Bernaerts Auctioneers

About Bernaerts Auctioneers

Bernaerts Auctioneers is a fine art and antiques auction house in the centre of Antwerp. It describes itself as having grown from a small antiques business into one of the leading auction houses in Belgium. The firm is run by the second generation of the Bernaerts family, the brothers Peter and Christophe Bernaerts.

The saleroom is at Verlatstraat 18 in Antwerp. Bernaerts holds large themed live auctions, specialist sales of works on paper and timed online auctions, and it also rents out its halls for events.

History

According to the house's own history page, Bernaerts was founded in 1974 as a modest antiques shop in Lier. The business later moved to Antwerp, and since 1994 it has occupied its current premises: a former cinema built in 1912 and rebuilt in Art Deco style in 1922.

The house's best-known result is the sale of René Magritte's L'Oiseau de ciel, sold in the Sabena bankruptcy for €3,815,000. Bernaerts calls it the most expensive painting ever auctioned by a Belgian auctioneer. The Belgian private bank Delen reported the sale as taking place in 2001 and described it as the most expensive painting ever sold at auction in Belgium.

What Bernaerts sells

Bernaerts organises five major live auctions a year, each built around a theme. Between these it runs dedicated works-on-paper sales and timed online auctions, sometimes of a single collection. In 2026, for example, it offered items from the Flemish public broadcaster VRT in a sale titled "De VRT Verhuist".

The house lists these specialist fields:

• European master paintings and sculpture
• Old Masters
• Art Nouveau and Art Deco
• Applied arts, from the Haute Époque to 21st-century design
• Works on paper, including drawings and prints

Its autumn "Classic vs. Modern" live sale puts older and modern art in the same catalogue, which suits buyers who collect across periods.

Selling at Bernaerts

Selling starts with photographs. Owners can send pictures through the intake form on the website, through the Bernaerts app or by email, ideally with measurements, a short description, provenance and any signature, date or damage noted. The first estimate is free and carries no obligation. For whole house contents or large collections, the experts can visit the owner at home.

If the pieces are accepted, the seller signs a consignment contract, and Bernaerts decides whether each lot goes into a live or a timed online sale. A reserve can be agreed for pieces estimated at €5,000 or more. Below that level a "discreet limit" of 75% of the low estimate applies, and timed online sales have no reserves. Two weeks before the viewing, sellers receive a list of their lots with lot numbers and sale dates.

Since 1 January 2025 the seller's commission is tiered by hammer price:

• Art and antiques sales: 20% on lots up to €1,000 and 15% from €1,001
• Works-on-paper sales: 20% on lots up to €500 and 15% from €501

Buying and bidding

Buyers can bid in the room, by telephone, by written commission bid or online. The conditions of sale set the buyer's premium at 28% including VAT for lots won in the room, by phone or by written bid, and 30% including VAT for lots won through an online bidding platform. An administrative fee of €2 per lot is added. The artist's resale right applies to qualifying original works from a hammer price of €2,000, with a maximum of €12,500.

Lots are published on the Bernaerts website and on the live bidding platforms live.bernaerts.eu, Invaluable and Drouot. The Bernaerts app lets users browse catalogues, save favourite lots or artists, register for sales, follow livestreams, bid and submit objects for sale. Transport, customs and insurance costs are paid by the buyer, and shipments are not insured by the house unless this is agreed in writing.

Location and viewing

The auction rooms are at Verlatstraat 18, 2000 Antwerp. The office is open on weekdays from 09:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 17:30. Public viewing days run from Thursday to Monday, 10:00 to 18:00, in the week before each auction, and both the viewing and the sale are open to everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the buyer's premium at Bernaerts?

The premium is 28% including VAT for lots bought in the room, by phone or by written bid, and 30% including VAT for lots bought through an online platform. A €2 administrative fee per lot is added.

How much commission does Bernaerts charge sellers?

For art and antiques sales, the commission is 20% on lots hammered at up to €1,000 and 15% above that. For works-on-paper sales the threshold is €500.

Is a valuation at Bernaerts free?

Yes. An estimate based on photographs sent through the website, the app or by email is free and carries no obligation.