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Auction House Profile

Saffronart

Auction House

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Saffronart auction house
Saffronart — auction house profile image.

Auction Highlight

The Story Teller
Amrita Sher-Gil, The Story Teller, 1937. Oil on canvas. Sold for ₹61.8 crore (US$7.45 million) at Saffronart, 16 September 2023.

The Story Teller

Amrita Sher-Gil's The Story Teller (1937) achieved ₹61.8 crore (US$7.45 million) at Saffronart's Evening Sale: Modern Art on 16 September 2023, becoming one of the most important auction results in Indian art and a landmark sale for Saffronart.

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Fine art sales

0

Specialist sales

1

Founded

Unknown

Last sync

19 Aug, 12:02 pm

Overview

Saffronart is India's leading fine art auction house and the country's first online art auction platform, founded in Mumbai in 2000 by Dinesh and Minal Vazirani. Established to bring greater transparency and accessibility to the Indian art market, Saffronart pioneered online fine art auctions at a time when digital bidding was still largely untested. Over the past two decades the company has played a central role in the international recognition of modern and contemporary Indian art, expanding into live auctions, jewellery, antiquities and collectibles while establishing numerous auction records for South Asian artists. Today Saffronart serves collectors in India and around the world through its online platform, live sales and private transactions.

Auction Calendar

GCR continuously monitors public auction calendars published by leading auction houses around the world. Upcoming fine art and collectable sales are presented first, followed by other public auctions conducted by the same institution.

Upcoming Fine Art Auctions

No upcoming sales recorded.

Specialist & Collectable Auctions (1)

Broader specialist, collectable, estate and mixed-category auctions that may include culturally significant material beyond the main fine art departments.

19 Aug 2026

Bid Now

upcoming · INR · India

Saleroom

Saffronart saleroom
Saffronart saleroom or auction interior.

Locations

Mumbai

India

Headquarters and flagship gallery

New Delhi

India

Office and live auction venue

London

United Kingdom

International representative office

New York

United States

International representative office

Timeline

2000

Dinesh and Minal Vazirani found Saffronart in Mumbai as India's first online art auction house.

2003

After facing a difficult early market, the company survives and continues building India's online art market.

2005

Saffronart becomes the subject of a Harvard Business School case study recognising its pioneering digital auction model.

2008

The company expands beyond fine art with its first Fine Jewels & Watches auction.

2009

Saffronart launches one of the world's earliest mobile auction applications.

2011

Indian antiquities auctions are introduced.

2013

Live physical auctions begin alongside the online platform, and StoryLTD is launched for collectibles.

2018

The company celebrates its 200th auction.

2021

V.S. Gaitonde's Untitled establishes a world auction record for an Indian artwork at the time.

2023

Amrita Sher-Gil's The Story Teller becomes the most valuable Indian artwork sold at auction at the time.

2025

Saffronart's 25th Anniversary sales establish new records for South Asian art auctions, including a new world record for V.S. Gaitonde.

Market Notes

Founded in 2000, Saffronart was India's first online fine art auction house.
The company pioneered transparent online pricing in the Indian art market at a time when auction information was difficult to access.
Saffronart became the subject of a Harvard Business School case study for its innovative digital auction model.
The auction house has established numerous world auction records for leading Indian artists including V.S. Gaitonde, Amrita Sher-Gil and Tyeb Mehta.
Saffronart helped transform the international market for modern and contemporary Indian art.
The company was among the first auction houses worldwide to introduce mobile bidding applications.
StoryLTD, launched in 2013, expanded the company's activities into collectibles and design.
Past auction catalogues and artist auction results are publicly accessible, providing an important research resource for South Asian art.

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