[thingist] auctionthing

[w]

after two years in the making we are getting ready to launch
auctionthing at <http://auctionthing.net>.

the idea came to me more than two years ago when i wanted to buy an
armleder print in berlin, but didn't have the necessary cash to do so.  
i did have this armleder multiple sitting in my place in nyc
<https://auctionthing.net/109/John-M-Armleder--Caprice>, but i had no
idea how i could sell the bowling ball and get the print instead.  so i
thought, why not create some liquidity for this market?  we all have
prints, multiples, photographs and stuff sitting around, but they are
really hard to sell when you want to.  auctionthing is here to solve
this problem.  don't get me wrong, i love my collection, but sometimes
you just want to consolidate, get something new or just make room in
your apartment.  

at THE THING we pioneered online art auctions.  the first one occurred
in 1999 <http://auction99.thing.net> and actually some pieces that
didn't sell back then made their way back into the new iteration.  the
difference is that the new site will stay open for business all year
round, and you can become a seller too.  if you are interested send me
an email or request an invitation code on the site after you register
there.

we are also looking for people who want to offer their whole collection
or curators who want to put a show together under its own heading.  art
spaces can talk to us about setting up their online benefit auctions, we
just did one for whitebox earlier this month.  

auctionthing charges a 10% commission from the seller after a
transaction has taken place.  there are no membership fees, no placement
fees and no buyer premiums.  at least not at this time.

ten to twenty percent of the proceeds from the commissions will go
towards funding independent art and media projects, things like THE
THING @ WHITE SLAB PALACE tonight: http://post.thing.net/node/3271

what you can do is to spread the word among other art junkies and help
generate some buzz for this project.  this is just the beginning of THE
THING RELOADED.  more soon...

wolfgang