Pass through the main entrance. Go directly through the auction exhibit. Turn your view a few degrees and you’re bombarded by a wide array of objects. Beware of dizziness.
As a first-timer, one can get lost, disoriented or worse – hypnotized by the inmensity. Tread with care – time is relative. You could spend one full hour here without even noticing.
From typewriters, to old guns, to anonymous portraits, Mah-Jong sets, jade buddha figures, weird pineapple lamps, wooden and bronze sculptures, miniature portraits, Montblanc pen-sets, big and small Australian pearls, coloured gemstones, vintage watches, Indian rugs, bizarre-looking armchairs, 100-year-old barber kits, 200-year-old coins, old illustrated books, even hidden Picassos, Mirós, Sorolla’s, religious portaits, immense nature tapestry, minute and giant clear and colored diamonds, mesh House-of-Dragon-like metallic necklaces, artsy cigarette holders, Cartier silverware, peculiar pottery, fountainpens, curious grandfather clocks, classic and art-deco engagement rings, to Asian manteaus, and more – all can be found here, in Ansorena.
A Brief History
Let’s rewind a couple centuries. Founded by Celestino de Ansorena in 1845, the company started out as a diamond merchant business. Declared as the royal jeweler at the time, Ansorena manufactured the Fleur de Lis Crown for Queen Victoria of Spain. Over the years, it slowly expanded into becoming an auction house with valuation services, a contemporary art gallery, and a locally produced jewellery store. Now an all-things trader, one can find anything for any price. 1,600 pieces are put up for auction monthly. Prices range from 50 to half-a-million euros. Sounds crazy, right? It is.
For a communication science student with a deep interest in art and its history, this place seemed to me like a cool place to initiate my exploration of all-things-art-and-culture. Close to finishing, I can say this was certainly an interesting place to do my internship.
The Internship
During my 4-month internship at Ansorena, I worked under the Sales and Marketing department.
During my first days as an intern, I felt lost, nervous and jittery. I had never answered a phone in behalf of a company, sent a condition report via email, or even handled expensive jewellery with my own bare hands. As time passed by, I became familiarized with my tasks, felt more welcome around my peers, and learned to not panic when I made a mistake. Instead, I studied and prepared in advance, built my confidence, and corrected my errors as quickly as possible. A couple weeks in, I felt I had gotten the jist of it. A Monday to Saturday, 10-8 schedule was certainly challenging, but it did test my endurance and reaffirmed my belief on my now-stronger work ethic.
The first few weeks gave me powerful insight of how a family-owned business with a specific target audience and a traditional way of working functioned. Even though Ansorena has a long history of successful sales in Spain, the auction market is changing rapidly – and Ansorena’s main challenge is to remain competitive in a global and digital environment. I was highly interested to investigate how Ansorena might adapt, so I looked into the world’s largest auction house – Christie’s – and am currently working on a competitor content analysis to determine points of strength and determine potential strategies to grow the brand’s presence globally. As I am finding out, the storytelling principle is crucial to drive engagement, generate leads and establish credibility and trustworthiness in the luxury sector. Even though Ansorena is not quite a major player in the digital arena yet, I see the immense potential it has to showcase the incredible histories hidden within its walls, and share it with a new generation who is taking an interest in original, second-hand and locally-produced luxury objects.
Final Note
What I enjoyed the most about my internship in Ansorena was the constant detective-like feeling of learning about the most important lots’ histories and provenance, as well as participating in the exciting telephone bidding for the main auctions. I wrote an article about a special collection of diamonds being sold. The marketing director then adapted it and included it in the newsletter for special clients.
I learned about sales, customer service, lot cards, catalogue translation, corporate communication and brand image. I learned about employee communication, PR, organizational synergy, and asking many, many questions. The role of the intern is to absorb as much as possible, work hard, and think critically about the workings of a company. A piece of advice? Don’t be afraid to suggest a few ideas.
Above all, I was reminded about the importance of remaining curious. In the end, that’s what drives us through life.
Contact
I am happy to discuss my internship experience with any student who might be interested to hear more about it. Contact me through ibanezisabella@gmail.com.
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