (25% in total) on hammer prices up to 1,000 euros, and 19.01% plus VAT (23% in total) on hammer prices above 1,000 euros.

How often does Ansorena hold auctions?

The house says it holds auctions every month, as live sales in Madrid and as online auctions, with online bidding for registered users.