Christie's
The London auction house behind many of the most famous art sales in history, selling paintings, jewelry, watches, Asian art, wine and luxury goods around the world. Here is what it sells, how buying works there and what it costs, with a straight link to the house.
- Founded
- 1766
- Based in
- London
- Buyer's premium
- 28%
- Free storage
- 90 days
Go to Christie's →How buying worksFees
About Christie's
James Christie held his first sale in London in 1766, and the house still runs its flagship saleroom on King Street in St James's. Today Christie's holds live and online auctions in London, New York, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Dubai, and it is owned by Groupe Artémis, the holding company of the Pinault family.
Its evening sales make headlines: Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi sold there for $450.3 million in 2017, the highest price ever paid for a painting at auction, and the Paul Allen collection brought more than $1.5 billion in 2022. Most lots are far more modest, though, and online-only sales of prints, jewelry, watches, handbags and design run all year with bids that start in the hundreds.
What Christie's sells
How buying works at Christie's
- Make an accountSign up on christies.com or in the Christie's app. Your identity is verified before you can bid.
- Register for the saleRegister at least 24 hours before a live sale. Some sales ask for a financial reference or a deposit. In person, bring photo ID and proof of address.
- Choose how to bidBid live online with Christie's LIVE, in the app, by telephone, with an absentee maximum left in advance, or in the room with a paddle. Online-only sales take bids right on the lot page.
- PayLive-sale invoices are due within 7 days, online-only sales right away. Cards and PayPal work up to set limits (for example $300,000 for New York sales). Larger amounts go by bank transfer from an account in your own name.
- Ship or collectUse a Christie's-approved shipper through its post-sale team, or your own. Items usually ship 7 to 14 business days after payment, and storage is free for 90 days.
What it costs
Christie's buyer's premium since September 1, 2026, by part of the hammer price:
| Where and how much | Buyer's premium |
|---|---|
| New York, Dubai, Abu Dhabi: up to $2M / $2M–$8M / over $8M | 28% / 22% / 15% |
| London: up to £1.5M / £1.5M–£6M / over £6M | 28% / 22% / 15% |
| Paris: up to €1.75M / €1.75M–€7M / over €7M | 28% / 22% / 15% |
| Hong Kong: up to HK$15M / HK$15M–60M / over HK$60M | 28% / 22% / 15% |
| Geneva: up to CHF 1.6M / CHF 1.6M–7M / over CHF 7M | 28% / 22% / 15% |
| Shanghai: up to CNY 10M / CNY 10M–50M / over CNY 50M | 28% / 22% / 15% |
| Wine, everywhere but Shanghai | 25% flat |
| Wine, Shanghai | 20% flat |
| Gooding Christie's cars, US live: up to $250,000 / above | 12% / 10% |
| Gooding Christie's cars, US online | 10% |
| Gooding Christie's cars, Paris and Geneva: up to €/CHF 200,000 / above | 15% / 12.5% |
| Automobilia | 25% |
| September 2025 to August 2026 | 27% up to $1.5M, 22% to $8M, 15% above |
A $10,000 lot costs $12,800 before tax. A 2.5% card fee applies at New York live and online sales.
Paying, pickup and storage
| When to pay | Live sales within 7 days; online sales right away |
| Online checkout limits | $300,000 (US sales) · $100,000 (Dubai) · £100,000 · €100,000 · HK$1M · CHF 100,000 |
| Card fee, New York | 2.5% |
| Who pays | Payment must come from the winning bidder's own account |
| Free storage | 90 days for every sold lot |
| Storage, months 4–6 (per lot per month) | $250 · £200 · HK$2,000 · €200 · CHF 200 |
| Storage, month 7 on (per lot per month) | $500 · £400 · HK$4,000 · €400 · CHF 400 |
| Storage, jewelry, watches, handbags | $125 a month (months 4–6), then $300 |
| Collection | 48 hours' notice; offsite lots ready from the 2nd business day (London, Hong Kong) or 3rd (New York) |
| Shipping | Christie's-approved shippers or your own; usually 7 to 14 business days after payment |
Search Christie's
UX Search checks Christie's and every other site that sells it in one search. Or search Christie's directly.
From Christie's
Similar auction sites
Other sites that sell the same kinds of things, A to Z.
Is this your auction house?
Add your upcoming sales and lots to UX Search for free, and keep this page up to date. Get in touch →
UX Search is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Christie's. Bidding, payment and delivery all happen on the house's own site under its own terms. Information checked October 21, 2026 from Christie's buying guide and USA Art News and Antiques Trade Gazette, September 2026 (buyer's premium); fees and rules can change, so confirm them on the sale page.