Our Story

Finarte was founded in 1959, by the Milanese banker Gian Marco Manusardi, to assist collectors in sales and acquisitions. The auction house focused, immediately, on specialised auctions, from old masters’ paintings to contemporary art, from silver to jewellery, from numismatics to porcelains and the other main collecting sectors. Within a few years, Finarte became the […]

Finarte was founded in 1959, by the Milanese banker Gian Marco Manusardi, to assist collectors in sales and acquisitions.

The auction house focused, immediately, on specialised auctions, from old masters’ paintings to contemporary art, from silver to jewellery, from numismatics to porcelains and the other main collecting sectors.

Within a few years, Finarte became the leader of the Italian art market. By the end of the ’60s, it held around 15 auctions per year. The number duplicated in the ’70s. Finarte was overgrowing, and, in 1972, it launched a new auctions’ venue in Rome. A second venue also opened in Milan in 1981.

In 1986 after a share capital increase, the company grew from 8 billion to 42,5 billion. In 1989, Finarte declared a sales volume of about 150 billion – achieving its most impressive result. In 1993 Finarte opened a new venue in London.

In March 1997, its 35th anniversary, Finarte held its 1000th auction. Two years later Finarte launched the website.

In the year 2000 Finarte published its first online catalogue and started selling artworks online. On 10th of April 2001, Casimiro Porro is re-elected for the third time as President of A.N.C.A. (Associazione Nazionale Case d’Aste).

Thanks to its long and illustrious history, Finarte embraced every aspect of collecting and gained invaluable experience.