Artnet recently launched an online art auction (still in beta mode), featuring photography, prints, works on paper, sculpture, and paintings. At a glance there were several hundred works posted, and there's info on the home page for art dealers on how to become an authorized Artnet seller. The site is straightforward and seems to work much like any online auction -- place a bid (U.S. dollars or euros) or just add to your watch list. There are starting bids, estimates, and end times. While the site is just getting started, I bet that with people shopping more and more from home (saving gas), even shopping online for art will become commonplace.

The online market in high-end modern and contemporary furniture in design is really heating up.. A couple of months ago I mentioned that Christie's rebranded its House Sales as Christie's Interiors to help decorators, collectors and newcomers acquire one-of-a-kind objects and collectibles. Another antiques and design site, 1st Dibs also helps people access a world full of vintage design finds without combing through antique stores.

The latest entry into the market is Artnet's Design Marketplace which shows furniture and decorative art from over 150 galleries in 75 countries. The site shows over 3,000 works for sale from over 1,000 renowned designers including Carlo Mollino, Isamu Noguchi, Jean Royère, Marc Newson and Zaha Hadid, among many others. You can search by designer, object type, style/period, price and location of the item. The prices range from a couple hundred dollars for a vase to pieces like this "room-within-a-room" inspired by a traditional Dutch bedstee by designer Hella Jongerius. The walls and cupboards of Jongerius's Bedstee are loosely upholstered and there is also a soft sculpture of a candleholder. The piece is being sold through NY shop Moss and sells for $80,000.

[via Dexigner]