Artory

Artory operates at the intersection of the art market and the digital financial ecosystem, providing services to enhance transparency and liquidity for art and collectibles. Founded in 2016 by Nanne Dekking, the company leverages blockchain technology to create a secure, digital registry of verified information about artworks, including their provenance and transaction history. Dekking, who previously served as Vice Chairman at Sotheby's and held senior roles at Wildenstein & Co., brought extensive art market experience to address the industry's challenges with authenticity and provenance.

The company's core offering is the Artory Registry, a database that immutably stores vetted artwork information on the blockchain, providing confidence to buyers and collectors. This platform serves both individual collectors (B2C) and business clients (B2B) such as auction houses, galleries, and appraisers. Collectors can anonymously register their pieces and access verified data, while partners can use the platform to provide validation services. Artory’s business model does not involve selling art directly or dealing in cryptocurrencies; instead, it focuses on providing data integrity and asset management tools. Revenue streams include low-cost, one-time fees for title transfers and future subscription services for advanced analytics and reporting tools. A significant milestone was a partnership with Christie's for the $323M Barney A. Ebsworth Collection sale, the first auction to be recorded on a blockchain. In March 2019, Artory acquired Auction Club, a database with sales information from thousands of international auction houses, significantly expanding its data repository.

In a strategic move to broaden its services, Artory merged with Winston Art Group in 2025 to form Winston Artory Group. This merger combines Artory's technological infrastructure and vast database—containing over 50 million public auction records—with Winston's appraisal and advisory expertise. The new entity focuses on digital collection management, tokenization of physical artworks for fractional ownership, and creating investment opportunities, thereby treating art as a financial asset. This integrated approach allows the firm to offer sophisticated data products and wealth management tools, enabling clients to leverage the value of their collections for liquidity. The company has received backing from investors such as Hasso Plattner Capital and 2020 Ventures.

Keywords: art registry, blockchain art, art provenance, art database, digital certification, art tokenization, art market data, art investment, collectibles verification, art asset management, art finance, Nanne Dekking, Winston Artory Group, art collection management, art data integrity, art auction records, art advisory, art liquidity, art-tech, digital art provenance, artwork valuation, secure art registry, art market transparency