From December 11 to 17, 2025, a busy schedule of luxury auctions enlivens Milan, Rome, Florence, Turin, and the main international capitals with high-end sales.
What are the main events in Italy from December 11?
In the Italian market, the week of December 11-17, 2025, represents the final sprint before the Christmas break, with a tight succession of thematic sales dedicated to collectors and investors.
On Thursday, December 11, the national calendar opens with a particularly dense day. In Milan, the auction house Wannenes offers The Wine & Spirits Vintage Auction, a perfect sale for the holidays, dedicated to fine wines and collectible spirits.
On the same day, in Sarzana, Finarte brings to auction a historical collection with the sale Important Ancient Arms, Armor, Orders & Militaria, entirely focused on ancient weapons, armor, honors, and militaria.
Also on December 11, the house Cambi inaugurates the week with two significant catalogs, Sculpture and Art Objects, alongside the first session dedicated to Old Drawings and Paintings, which brings together museum-quality ancient drawings and paintings.
What does the calendar offer between design, philately, and sports memorabilia?
On Friday, December 12, the focus shifts to design and curious objects. Cambi returns to the spotlight with its anticipated Design auction, a reference event for 20th-century furniture and accessories.
On the same date, Wannenes opens a specific space for philatelists with the web-live sale Philately, while Bolaffi dedicates the auction to sports memorabilia, with a catalog of Sport Memorabilia that taps into a constantly growing collector segment.
How is the week structured between antiques, paper, and oriental art?
After the weekend break, on Monday, December 15, the program resumes with events focused on antiques and material culture. In Florence, Pandolfini opens the halls of its palace for the auction Furniture, Art Objects and Majolica, a classic for lovers of antique furniture and historical majolica.
In parallel, in Rome, Finarte presents the refined sale IN CARTA – Christmas Special / Antique Books, Autographs and Prints, designed for bibliophiles and collectors of ancient books, autographs, and prints.
Meanwhile, in Turin, Bolaffi is on the calendar with the auction Oriental Art, dedicated to the arts of the Far East and their historical productions. This geographical distribution makes the national market particularly dynamic.
On Tuesday, December 16, the baton passes again to Milan, where Wannenes offers a selection of Asian Art with an exotic touch, while Cambi focuses attention on Fashion Vintage, with signed vintage clothing and accessories aimed at the audience interested in retro luxury.
The Italian luxury auction calendar for December
The Italian scene concludes on Wednesday, December 17, under the sign of male collectibles and contemporary art. Cambi organizes the sale dedicated to Wristwatches, a catalog centered on collectible wristwatches, one of the most vibrant sectors of the market.
On the same day, Bolaffi brings to auction Rare Books and Autographs, reaffirming the central role of the book and the autograph document in the collecting culture. In Milan, Wannenes closes its week with the auction of Modern and Contemporary Art, the last opportunity to acquire modern and contemporary art pieces before the end of the year.
What are the focuses of the major international houses?
On the international front, the period from December 11-17 is equally intense: the major houses in New York, London, Paris, and Vienna close their respective seasons with targeted sales that embrace design, jewelry, watches, and decorative arts.
On Thursday, December 11, for enthusiasts of art glass and design, the date is to be marked in red. In New York, Christie’s presents the sale Les Stern: une famille de collectionneurs, focused on a prestigious private collection.
In response, also in New York, Sotheby’s organizes the thematic sale Dreaming in Glass, confirming the strong international interest in the American master of artistic glass, ideally putting the two competing offers in dialogue.
On the same day, Bonhams is active in multiple locations: in London with London Jewels, a catalog dedicated to jewels and precious stones, and in Paris with Arts d’Asie, a refined selection of Asian arts. In Vienna, the house Dorotheum kicks off its pre-Christmas marathon with two specialized auctions, Watches and men’s accessories and Stamps.
Also on December 11, the Swiss house Piguet concludes its cycle of Jewelry auctions. On the same date, the sales High Jewelry – Watches and Accessories and A Century of Jewelry and Accessories also come to an end, completing the offering dedicated to high jewelry and luxury accessories.
What is the role of mid-week luxury auctions?
On Friday, December 12, gems and luxury goods take center stage. In Vienna, Dorotheum offers the brilliant auction Diamonds Only, entirely focused on diamonds, followed by the Silver sale, reserved for silverware.
Additionally, the closure of the exclusive online auction by Sotheby’s dedicated to motors, RM Sotheby’s Sealed, is noteworthy, a digital format that combines confidentiality and focus on high-end vehicles and automotive objects.
How does Dorotheum continue between graphics, photography, and Jugendstil?
On Monday, December 15, Dorotheum continues to dominate the European scene with two events dedicated to art on paper: Modern and Contemporary Prints and Photographic Treasures, both ideal for those seeking accessible works signed by great masters.
On Tuesday, December 16, still in Vienna, the atmosphere becomes fin de siècle with the auction Jugendstil & 20th Century Arts & Crafts, considered an absolute reference for European Art Nouveau and the applied arts of the early 20th century.
Overseas, in New York, Christie’s concludes on the same day the online sale First Open | Post-War & Contemporary Art, often fertile ground for new talents and unexpected results compared to initial estimates.
How does the international luxury auction week conclude?
The international week concludes on Wednesday, December 17, again in Vienna, where Dorotheum seals the season with its main auction of Modern and Contemporary Art, dedicated to painting and the arts of the 20th and 21st centuries.
In London, Christie’s bids farewell to 2025 with the auction Studio 1766, a format that mixes artworks and eclectic objects, reflecting an increasingly marked trend at the intersection of art, design, and collecting.
An emblematic work between ancient drawing and the market
In closing, the image of Antonio d’Enrico known as Tanzio da Varallo, Study of a Young Man, black pencil on gray-blue prepared paper, 92 x 160 mm, proposed by Cambi, stands out. This work exemplifies the bridge between ancient drawing and the current market demand.
Overall, this intense sequence of auctions during the week of December 11 to 17, 2025, offers a cross-sectional overview ranging from rare wines to decorative arts, from historical weapons to contemporary art, outlining a lively year-end for the auction sales system.
As expert in digital marketing, Amelia began working in the fintech sector in 2014 after writing her thesis on Bitcoin technology. Previously author for several international crypto-related magazines and CMO at Eidoo. She is now the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Cryptonomist and Econique.
She is also a marketing teacher at Digital Coach in Milan and she published a book about NFTs for the Italian publishing house Mondadori, while she is also helping artists and company to entering in the sector. As advisor, Amelia is also involved in metaverse-related project such as The Nemesis and OVER.
