Art can spark introspection and conversation—its deeply subjective nature renders it fascinating yet also elusive. Selling art can be equally dynamic. If you receive art as an inheritance or a piece no longer touches you in the same way, it may be time to sell. With the decision made, where do you start?
ArtRow stands apart from more traditional art sales venues, such as auction houses and galleries. Like luxury fashion resale platforms, we offer a unique place to sell and buy your contemporary and historical works.
Traditional Methods of Selling Art
Both new and established collectors often consider selling through art galleries or auction houses. Both of these conventional channels have an essential place in the art market ecosystem.
Galleries are the backbone of the traditional art market—they champion contemporary and historical artists and act as a fountainhead of art knowledge. However, commercial galleries can be intimidating and feel inaccessible to the average seller. In addition, consignment with galleries requires exclusivity agreements, and eligibility itself can be challenging, as galleries may be bound by a limited roster of artists.
Auction houses generally accept a broad array of consignments but also require possession and exclusivity agreements that are subject to penalty if broken. Auction houses charge fees to both the seller and the buyer, thus resulting in a fee-heavy transaction. In addition, a seller’s success depends on market variables on sale day. There is risk involved since the lot may sell under the estimate—or not at all. While auction houses reach large audiences and have transparent estimates and fees (although there can be hidden guarantees), the seller maintains little control over the sale process.
Why Sell Art Through ArtRow?
At ArtRow, we strike an appealing middle ground between galleries and auctions. We are a professional art company and our clients benefit from our team’s decades of art market knowledge and expertise. ArtRow’s founder leads a specialist team to undertake the in-depth research required to determine the provenance, quality, and value of every piece. As a seller, you receive a price that is aligned with the current market value, and your piece is marketed with professionally researched artist bios and artwork descriptions.
Like an auction house, ArtRow is accessible to anyone with an artwork to sell or an interest in buying. However, we do not accept all submissions and only list works that have market traction by artists that can be researched and price-justified. Therefore, buyers can be confident that our vetting translates into a sound investment.
At ArtRow, sellers benefit from a low barrier to entry and buyers are promised a high-calibre selection of professionally vetted artworks that may not be available anywhere else.
What Are The Fees?
ArtRow’s benefits come with no hidden fees. Once your artwork is accepted on the platform, the cost to you is the single seller fee of 25% that is applied when your artwork is sold. This fee covers more than in-depth research into the artwork and expert appraisal to determine the market value.
A professional write-up, created to both clearly describe the piece and rank on web searches, as well as access to a network built through decades of forging art world connections, set up your artwork for a successful sale. If you later decide not to sell the piece, you still benefit from this newfound knowledge and can remove your listing immediately and at no cost.
In conventional art sales, a seller must ship their work to a gallery or auction house (often at their expense) upon signing the contract. At ArtRow, your artwork remains in your hands until it sells. Upon sale, you will deliver it to your local ArtRow agent for inspection and professional shipping.
This model means less overall costs and logistics. An ArtRow transaction has no storage costs, no insurance costs, and no unnecessary shipping steps, making it a more sustainable and efficient selling process.
How the ArtRow Process Works
When you are ready to begin searching for a buyer for your artwork, reach out to the ArtRow team. You provide documentation and any known history of the artwork and outline its condition (click here to learn more about our vetting process). If the work is accepted, we undertake rigorous research to detail provenance, authenticity, and condition, and we establish the market value range for your artwork.
When your listing goes live, it takes the stage before a passionate and proven audience of art connoisseurs and collectors. You are kept apprised of any interested parties, but you also retain the artwork itself and can choose to refuse or delist it at any time. Selling an artwork—whether from your personal collection or an estate liquidation—can be a stressful and emotional experience. Let the ArtRow team make it as seamless as possible with their expertise, ever-expanding art buyer network, and simple, straightforward process.
We look forward to helping you find the best new placement for your artwork.
