Our mission

We believe in the power of real objects: pieces with traces of use, history, and cultural significance. That is why we only work with objects that:

• Authentic, not decorative replicas
• To have a traceable origin
• fit within a broader collection or museum context.

Our webshop is built for collectors looking for something not just pretty, but something real.

How we work

We purchase from reliable auction houses such as De Zwaan (Amsterdam), Venduehuis (The Hague) and Rob Michiels (Bruges), as well as from carefully selected dealers and, occasionally, directly from private collectors. Each object is examined for style characteristics, provenance and comparable examples from collections or literature.

• a clear product description with high-quality photos;
• If of added value: purchase location mentioned
• Dimensions and material description
• if known: old collections, exhibition history or additional background information.

Even after purchasing, we continue to search for context and documentation. For instance, we once delved into the cargo of the VOC ship Geldermalsen (1752) to debunk a misidentified porcelain plate as ‘Nanking cargo’.

From auction room to webshop

Our love for antiques began in Leiden (a lovely city in the Netherlands), on a rainy afternoon at a local auction house. What started with a spontaneous bid grew into a passion for objects that tell stories. In the past we traded via ectiques.com - now Vergulde Kat is our digital showcase, where we share our finds with other enthusiasts.

For collectors, by collectors

Vergulde Kat is not your average decoration shop. We target collectors, connoisseurs and gallery visitors. All our prices are set with an eye on provenance, uniqueness and market value - under the margin scheme, without VAT. We ship world wide and we'll even ship your item free of charge within the Netherlands. We always ensure that your object arrives safely at your home.