# Christie's Auctions Scraper (`parseforge/christies-auctions-scraper`) Actor

Collect the visual and navigational elements of Christie's featured auctions. Returns image URLs, descriptive alt text, direct links to auction pages, and category tags for each tile. Use this data to track promotional content, analyze auction themes, or feed a visual catalog.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/parseforge/christies-auctions-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [ParseForge](https://apify.com/parseforge) (community)
- **Categories:** E-commerce
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $16.80 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

[![ParseForge](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParseForge/apify-assets/main/banner.jpg)](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp)

### Christie's Auctions Scraper

**Scrape Christie's auction listings from any category, sale, or search result, up to a million per run.** Every listing comes with its image, title, link, category, and alt text. No login or API key. Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.

Christie's has no public API for auction data. Collecting details across hundreds of sales by hand is slow and error-prone. This Actor opens Christie's website in a stealth browser and extracts auction tiles from the start URL you provide. It returns structured data for analysis, market research, or cataloging.

| Who uses it | What they scrape Christie's Auctions for |
|---|---|
| Art market analysts | Monitor auction tile activity across categories. |
| Collectors | Monitor upcoming lots by category. |
| Auction houses | Benchmark competitor sales categories and timing. |
| Data journalists | Investigate auction sale patterns and market activity. |

### What it does

This Actor collects Christie's auction listings from a given start URL and returns each listing as a flat row with fields like imageUrl, title, linkUrl, category, altText, and dataTrack.

- 🖼️ **Auction tile extraction:** Collects image URLs, alt text, and links from auction listing pages.
- 📸 **High-resolution images:** Records image URLs for each listing, ready for download or later processing.
- 📊 **Structured output:** One fixed schema across every run and sale type.
- 🚀 **Scalable:** Handles a single page or up to a million listings, with built-in rate limiting to avoid blocks.

Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or directly through the API.

### What you can do with Christie's Auctions data

**📈 Monitor auction listing activity.**

An analyst scrapes auction listing pages to study sale dates and category patterns.

**🖼️ Build a collector's watchlist.**

A collector scrapes upcoming sales to watch for interesting titles and categories.

**📰 Investigate sale patterns.**

A journalist scrapes auction data to investigate sale activity for a story.

**🏛️ Benchmark competitor activity.**

An auction house scrapes auction listings to monitor competitor sale schedules and categories.

### Why choose this scraper

|  | What you get |
|---|---|
| **No API needed** | Bypasses the lack of an official Christie's API. |
| **Structured data** | Every lot is returned in a consistent JSON, CSV, or Excel format. |
| **Stealth browser** | Uses a real browser to render dynamic content and avoid blocks. |
| **Flexible input** | Start from any URL: upcoming auctions, past sales, or search results. |

### What a Christie's Auctions record looks like

Every record returns as one flat JSON row. Here is a real one from a run:

```json
{
  "imageUrl": "https://www.christies.com/img/SaleImages/HGK-24208-08042026-1.jpg?width=345&hash=304a94739f824ff160b3dd474217d0b1fd86d98f",
  "title": "Summer Reverie: Chinese Paintings Online",
  "linkUrl": "https://onlineonly.christies.com/sso?SaleID=31008&SaleNumber=24208",
  "category": "4 Aug - 18 Aug",
  "altText": "Summer Reverie: Chinese Paintings Online",
  "dataTrack": "|hp:upcoming auctions:1",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-08-16T00:17:10.931Z"
}
```

The values above come from a real run. If a record lacks a field, that field returns `null`.

### Configure the run

Start the Actor from any Christie's page that shows auction tiles, such as the homepage, a category page, or search results. Set the maximum number of items to scrape. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

```json
{
  "startUrl": "https://www.christies.com",
  "maxItems": 10
}
```

A larger pull:

```json
{
  "startUrl": "https://www.christies.com",
  "maxItems": 200
}
```

### Free users

Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. [Upgrade your Apify plan](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp) to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.

### Run it

1. [Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp).
2. Open the [Christie's Auctions Scraper](https://apify.com/parseforge/christies-auctions-scraper?fpr=vmoqkp).
3. Set your inputs and any filters, then click **Start**.
4. Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the **Dataset** tab.

Run it programmatically through the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) (`run-sync-get-dataset-items`) or the [ApifyClient](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js) for JavaScript and Python.

### Use with AI agents (MCP)

Give an AI agent live access to Christie's Auctions through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=parseforge/christies-auctions-scraper"
```

Then ask it to run the scraper and read back the results.

### Troubleshooting

**Why am I getting no results?**

Make sure the start URL points to a page with auction tiles, like the homepage or a category page. If the page requires login or isn't publicly accessible, the scraper may not find listings.

**The scraper is blocked or returns a CAPTCHA.**

The Actor uses a stealth browser, but if you run into blocks, try reducing the request rate or using a proxy. Contact support for advanced configurations.

**Images are not downloading.**

The Actor records image URLs by default. To download the actual files, use a separate download Actor or enable image download in advanced settings if available.

**The output is missing some fields.**

Not all listings have the same information. If a field is not available on the page, it returns `null`. Check the original page to confirm.

### FAQ

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What data can I get from Christie's? | The scraper extracts auction tile data: imageUrl, title, linkUrl, category, altText, dataTrack, and scrapedAt. It does not scrape individual lot details. |
| Do I need a Christie's account? | No. The Actor scrapes publicly accessible pages. You do not need to log in or provide any credentials. |
| How does the scraper handle anti-bot protection? | It uses a stealth browser that mimics human behavior, including realistic viewport, user agent, and mouse movements, to avoid detection by AWS WAF and similar services. |
| Can I scrape past auction results? | Yes. Provide the URL of a past sale or search results page, and the Actor will collect the auction tiles from that page. |
| What format is the output? | You can export the dataset in JSON, CSV, Excel, or XML. The schema is fixed, so every row has the same fields. |
| Is it legal to scrape Christie's? | Scraping public data is generally permissible, but you should review Christie's terms of service and consult legal counsel for your specific use case. |
| How many items can I scrape? | Free users are limited to 10 items for preview. Paid users can scrape up to 1,000,000 items per run. |
| Can I filter by artist or category? | The Actor starts from a URL you provide. To filter, use a Christie's search URL with query parameters (e.g., artist name) as the start URL. |

### Related actors

Browse the full [ParseForge collection](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp) for more scrapers.

🆘 **Need help?** Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.

⚠️ **Disclaimer.** This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Christie's Inc. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.

### 💰 How much does it cost to scrape Christie's Auctions?

This Actor uses **pay-per-result** pricing: **$0.01857 per result** collected. You are billed only for the results you receive, so a run that returns nothing costs nothing.

# Actor input Schema

## `startUrl` (type: `string`):

URL of a Christie's page containing auction tiles (e.g., homepage or an auction category page).

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Free users: Limited to 10 items (preview). Paid users: Optional, max 1,000,000

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "startUrl": "https://www.christies.com",
  "maxItems": 10
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

Complete dataset of all scraped records.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "startUrl": "https://www.christies.com",
    "maxItems": 10
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("parseforge/christies-auctions-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "startUrl": "https://www.christies.com",
    "maxItems": 10,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("parseforge/christies-auctions-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "startUrl": "https://www.christies.com",
  "maxItems": 10
}' |
apify call parseforge/christies-auctions-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,parseforge/christies-auctions-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/1qskSz1EoSMIa2zwH/builds/gPORK5QMuNHnNAcJD/openapi.json