The World's Oldest Auction House is Combining with One Almost as Old

The World's oldest auction house has undertaken a major expansion by acquiring one of its closest competitors in terms of age. Stockholms Auctionsverk has acquired Uppsala Auctionskammare. Both of them are located in Sweden, testifying to the long auction history of that northern country. The oldest auction house, Stockholms Auctionsverk, was founded 1674. Uppsala Auctionskammare was founded in 1731, which would put it among the five oldest, possibly two or three. For reference, Sotheby's was founded in 1744, Christie's in 1766.

Stockholms Auctionsverk, with ten locations in Sweden, Finland and Germany, is a market leader in live and online auctions. It features fine arts and themed sales, including books and collectible paper. Last year saw record growth of 11% and the momentum has continued into 2025. Uppsala Auctionskammare is noted for high-end auctions in art, antiques and design. Its buyers and sellers are both Swedish and international. Stockholms Auctionsverk CEO Cecila Gave said, “This is a historic day for the Swedish and Nordic auction market, and I’m thrilled to welcome Uppsala Auktionskammare to our group. Their entrepreneurial spirit, strong client relationships and top-tier Fine Art expertise will be key pillars as we build Sweden’s most attractive auction offering for local and international customers together.”

The combined auctions will go forward under the Stockholms Auctionsverk name, although Uppsala Auktionskammare's name will be retained for sales in Uppsala. Celia Gave will serves as CEO of the combined houses. Uppsala's majority owner, the well-known auction personality Knut Knutson, will be Chief Curator of the new group. Knutson commented, “The two Swedish auction houses with the richest heritage are joining forces and making history – it’s truly a remarkable moment. I’m incredibly proud of the success and very strong position that the outstanding team at Uppsala Auktionskammare has built, and I look forward to reaching new heights together with Stockholms Auktionsverk.”

Subscribers to Rare Book Hub's Transaction History can access sales records for 6,847 lots in the field of books and collectible paper sold at Stockholms Auktionsverk. They come from 29 separate auctions dating back to 2014.