Austria Auction Company

The Austria Auction Company was founded in 2013 when my son Martin and I decided to venture into the auction business. My career began at Adil Besim, the rug shop in Vienna that my father Fritz Langauer ran with Ferdi Besim. By the time I came on board in 1985, the company had several locations and had become the market leader in Austria. During the 15 years that I worked at Adil Besim and thanks to several longer trips to the United States and England, I was able to lay the foundation for what I now know about antique rugs. From 1991 to 1994, I served as managing director of our subsidiary Oritop, a rug wholesale business in Zurich. After I returned to Vienna, I became a managing partner at Adil Besim. In 2000, my father and I left Adil Besim after the Besim and Langauer families mutually agreed to part ways. My father took over Oritop, relocated the company to Vienna, and is now successful in the wholesale business. I decided to use my expertise to focus on the international trade of high-quality, antique Oriental rugs. By participating in countless trade fairs in Europe and the United States, my network and reputation grew as people became familiar with me. My son Martin, who has developed an affinity for antique rugs just as I did in my younger years, joined my business in 2013 and has been acquiring his expertise about antique rugs from a very early age. Thanks to his training as an IT officer, he supports the entire administration involved with putting together the auctions – starting with photographing the rugs and editing the photos to laying out and designing the catalogue. Our very first auction in September 2013 was a success; now, five auctions later, we know that we have chosen the right path for ourselves. My son Martin and I are always available to respond to any questions or requests you may have.