NEW YORK, NY.- nft now x Christie’s x OpenSea, the auction house’s first on-chain sale hosted on OpenSea.io, closed December 7, achieving a total of 843 ETH (US$3.6 million) The sale was comprised of a group of NFTs curated by leading NFT digital media platform nft now, Christie’s Head of Digital and Online Sales Noah Davis, and crypto collector and curator Ronnie Pirovino. A select number of highlights from the sale were exhibited on December 2 and 3 at “The Gateway” the nft now x Christie’s-hosted showcase during Art Basel Miami which stood as a celebration of a new era of NFT innovation. nft now is now the first digital media publication in history to co-curate a major auction house sale.
This sale is historically significant as Christie’s first on-chain auction, meaning the bidding, payment and transfer process took place on the Ethereum blockchain via NFT platform OpenSea. In contrast, previous major auction house NFT sales were conducted off-chain via traditional online interfaces and escrow services. On-chain auctions offer the benefits of decentralization, security and transparency, as every bid is public and immutably recorded on the blockchain.
The top lot of the sale was CyberKong #201, selling for 185 ETH (US$793,439). CyberKong #46 also saw successful results, totaling 96.6 ETH (US$414,304). Proceeds from the sale of the two CyberKongz will be donated to benefit Virunga National Park. Additional sale highlights included fRiENDSiES 00001 by artist Friends With You, which sold for 96.9 ETH (US$415,591) and 3LAU’s WAVEFORM – powered by Royal – totaling 77 ETH (US$330,242). The sale of this 1/1 song granted 100% of its rights to the buyer.
“In curating this historic auction with Christie’s, we sought to bring the worlds of traditional art and NFTs together with leading trailblazers and fresh faces alike,” said Matt Medved, nft now co-founder and CEO. “We are thrilled by the sales results, excited for the artists, and inspired that so many share our vision for a future where both worlds coexist in creative harmony.”
Alejandro Navia, nft now co-founder and president commented, “This auction was historic for many reasons. In addition to being Christie’s first on-chain auction, nft now is the first digital media company in history to co-curate a major auction house sale. We are incredibly grateful to the artists, the collectors, and our community for all the love and support they have shown us. For generations to come, we will look back at how forward-looking this moment was.”
Noah Davis, Christie’s Specialist and Head of Online Sales and Digital Art, commented,: “I'm delighted to be working closely once more with so many amazing artists, all of whom have been integral to building this incredible new space. nft now have been at the vanguard of this whole movement, giving voice to the best and brightest creators, documenting this magic moment in culture with dedication and insightful passion. I couldn't ask for better collaborators or better friends.”
Artists in nft now x Christie’s x OpenSea Sale: Andre Oshea, Alpha Centauri Kid, Ash Thorp, Baeige, Blake Kathryn, CyberKongz, DotPigeon, FriendsWithYou, Fvckrender, GMUNK, Joshua Davis, Krista Kim, Maciej Kucara, Mad Dog Jones, Tom Sachs, Olive Allen, Oseanworld, Victor Mosquera, and Recur
