RSAS / Selling
Selling Through RSAS
An honest price, the right channel and a well-run sale, wherever the work was first bought.
Selling is the part of collecting most people think about last. By the time they do, decisions on price, channel and timing are often rushed, and frequently guided by whoever stands to earn the commission. We sell the way we buy: research first, every option laid out clearly, and our fee agreed in writing before anything happens.
It Starts with the Evidence
Every sale begins with a Pre-Sale Review. We study comparable sales for the artist, the condition and documentation of your work, and the current state of the market and the season. You receive a realistic price range and the evidence behind it. Sometimes the honest answer is that now is not the moment to sell. If so, we will tell you.
Choosing the Right Channel
Auction
Public, transparent and good at finding the strongest bidder for a fine work in a busy part of the market. It also brings seller's commission, fixed sale dates, long lead times and the risk that a work fails to sell in full public view.
Private sale
Discreet and flexible on timing, with the price negotiated rather than tested in a saleroom. Often the better route for works that would struggle to stand out at auction, or for owners who value privacy.
Gallery or dealer consignment
Placing the work with a gallery or dealer whose clients already collect the artist. Useful where an artist's buyers are concentrated in one network.
Some galleries ask early buyers to offer them first refusal before reselling. We check for any such terms before recommending a route.
How a Sale Works
- 01
Pre-Sale Review
Research, price range and recommended channel, set out in writing.
- 02
Agreement
Channel, reserve or asking price, marketing approach and our fee, all agreed in writing.
- 03
Preparation
Photography, condition report, provenance file and any framing or conservation the work needs.
- 04
Marketing
Introductions to collectors, galleries and dealers in our network, or consignment to the chosen auction house.
- 05
Offers
Every offer is passed to you. Nothing is accepted without your written instruction.
- 06
Completion
Due diligence on the buyer, payment into a designated client account, release of the work and settlement to you, with a full statement.
What We Cannot Promise
No one can honestly guarantee that a work will sell, what it will make or how long it will take, and we will not pretend otherwise. What we do promise is a candid assessment at the start, a clear account of every offer, and fees you know before you commit.