Editor’s Note
This week’s auctions in Rome, Florence, Turin, and other global capitals present a final, concentrated opportunity for collectors and investors before the year’s end, featuring a diverse range of art, design, and luxury collectibles.
From December 11 to 17, Rome, Florence, Turin, and major international capitals host luxury auctions of ancient and modern art, design, jewelry, watches, and collectibles, offering unique opportunities for investors and enthusiasts.
The week of December 11-17, 2025, marks the final sprint for the art and collectibles market before the Christmas break. Below is a review of the unmissable appointments, starting with Italian auction houses and then expanding to the international scene.
The national calendar opens on Thursday, December 11, with a day full of events. In Milan, the auction house Wannenes proposes a perfect holiday sale, The Wine & Spirits Vintage Auction, dedicated to fine wines and collectible spirits. On the same day, Finarte takes center stage at its Sarzana venue, presenting a historical collection with the auction Important Ancient Arms, Armour, Orders & Militaria. Cambi Casa d’Aste also kicks off the week on December 11 with two very important catalogs: Sculpture and Art Objects and the first round dedicated to Old Master Drawings and Paintings.
On Friday, December 12, the focus shifts to modern art and curiosities. Cambi returns with its highly anticipated Design auction. Also on December 12, Wannenes dedicates space to philatelists with its live online Philately sale, while Bolaffi dedicates its auction to Sports Memorabilia.
After the weekend break, the week resumes on Monday, December 15 with appointments dedicated to antiques and culture. Pandolfini opens the doors of its Florentine palace for the auction of Furniture, Art Objects, and Maiolica, a classic for lovers of antique furniture. Simultaneously, in Rome, Finarte offers a refined sale titled IN CARTA – Speciale Natale / Libri Antichi, Autografi e Stampe, perfect for bibliophiles, while Bolaffi is present in Turin with Oriental Art. On Tuesday, December 16, Wannenes presents exotic Asian Art in Milan, while Cambi is active with Vintage Fashion.
The Italian auction scene concludes on Wednesday, December 17 under the sign of male collectibles and contemporary art. Cambi proposes its Wristwatches sale. Finally, Bolaffi offers Rare Books and Autographs, while Wannenes concludes its Milanese week with its Modern and Contemporary Art auction, a final chance to acquire artworks before year-end.
On the international front, the week of December 11-17 is also bustling, with major houses closing their seasons in New York, London, and Paris.
Thursday, December 11 is a date to mark in red for lovers of art glass and design. Both Christie’s and Sotheby’s challenge each other in New York in this field: Christie’s presents Les Stern: une famille de collectionneurs, while Sotheby’s responds with a sale of the same name and theme, Dreaming in Glass, confirming the great interest in the American master. Also on December 11, Bonhams intervenes in several markets: in London with London Jewels and in Paris with the refined Arts d’Asie. In Vienna, the giant Dorotheum begins its pre-Christmas marathon with two specialized auctions: Watches and Men’s Accessories and Stamps. On the same day, Piguet concluded its Jewelry auctions. Also closing on the same day are the auctions High Jewelry – Watches and Accessories and A Century of Jewelry and Accessories.
On Friday, December 12, the focus is on gemstones and luxury items. Dorotheum offers the brilliant Diamonds Only auction in Vienna, followed by Silver. Also noteworthy is the closing of Sotheby’s exclusive online auction dedicated to motors, RM Sotheby’s Sealed.
On Monday, December 15, Dorotheum continued to dominate the European scene with two events dedicated to works on paper: Modern and Contemporary Prints and the Photographic Treasures sale, ideal for those seeking affordable masterpieces.
On Tuesday, December 16, a fin-de-siècle air was felt in Vienna, where Dorotheum presented the Jugendstil & 20th Century Arts & Crafts auction, an absolute reference for European Art Nouveau. Abroad, Christie’s concluded in New York its First Open Sale of Contemporary and Post-War Art, often a seedbed for new talents and unexpected records. The international week closes on Wednesday, December 17 again in Vienna, where Dorotheum puts the finishing touch on the season with its main Modern and Contemporary Art sale, while in London, Christie’s bids farewell to 2025 with its Studio 1766 auction, a format that mixes art and eclectic objects.
