Van Sabben Poster Auctions

About Van Sabben Poster Auctions

Van Sabben Poster Auctions is a specialist auction house in Hoorn, North Holland, that sells original national and international posters. It says it is the only auction house in the Netherlands devoted mainly to posters. Its online archive holds records of more than 33,000 posters offered in past sales.

Each auction comes with a full-colour illustrated catalogue that includes indexes by artist and subject, a feature on one poster designer, a bibliography and the results of the previous sale. Museums, libraries and other institutions order the catalogues for their collections.

History

Piet van Sabben began organising poster auctions in the Netherlands in 1991 under the name Van Sabben Poster Auctions. Udo Boersma became the owner in January 1999 and continues to run the business under the original name, also acting as auctioneer.

By June 2026 the house had held 68 poster auctions. Recent sales took place in November 2025, March 2026 and June 2026, with the next auction planned for autumn 2026.

What Van Sabben sells

The core of every sale is authentic, original posters. Occasionally the house also offers related material. The range includes:

• Dutch and international advertising posters
• Art Deco and other design-era posters by leading designers
• Travel, film, exhibition and political posters
• Books about posters and poster design
• Enamel advertising signs and other advertising items

Its best-known result came on 15 November 2014, when the Art Deco poster L'Intransigeant by A.M. Cassandre sold for a hammer price of 210,000 euros. The house described this as a record for a Cassandre poster; the high estimate had been 50,000 euros.

Selling at Van Sabben

Consignors contact the house by phone or email, ideally with photographs, or use the upload form on the website. Posters can be sent by registered post or courier, but the house prefers an appointment to deliver them in person. After professional valuation, the seller receives a receipt stating the agreed reserve prices.

Sellers receive a list of their lots two weeks before the sale, and a settlement roughly four weeks after the auction once the buyer has paid. Unsold lots can stay in the aftersale for several months, and unsold items are stored free for one year. The seller's commission is set out in the house's consignment terms rather than on its information pages.

Buying and bidding

The auctions take place in a closed room and cannot be attended in person. Buyers can leave free absentee bids through the website or by email, bid by telephone, or bid live online through Invaluable and Drouot, which adds a fee of about 5%. The catalogue lists a starting bid and a market estimate for each lot.

Under the conditions of sale, buyers pay a premium of 22.5% on the hammer price, plus 21% VAT on that premium for EU residents. Unsold posters move to an aftersale on the website at the same reserve and conditions, on a first come, first served basis.

Location and contact

Van Sabben Poster Auctions is based at Appelsteeg 1-B, 1621 BD Hoorn. Catalogues go online about four weeks before each auction, and results are posted on the website the day after the sale. Additional services include help in finding specific posters, restoration, valuations and advice on starting a collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the buyer's premium at Van Sabben Poster Auctions?

Buyers pay 22.5% of the hammer price, plus 21% VAT on the premium for EU residents. Live bidding through Invaluable or Drouot adds about 5%.

Can I attend a Van Sabben auction in person?

No. Sales are held in a closed room, so buyers bid in writing, by telephone or live online.

What happens to posters that do not sell?

Unsold lots go into the aftersale on the website, where they can be bought at the same reserve price and conditions for several months.