What Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers does

Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers is a privately held, full-service fine art and antiques auction house founded in 1830 and headquartered in the historic Bradford-Martin Building at 555 Washington Avenue, Suite 129, St. Louis, Missouri. With a core team of approximately 8 staff plus a nationwide network of constituent specialists, the firm runs live auctions across nine specialized departments: Fine Art, Modern & Contemporary Art, Asian Art & Antiques, Jewelry, Furniture, Mid-Century Modern Furniture & Decorative Arts, Rugs, Toys/Comics/Memorabilia, and Advertising & Collectibles. It serves a horizontal mix of individual collectors, families managing estates, museums and cultural institutions, and trust/estate/probate professionals, offering complimentary auction evaluations, formal USPAP-compliant written appraisals, consignment services, and international catalog distribution. Notable specialty transactions include the Picture Cave (a Native American polychrome two-cave system with 43 surrounding acres) sold for $2,200,000 USD and individual lots ranging up to $312,500 (Ansel Adams) and $120,000 (Picasso).

The technology stack is built on the Invaluable Connect platform for auction catalog management and online bidding infrastructure, with native iOS and Android mobile apps, a real-time Live Bidding Console with live streaming, WeTransfer integration for large image uploads, Google reCAPTCHA for form protection, and digital catalog distribution through Issuu. Bidders can participate in-person at the St. Louis gallery, by phone, by absentee bid, or online through Selkirk's proprietary website or third-party platforms Invaluable and Liveauctioneers. The website supports nine languages (English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, and both simplified and traditional Chinese), reflecting international bidder reach.

Selkirk generates revenue from three streams: (1) buyer's premiums on auction sales (25% on the first $1M of hammer, 20% above $1M, 15% above $5M, with an additional 5% premium for bids placed via the website or Invaluable and 2% via Liveauctioneers), (2) seller commissions on consignments, and (3) hourly/specialist-based fees for written appraisals (kept separate from complimentary auction evaluations). The go-to-market motion is multi-channel, combining direct-to-consumer consignment outreach, enterprise-level relationships with museums and fiduciaries, and global bidder acquisition through online platforms and international publications. The firm holds BBB accreditation and is led by Executive Director Haley Bujard, Principal Auctioneer Terry Beye, and Director of Appraisals Paul Oligschlaeger (CAGA-certified, USPAP-compliant).

Name

Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers

Legal name

Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers

Website

https://selkirkauctions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1830

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers is a privately held fine art and antiques auction house founded in 1830 in St. Louis, Missouri, serving individual collectors, families, museums, and estate/probate professionals with live auctions, USPAP-compliant appraisals, and consignment services across nine specialized departments via in-person, online, and mobile channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fine Art & Antiques Auction Services

NAICS

Offices of Real Estate Appraisers (53132)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Estate Jewelry & Collection Liquidation Services (CRAKAKAJ)

Keywords

• Fine art auctions
• Antique appraisals
• Collectibles auctioneers
• Estate liquidation services
• USPAP appraisal services

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Auction Commissions (Buyer's Premium): Selkirk charges a buyer's premium on all auction sales. For in-person, absentee and phone bids: 25% up to $1 million, 20% above $1 million, and 15% above $5 million. Online bids carry an additional 5% premium through their website/Invaluable or 2% through Liveauctioneers.
2. Seller Commissions: Revenue generated from consignors selling items through the auction house, typically a percentage of the final sale price.
3. Appraisal Services: Professional written appraisals and consulting services on objects, collections, or estates. Cost based on hours devoted, number of specialists required, and travel expenses. Separate from auction evaluations which are complimentary.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers operates as a full-service fine art and antiques auction firm conducting live auctions across nine specialized departments including Fine Art, Modern & Contemporary Art, Asian Art, Jewelry, Furniture, Mid-Century Modern, Rugs, and Collectibles. The firm accepts consignments of single luxury items or entire collections, provides complimentary auction evaluations, and offers paid professional written appraisals for insurance, estate, divorce, and probate purposes. Bidders can participate in-person at the St. Louis gallery or remotely via phone, absentee, online through the company website, or through third-party platforms such as Invaluable and Liveauctioneers.

Product overview

Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers operates as a full-service fine art and antiques auction firm with a unified platform centered on live auction services. The core offering comprises live auction bidding (in-person, absentee, phone, and online), supported by complementary services including professional appraisals, consignment programs, and auction publications/catalogs. A mobile app extends bidding access to iOS and Android devices. The firm organizes auctions across specialized departments including Fine Art, Modern & Contemporary Art, Asian Art, Jewelry, Furniture, Mid-Century Modern, Rugs, Toys/Collectibles, and Advertising categories. Notable specialty sales include the Picture Cave auction of Native American artifacts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fine Art & Antiques Live Auction Services Full-service live auction services for fine art, antiques, jewelry, furniture, and collectibles. Bidders can participate in-person at the St. Louis gallery, by absentee bid, by phone, or online through the firm's website and partner platforms (Invaluable and Liveauctioneers). Conducted across nine specialized departments with dedicated specialists.
• Professional Appraisal Services Written appraisals and consulting services for objects, collections, or estates, covering insurance, divorce, charitable contribution, inheritance, estate planning, and corporate needs. Conducted by Paul Oligschlaeger, Director of Appraisals, who is a CAGA-certified and USPAP-compliant appraiser. Cost based on hours devoted, specialists required, and travel expenses.
• Consignment Services Sell-with-Selkirk consignment service enabling individuals, families, museums, and estate professionals to consign luxury items or entire collections for auction. Includes complimentary confidential auction evaluations and proposals, with categories spanning fine art, antiques, jewelry, furniture, and collectibles.
• Auction Publications and Catalogs Professional catalogs and brochures featuring research, photography, and marketing materials for consignments, distributed internationally through digital and print channels via the Issuu platform. Includes annual and thematic auction publications.
• Selkirk Mobile App (iOS/Android) iOS and Android mobile application enabling users to browse upcoming and past auctions, access Selkirk accounts, register for bidding, save favorite lots, and receive auction reminders via calendar integration.
• Payment and Shipping Services Post-auction services including payment processing (cash, checks, credit cards, wire transfers), in-house and third-party shipping coordination, and pickup scheduling at the downtown St. Louis gallery.

Quantifiable outcome

• Picture Cave sold for $2,200,000 USD (estimated at $1,000,000-$3,000,000)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Dielmann Sotheby's International RealtyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 August 2021Dielmann Sotheby's International Realty, St. Louis, serves as the broker for pre-auction offers on the Picture Cave property. Executive Director Bryan Laughlin and Realtor and Auctioneer Amelia Jeffers coordinate with the realty firm for pre-sale negotiations on this specific auction.
• InvaluablecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party online bidding platform providing access to their global network of bidders. Additional 5% buyer's premium applies for bids placed through this platform.
• LiveauctioneerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party online bidding platform providing access to their global bidder network. Additional 2% buyer's premium applies for bids placed through this platform.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cowan's Auctions: Cowan's is a Cincinnati-based auction house with a comparable Midwest footprint, covering fine art, antiques, Native American art, and decorative arts — directly overlapping Selkirk's category mix and estate-services focus.
• Leland Little Auctions: Leland Little Auctions is a North Carolina-based regional auction house covering fine art, antiques, jewelry, and decorative arts with a similar mid-tier market position, multi-channel bidding infrastructure, and estate-services focus.
• Hindman: Hindman (formerly Leslie Hindman Auctioneers) is a Chicago-based fine art and luxury auction house with similar regional positioning, comparable category breadth (fine art, jewelry, decorative arts, Asian art), and a comparable mix of live, online, and appraisal services.
• Heritage Auctions: Heritage Auctions is the largest US-based collectibles auction house, operating across fine art, antiques, jewelry, Native American art, and rare collectibles — the same broad category footprint as Selkirk. Both firms target estate sellers, museums, and private collectors with a multi-channel auction platform.
• Weschler's Auctioneers: Weschler's is a Washington, DC-based auction house with a comparable mix of fine art, antiques, and estate services, targeting similar collectors and estate professionals in the regional auction segment.
• Skinner Auctioneers: Skinner is a New England-based auction house covering fine art, antiques, jewelry, and decorative arts with a similar mid-tier market position. Both firms offer multi-channel bidding, written appraisals, and broad consignor services targeting estate and collector sellers.
• Brunk Auctions: Brunk Auctions is an Asheville, NC-based full-service auction house covering fine art, antiques, jewelry, and decorative arts with similar multi-channel bidding and estate-services emphasis — a closely comparable regional competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Bonhams: Bonhams is a global auction house with significant US operations (including the acquired Skinner business), competing across fine art, jewelry, and decorative arts categories that overlap with Selkirk's departments, but at a much larger scale and global bidder reach.
• Christie's: Christie's is one of the two leading global luxury auction houses, competing with Selkirk in fine art, Asian art, jewelry, and decorative arts. While it does not target the same mid-market estate segment, it competes for trophy consignments that Selkirk would otherwise pursue.
• Sotheby's: Sotheby's is the world's largest fine art and luxury auction house, competing across virtually every category Selkirk covers (fine art, jewelry, Asian art, decorative arts). It serves as the upper bound of competitive pressure for premium consignments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/selkirk1830
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/selkirk-auctioneers-&-appraisers
• Instagraminstagram.com/selkirkauctions

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers