Trovaval combines the excitement of auctions with the fairness of private bidding. Decide what an artwork is worth to you and bid accordingly — without being influenced by other bidders.
Browse unique artworks from galleries, artists and private collectors. Each artwork can be offered through its own private auction.
Purchase a participation to submit a bid. Your bid is completely private and other participants never see the amount you have entered.
Enter the amount you are willing to pay for the artwork. You can also submit a €0 bid if you do not currently wish to make a positive offer. A €0 bid allows you to participate in the auction and receive the option to reveal the winning bid amount when the auction ends.
You can change your bid at any time while the auction is open. A change of bid requires a new Participation Credit. This allows you to reconsider your valuation without being locked into your previous decision.
You can withdraw your bid at any time by changing it to €0. Withdrawal is always possible while the auction is open. If you later want to submit a new positive bid, you can do so using a new Participation Credit.
Bid amounts are never published. Participants cannot see the amounts submitted by any other bidder, nor any information about other participants. The seller sees only the value of the current highest valid bid while the auction is running. This keeps all bidding private and prevents a public bidding war.
The auction remains open until its defined closing condition is met. Depending on the auction mode chosen by the seller, the auction may close at a scheduled time or after a predefined number of bids or active bidders has been reached. Once the auction has ended, no further bids or changes can be made.
When the auction ends, the highest valid bid determines the successful buyer. Both the buyer and the seller receive each other's contact details so that they can complete the transaction directly. Trovaval is not involved in payment, shipping or the purchase contract.
If your bid is not successful, you decide what happens to your Participation Credit.
You may choose one of these two options. If you choose to reveal the winning bid, the Participation Credit is forfeited. The winning amount may be disclosed, but the identity of the buyer remains confidential.
A Participation Credit is required to submit a bid. The participation requirement helps discourage fake and speculative bidding while giving participants the freedom to reconsider or withdraw their bids.
Artworks may also be displayed in galleries, fairs and exhibitions. If an artwork is sold directly, the seller must report the sale through Trovaval, which ends the auction. The seller must respect the current highest valid bid when completing the direct sale. The direct sale is completed between the seller and buyer.
Private bidding removes the pressure of competing against visible bids. Instead of reacting to other participants, everyone independently decides what the artwork is worth to them. The highest valid bid wins when the auction closes.