RM Sotheby's Expands Private Sales with Bodie Hage

RM Sotheby's has restructured its private sales division into a standalone entity named Sealed by RM Sotheby's. The international auction house has opened a dedicated website for the service, which combines discreet private treaty sales with a new online sealed-bid auction format, according to the company's European Director of Private Sales, Bodie Hage.

Hage, the founder of the Dutch dealership Real Art on Wheels, joined RM Sotheby's after the firm acquired his business a few months ago. He now oversees European private sales from a facility in Burgerveen, near Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. The expansion also includes a showroom in Culver City, California, with a second location planned for London's Hammersmith district.

From Car Washer to Collector Car Dealer

Bodie Hage began washing cars at age 14 for about two euros an hour. His entry into the trade came unexpectedly at 19 when his former employer's widow asked for help selling a collection of over 230 cars. "You were always around the cars, could you please help me sell some of them?" Hage recalls her asking. He took on the task, selling cars internationally and laying the groundwork for his future.

By 2013, at 25, Hage launched his own business, Real Art on Wheels, with his former boss's widow as a financial partner. He moved into his current showroom in 2018, opened a workshop in 2020, and later bought out the partner to become sole owner. The operation now spans approximately 1,200 square metres for the showroom and another 1,200 square metres for workshop and storage.

The Porsche 356 That Started a Passion

Hage's early dream was to own a Porsche 356 before turning 20. He achieved this goal, purchasing a 356 C Coupé around his twentieth birthday. However, the car was stolen from a hotel car park during a rally and never recovered. The loss led Hage to qualify as a registered appraiser for classic cars in the Netherlands.

With insurance proceeds, he bought and sold another 356, beginning a cycle that saw him own roughly 35 examples of the model over the years. His passion later evolved to include Porsche 911s and Ferraris. "Nothing stirs quite the same passion as a Ferrari," Hage stated. His greatest personal interest remains cars from the late 1950s through the 1990s.

The RM Sotheby's Partnership

The partnership was initiated by Tonnie Van Der Velden, a friend of Hage's who worked at RM Sotheby's, on behalf of Managing Director of Private Sales Jack Little. After meetings in September 2025 with Little, Gord Duff, and Shelby Myers, Hage was convinced. He was 37 at the time and not actively seeking to sell his business.

"What makes it so compelling is that no one else in the world offers everything RM Sotheby's now does," Hage explained. He cited the combined resources of in-house workshops, mechanics, auction events, and private sales showrooms as a unique offering. The deal allows his existing clients access to RM Sotheby's auctions globally, while RM's clients gain a continuous private sales channel.

How Sealed Auctions Work

The new Sealed platform hosts monthly online auctions where bids and the leading offer are hidden. Bidders only see their own ranking. For a car like a Porsche Carrera GT estimated between 2.5 and 3 million euros, a bidder might start at one million and be told they are in tenth place. They must incrementally raise their bid to reach first place.

The auction closes with an extended period for the top three bidders. "For the top three, the sale extends by 90 seconds with every new bid," Hage said. The final sale price is never publicly disclosed, appealing to sellers and buyers who value discretion. Hage noted that many dealers are already using the platform.

Hage's day-to-day operation in the Netherlands continues with minimal change, now supported by RM Sotheby's back office in London. He has been joined by a new sales colleague, Bob van Loon, to add structure. The market currently shows strongest interest, according to Hage, in cars up to about 30 years old, particularly Ferraris and limited-production models.