Bid & Hammer

Founded in 2007, Bid & Hammer is India’s pioneer multi-category auction house. The brainchild of the prominent industrialist and art collector Maher Dadha, along with his sons Ankush Dadha and Apoorva Dadha, the auction house had the objective to expand the Indian art auction market beyond the focus on modern & contemporary paintings that was prevalent at the time. With a legacy spanning over 100 years, the Dadha’s are a well known name in business and philanthropy. Naturally, an enterprise promoted by them had the gravitas to withstand the complexities of the Indian market backed by the team that included well-known names such as Charu Sharma (auctioneer & commentator), HRH Gaj Singh II (Maharaja of Jodhpur and convener of Marwar INTACH), Mohan Lal Nigam (former director of Salar Jung Museum) and Bob Hayton (international decorative arts specialist) amongst others.

The offerings at Bid & Hammer comprise Modern & Contemporary Indian Art, Company School Paintings & Drawings, Tanjore Paintings, Miniatures, Jewellery, English & Indian Silver, Antique Swords & Daggers, Period Furniture, Antiquarian Books, Maps, Prints & Photographs (ABMPP), Glass & Lighting, Ceramics, Carpets, Rugs, Tapestries, Cricket Memorabilia and a host of other Works of Art & Collectibles. This unique and holistic approach thus changed the auction culture of the country, promising something for every collector's interest and fostering appreciation and preservation of India’s rich heritage.

A testament to its reputation, Bid & Hammer has auctioned works by legendary Indian artists such as Raja Ravi Varma, F N Souza, and M F Husain, alongside European masters such as J M W Turner and William Hodges. The inclusion of decorative arts from internationally acclaimed names such as Rene Lalique, Etienne Drian and Dan Dailey cemented the vision of Bid & Hammer’s founding team to make diverse art from across the world accessible to not only India’s growing discerning collectors but also to transnational collectors.

Established as a traditional brick-and-mortar auction house, based out of Bengaluru and New Delhi, Bid & Hammer has operated everything from conventional live auctions to modern online platforms. Its first 'Floor Auction' in 2008 was followed by a series of 'Estate Auctions', 'Live Online Only', and 'Silent Bids' auctions. Going a step further in 2015 it introduced its sidewalk sales called ‘Antiques Show & Sale at Whitefield’ to cater to collectors in between auctions; apart from Private Treaty Sales.

More than a decade into the business, the ability of Bid & Hammer to adapt to the ever changing dynamics of India’s art scene led to a series of ‘No-Reserve Auctions’ that got more people attracted to the bidding process as it continues to push the boundaries in the art fraternity with selective and thematic auctions and sales.