How to sell a painting through auction

1. Send photographs of the work

   We need pictures of the front and the back, the artist’s signature and any stamps, labels and inscriptions. The back of a work often tells as much about it as the image itself. You can send them on the contacts page.
2. Get a preliminary valuation

   A specialist will study the work from the photographs and tell you whether it is of interest for auction and in what range it may be valued. A preliminary valuation from photographs is free and places you under no obligation.
3. In-person examination and attribution

   If the work is suitable, it is examined in person: its condition, authenticity and authorship are checked. An expert examination is carried out if necessary. At this stage the final valuation and the starting price of the lot are set.
4. Contract and terms

   The terms of participation – commission, starting price, timing – are set out in the contract. You know in advance on what terms the work is offered and what you will receive after the sale.
5. The work goes to auction

   The lot is included in the catalogue of the nearest suitable auction, with a description, photographs and a valuation. Sales are held online and are open to buyers from different cities and countries.
6. Payment after the sale

   If the lot is sold, you receive the sale price minus the agreed commission. The procedure and timing of payment are set out in the contract.

What you can sell

The foundation accepts paintings, original graphics, sculpture, editioned graphics (prints, lithographs) and decorative and applied art – above all porcelain. Works by well-known artists are of interest, and so are good pieces without a famous name: what decides is not only the artist, but also authenticity, condition and demand.

If you are not sure what exactly you have and whether it is of value, send photographs anyway. A valuation from photographs is free, and a specialist will tell you whether it is worth going further.

Selling at auction and selling to a buy-out dealer are different things

A buy-out dealer or a second-hand shop buys the work straight away, but at a lowered price, counting on reselling it for more. An auction works differently: it brings the work to open bidding, where the price is set by the buyers themselves. It takes longer, but with real demand it gives a fair market price rather than a wholesale one.

So if speed matters at any price, choose a buy-out dealer. If what matters is getting the real value of the work, choose an auction. Don Foundation works on the second model and has an interest in selling your work for as much as possible: its commission depends on that too.