Barnebys

About Barnebys

Barnebys is the world's largest search engine dedicated to art, antiques, design, and collectibles, aggregating listings and results from more than 3,000 auction houses and galleries globally. Founded in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2011 by Christopher Barnekow and Pontus Silfverstolpe, the platform has grown into an indispensable research and discovery tool for collectors, dealers, appraisers, and anyone interested in the auction market.

Unlike bidding platforms that facilitate transactions, Barnebys functions primarily as a search engine and information hub, helping users find items for sale, research market values through an extensive database of past results, and discover auction houses and galleries they might never have encountered otherwise.

History

The founding of Barnebys grew out of a simple observation: the global auction market was fragmented across thousands of individual auction houses, each with its own website, catalog, and results archive. Barnekow and Silfverstolpe saw an opportunity to create a centralized search interface that would index the offerings and results of auction houses worldwide.

The name Barnebys is derived from co-founder Barnekow's surname, and the platform launched initially in Swedish before quickly expanding into English, French, German, Spanish, and Chinese. By 2013, Barnebys had established a presence in the United Kingdom, United States, France, Spain, Germany, and Hong Kong, reflecting the global nature of the auction market it serves.

Search engine and price database

Barnebys' core offering is its search engine for upcoming auction lots. Users can search by keyword, artist, category, price range, location, or auction house to find items currently offered for sale in auctions around the world. Search results link directly to the auction house's catalog or bidding platform; Barnebys does not process bids itself, functioning instead as a discovery and referral service that drives traffic to auction houses.

The platform's historical price database is one of its most valuable features, providing access to a free-to-use archive of realized prices dating back to the 1970s, encompassing more than 40 million sold lots. It is searchable by artist, keyword, category, and auction house, providing market intelligence for collectors, dealers, appraisers, and researchers.

ValueMyStuff and editorial content

In 2018, Barnebys acquired ValueMyStuff, a leading online appraisal service founded by Patrick van der Vorst, a former Sotheby's director. This added a valuable service layer, allowing users to obtain professional valuations of their art, antiques, and collectibles. ValueMyStuff operates a network of expert appraisers who provide written valuations based on photographs and descriptions submitted by users, a convenient and affordable alternative to in-person appraisals.

Barnebys' editorial content is another distinguishing feature, with a steady stream of articles, market reports, auction previews, and interviews with industry figures published through its online magazine and blog, produced by a team of journalists and market analysts with deep knowledge of the art and antiques trade.

Categories, technology, and business model

Barnebys covers a broad range of categories, including:

• Fine art and decorative art
• Antiques and furniture
• Jewelry and watches
• Coins and stamps
• Fashion, photography, and prints
• Ceramics, glass, and silver
• Rugs and textiles
• Books, manuscripts, musical instruments, and wine

The platform's business model is primarily advertising and referral-based: auction houses pay Barnebys for premium placement in search results and for the traffic the platform drives to their catalogs and bidding platforms. Users access the search engine, price database, and editorial content for free. The ValueMyStuff appraisal service operates on a fee-per-valuation basis. The platform's technology includes sophisticated search algorithms, image recognition, and data processing systems that index millions of auction lots annually, with personalized alerts based on saved searches.

Who Barnebys suits

For collectors and buyers, Barnebys' key advantages are the unmatched breadth of its search index, the free historical price database, editorial content that provides market context, and the ValueMyStuff appraisal service. The platform does not charge buyers any fees, as all transactions are conducted directly through the auction houses, making it a risk-free tool for research and discovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can users bid directly through Barnebys?

No, Barnebys links to the auction house's own bidding system.

Does the price database require a subscription?

No, basic access to the database is free.

Does the ValueMyStuff service provide legally binding appraisals?

Valuations are professional opinions suitable for insurance and personal reference but may not meet the requirements of all legal or tax situations.