The strength of the Livebid Index lies in precise data analytics. Thanks to years of maintaining an auction archive and overseeing sales from all major auction entities, we are uniquely able to provide a comprehensive view of the development of the domestic auction environment.

"Every year, market size reports emerge based on incomplete data. It is evident from the results of all auctions on Livebid that the reported figures are inaccurate. Therefore, we decided to prepare a report based on real data from the broadest, transparently presented sources," states the main motivation of Livebid founder Martin Semerád.

Objective market mapping helps auction houses, gallery owners, and collectors while revealing the actual market size. This is the long-term goal of the Livebid platform.

Turnover fell by 17 percent to 2,466 million

Livebid Index 2023 includes all segments of artistic and historical items that appeared in hall auctions and online auctions last year. The total sales turnover in 2023 reached 2,466 million CZK, which is 17.3% less compared to 2022, which exceeded this amount by 516 million CZK. Despite this decrease in total turnover, the success rate of sales fell only by 4%. In 2022, out of nearly 95,000 items offered, 69% were sold, and in 2023, with the number of items offered increasing to 117,000, sales hovered around 65%.

Hall auctions are emptying, online sales hold their position

Despite post-pandemic predictions, the importance of online auctions continues to grow. Of the total sum last year, 825 million CZK was traded through online auctions, roughly a third of all sales. This ratio was very similar to 2022 when items were sold for 2,055 million CZK at hall auctions and 927 million CZK online. However, if we look at the results of auctions that occur simultaneously online and at the hall, we find that the representation of online sales reaches really high. At hall auctions, which could be attended online through our platform, 65.5% of items were sold through Livebid. These figures show that even after the end of the pandemic period, which accelerated the shift to online auctions, a large percentage of bidders have moved to the online space long-term, and their number is still increasing. Just on the Livebid platform, over 4,000 new collectors registered in 2023.

The future is in fine art

Fine art still maintains a very strong position among collectors since the pivotal year 2021. Although compared to 2022, the art turnover in auctions fell by 5.5%, in 2023, artistic works represented almost 80% of total turnover (see graph Representation of art in the market). This segment also shows the increasing popularity of online auctions. In 2023, of the total number of sold art items (25,629 items), an incredible 79% were purchased online. In the context of 2022, when online sales accounted for 69.5%, it can be assumed that this is a long-term, upward trend.

Toyen surpassed Filla, Šíma, and Kupka

At the top of auction sales in 2023 remained Czech art of the 20th century. The first place was taken by Marie Čermínová (Toyen), whose painting Monte Carlo reached nearly 65 million CZK, making it the most expensive work sold over the past year. Toyen also won in the total sum of sales (almost 156 million CZK). Along with Emil Filla, the second most expensively sold author, they were the only ones to exceed the 100 million CZK mark. For Josef Šíma, Václav Špála, and František Kupka, who occupied the next three places in the rankings, the total sums ranged from 70 to 50 million CZK. The top ten then also featured Karel Černý, František Muzika, Václav Radimský, Josef Čapek, and Josef Lada.

Looking further at the ranking of the most expensively sold authors, besides Toyen (284 items), František Kupka (259 items) predominated in the number of sold items. Emil Filla, Josef Čapek, Václav Špála, and Josef Lada each surpassed 100 sold items. Significant attention is warranted for the French author Jean Gorin, who entered the top 15 most expensively sold artists as the only foreign author, with just one piece (Composition No. 3 based on an equilateral triangle) sold for nearly 19,700,000 CZK.

Searching for Anderle, Jambor, and Zoubek

An interesting comparison with the most expensively sold artists are the results of the most searched-for authors on the Livebid platform, where Toyen ranked sixth (1,490 searches).

In the ranking of authors with the highest number of searches, she was overtaken by, for example, Jiří Anderle (2,404 searches), Josef Jambor, Olbram Zoubek, or František Emler, who did not appear at all in the list of most expensively sold authors. The ranking of the most searched-for authors is a good indicator of the interest of collectors with different selection criteria for works and can point to authors with potential.