Thinking of selling a painting or print? What we need to know
We buy as well as sell. Here is what to send us so we can tell you quickly whether a work is one for us.
2 min read
Since 1979 we have bought works of art as well as sold them. Perhaps you have inherited a picture, are moving to a smaller house, or simply fancy a change. If you have a painting, print or sculpture you are thinking of selling, the quickest way to start is to send us a few photographs and some details through our contact page. Here is what helps.
Photographs
- The whole work, straight on, in good daylight and without flash, so the colours are true.
- The signature, close up.
- Any pencil writing in the margins of a print: a number such as 12/50, "A/P", a title.
- The back: labels, stamps, old gallery stickers and handwriting can tell us a great deal.
You can add up to three photographs to a message on our contact page.
Details
- The size of the image, and of the frame.
- What you know of its history: where and when it was bought, and any receipts, letters or catalogues that came with it.
- Its condition: any fading, staining, marks or damage you can see.
Why the history matters
The history of a work, its provenance, can make a real difference. A label from a well-known gallery on the back, or a receipt from the original sale, helps to show what the work is and where it has been. It is worth keeping every piece of paper that comes with a picture.
Do not clean it
Please do not try to clean a painting or take a print out of its frame before we have seen it. Old frames, backing boards and labels are part of the story, and well-meant cleaning can do damage that is expensive to put right.
What happens next
We will look at what you have sent and get back to you, and if it is a work we are interested in, we will talk to you about it. If it is not one for us, we will say so.
We are interested in works of art from 1900 to the present day, by the artists you will find on our artists page and many others.
