Strauss & Co

What Strauss & Co does

Strauss & Co is a South African fine art auctioneer and art consultancy operating primarily in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and KwaZulu-Natal. Founded in 2009, the company conducts live virtual auctions, timed online auctions, and discreet private sales across multiple collecting categories including modern and contemporary art, jewellery, watches, ceramics, decorative arts, collectibles, and South African fine wine. Its flagship event is the annual Cape Winemakers Guild Auction, which Strauss & Co has facilitated since 1985 and which has historically achieved white-glove sell-through rates. The company also provides expert art valuations through monthly in-person and online sessions in major South African cities, supported by an Art Club membership programme, Catalogue Raisonné projects, gift vouchers, and shipping and post-sale logistics.

The underlying platform is an online auction system with live and timed bidding, a website-based catalogue database of artists, wine producers, makers, and designers, and online valuation booking. Revenue is generated entirely through transaction-based fees: a Buyer's Premium charged as a percentage of the hammer price plus VAT, a Seller's Commission deducted from the hammer price plus VAT, and fees on private sale transactions. Distribution is multi-channel, combining auction events, monthly valuation days, email newsletters, the Art Club membership, educational content, and social media, with a primary geographic focus on South Africa and growing international participation in wine auctions.

Key commercial relationships include the long-standing partnership with the Cape Winemakers Guild (since 1985), a co-founding partnership with Wine Cellar (now Brice & Burnett) and Higgo Jacobs in 2019 to formalize South African fine wine auctions, and a title sponsorship with Nedbank for the annual wine auction. Customers are distributed across art collectors, wine collectors, art estates requiring valuation or liquidation, and jewellery and watch collectors, with no significant customer concentration.

Name

Strauss & Co

Legal name

Strauss & Co

Website

https://straussart.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Strauss & Co is a South African fine art auctioneer and art consultancy conducting live virtual, timed online, and private sales of art, jewellery, watches, decorative arts, and South African fine wine, serving collectors and estates across South Africa with growing international bidder participation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fine Art Auction Services

NAICS

Art Dealers (45992), Jewelry Retailers (458310), Jewelry, Watch, Precious Stone, and Precious Metal Merchant Wholesalers (42394)

SIC

Wholesale-Jewelry, Watches, Precious Stones & Metals (5094), Retail-Jewelry Stores (5944)

akta.pro primary industry

Auction-based Generalist Marketplaces (CRAFAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

High Jewelry & Haute Joaillerie (CRAKAAAE), Auction Houses (Luxury Watches & Jewelry) (CRAKAKAF)

Keywords

• Fine art auctions
• Art advisory
• Wine auctions
• Jewellery auctions
• Collectibles valuation

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Buyer's Premium: A percentage-based fee charged to buyers on the hammer price (final bid amount), in addition to VAT. This is the primary revenue stream from auction transactions.
2. Seller's Commission: A commission paid by the consignor/seller to Strauss & Co, deducted from the hammer price in addition to VAT. This is the primary revenue stream from sellers.
3. Private Sales: Discreet private sale transactions connecting buyers and sellers of art, aligning specific artworks with collectors' wishlists. Generates revenue through transaction fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Strauss & Co operates as a fine art auction house and art consultancy in South Africa, conducting live virtual auctions and timed online auctions across modern and contemporary art, jewellery, watches, decorative arts, collectibles, and South African fine wines. The firm also facilitates discreet private sales, provides monthly expert valuations in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria, and KwaZulu-Natal, and serves as the auctioneer for the flagship annual Cape Winemakers Guild Auction.

Product overview

Strauss & Co is a fine art auction house and art advisory firm operating primarily in South Africa. The company's core product offering consists of live virtual auctions and timed online auctions across multiple collecting categories including modern and contemporary art, South African art, jewellery, watches, ceramics, decorative arts, collectibles, silver, furniture, and wine. The auction platform is complemented by private sales services, expert art valuations conducted monthly in major cities, and the Cape Winemakers Guild Auction — a flagship annual event showcasing rare South African wines that has achieved white glove sales. The company also offers the Cape Winemakers Guild Online Protégé Auction supporting winemaking talent development. Additional services include an Art Club membership programme, gift vouchers, and shipping/logistics support for collectables. The Wine Department specializes in fine wine auctions with strategic partnerships with Wine Cellar and individual wine experts. The company operates departments for Art, Decorative Arts and Design, Jewellery, Ceramics, Wine, Operations, Finance, Technology, and Marketing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Virtual Auctions Real-time auction events conducted virtually where bidders participate remotely, with auctioneers facilitating sales and bidders able to place bids via telephone or absentee bidding.
• Timed Online Auctions Online-only auctions where lots close at specified times and bidders compete by placing bids during an extended bidding period, without a live auctioneer.
• Private Sales Discreet off-auction transactions connecting buyers and sellers of art, aligning specific artworks with collectors' wishlists without public auction exposure.
• Art Valuations Expert confidential appraisals conducted monthly by art specialists in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria, and KwaZulu-Natal for fine art, wine, jewellery, and collectibles.
• Cape Winemakers Guild Auction Annual flagship auction showcasing rare and unique wines produced in small quantities exclusively for the auction by members of the Cape Winemakers Guild.
• Cape Winemakers Guild Online Protégé Auction Virtual auction featuring unique collections, rare verticals, tasting experiences with Guild members, and wines made by graduating Protégés from the skills development programme.
• Wine Department Services Fine wine auctions and specialist services covering cultivation, storage, marketing, and sale of fine wines, with focus on South African wines.
• Art Club Membership programme providing education, engagement with art collecting, exclusive benefits, and early access to auctions for art enthusiasts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Annual Cape Winemakers Guild Auction consistently achieves 'white glove' (100%) sell-through rate
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cape Winemakers GuildcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1985Strauss & Co has been the facilitator of the annual Cape Winemakers Guild Auction since its inception in 1985. This flagship partnership showcases rare and unique wines produced exclusively for the auction by Guild members. The partnership has achieved consistent 'white glove' (100%) sell-through rates, with 545 lots sold in 2024 and 1,912 cases sold in 2025.
• Wine CellarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWine Cellar co-founded Strauss & Co Fine Wine Auctions in 2019 with Higgo Jacobs, formalizing a secondary market for South Africa's fine wines. Wine Cellar, now Brice & Burnett, partners with Strauss & Co to provide expertise and access to fine wine collectors.
• NedbankminorOthersNedbank serves as the title sponsor for the Cape Winemakers Guild Auction (Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction), providing branding and financial support for the annual wine auction event.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/strauss_and_co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Strauss & Co