Christie's said it would not follow suit. But don't let the pox on these two houses scare you off online auctions. The two auction worlds hardly intersect. In contrast to the high-profile art and celebrity memorabilia sales by the estates of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis or Marilyn Monroe, few people will buy truly valuable works of art online. High-ticket auction items need to be examined by the buyer to gauge their quality and condition.
Online auctions are more like country livestock sale-fests.
Whatever your hobby, you'll be able to find an auction that caters to your interest. There's also a community feeling, with hundreds, or thousands, of fellow pack rats engaged in bidding. And don't forget the idea of shopping as sport. Auction enthusiasts will tell you there's little to compare with the excitement of placing the winning, or high bid on a particularly rare tchotchke. Online auctions are even changing language.