A. R. Penck

Adam Pendleton

Adolph Gottlieb

Adrian Wiszniewski

Adriana Oliver

Agnes Martin

Ai Weiwei

Al Held

Alain Jacquet

Alan Davie

Alan Green

Alan Shields

Albert Gleizes

Albert Irvin

Albert Marquet

Alberto Giacometti

Alberto Magnelli

Alex Katz

Alexander Calder

Alexej Von Jawlensky

Alfonso Ossorio

Alice Neel

Alice Teichert

Andre Brasilier

Andre Butzer

Andre Derain

Andy Warhol

Anish Kapoor

Antony Gormley

Arman

Arnaldo Pomodoro

Arnulf Rainer

Asger Jorn

Ayako Rokkaku

Banksy

Barbara Hepworth

Barbara Kruger

Ben Eine

Ben Nicholson

Bernard Buffet

Bernd Zimmer

Bill Jensen

Bob Dylan

Brett Whiteley

Bridget Riley

Caroline Walker

Cesar Baldaccini

Chantal Joffe

Chris Levine

Christo

Christopher Wool

Chuck Close

Claire Tabouret

Claude Tousignant

Claudio Tozzi

Conor Harrington

Cornelia Parker

Cy Twombly

D*Face

Damien Hirst

Daniel Arsham

David Hockney

David Shrigley

David Wojnarowicz

Donald Judd

Donald Sultan

Dora Maurer

Dorothea Tanning

Dorothy Iannone

Ed Ruscha

Edouard Vuillard

Eduardo Paolozzi

Edvard Munch

Elisabeth Frink

Ellsworth Kelly

Erich Heckel

Ernest Trova

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

Fernand Leger

Francis Bacon

Francis Newton Souza

Francisco Toledo

Francois Xavier Lalanne

Frank Auerbach

Frank Stella

Franz Marc

Fred Thieler

Fred Tomaselli

Fritz William Scholder

Gary Hume

Georg Baselitz

George Condo

George Rodrigue

George Tooker

Georges Braque

Georges Mathieu

Gerard Fromanger

Gerhard Richter

Gino Severini

Giorgio De Chirico

Choosing Where & How To Sell 

Fragment 5 by Bridget Riley - MyArtBroker 

Auction houses have always been shrouded in an air of pomp and glamour, carefully crafted to resemble theatrical productions - a Broadway spectacle where the private dealings of elite collectors are played out in a public forum. However, the history of auction houses is marked by some of the most unforgettable scandals, particularly over the past 15 years. These controversies, interwoven with moments of triumph, have added layers of opacity to the art market, perpetuating a longstanding lack of confidence in its transactions. These headline-making events highlight the auction market’s power, it's inherent complexities, and the ethical and economic challenges it faces. Ultimately, they emphasise the delicate balance between innovation and tradition that defines today’s art world.

As 2024 unfolds, auction houses are undergoing a transformative shift from traditional sales methods to technology-driven strategies. This evolution is essential for engaging a new generation of collectors, primarily Millennials and the rising Gen Z demographic, who are heavily influenced by digital communication and social media.

The Cost Of Selling 

From a market perspective, mid-year trends for 2024 show a softening in the high-end market. Artwork values declining while transaction volumes stay strong, and online sales now accounting for half of all auction activity. However, despite ongoing cautious sentiment, a clear trend has emerged since late 2023, highlighting growing interest in mid-tier works, particularly prints and multiples. 

The prints and multiples market segment is driving sales due to its broader availability, diverse selling channels beyond traditional auctions, and accessible price points that attract a wide audience. For sellers, this presents a lucrative opportunity to capitalise on a thriving market. Success in the prints market depends on choosing the right platform, timing your sale by tracking value trends, and preparing effectively for the process. In the following sections of this market report, we offer a comprehensive guide for sellers, providing essential insights to navigate the print market effectively.

Nude With Blue Hair by Roy Lichtenstein - MyArtBroker 

Auction sales operate within a framework of rules that quietly influence outcomes and define the art market’s dynamics. One key example is the reserve price - a minimum threshold set just before the auction. If bidding fails to meet this level, the piece is discreetly withdrawn, protecting the seller from underselling but leaving the work unsold if interest falls short.

For vendors, pricing strategy involves navigating a complex web of variables, making auction estimates more nuanced than they appear. Market sentiment, competitive bidding, the condition and provenance of the artwork, auction timing, and even the skill of the auctioneer all play pivotal roles in determining the final sale price. Additionally, external events and recent comparable sales can sway buyer behaviour, underscoring the importance of flexibility and foresight when assessing auction house presale estimates.

For buyers, a buyer’s premium is an additional fee paid on top of the winning bid, which goes directly to the auction house. The rate of this premium varies between auction houses, while sellers must also account for commission fees charged by the auction house, usually calculated as a percentage of the hammer price. At major auction houses, the buyer’s premium is typically 25% plus VAT, added to the hammer price.

When consigning high-value works, sellers' fees are often negotiated on a case-by-case basis, underscoring the lack of transparency auction houses sometimes offer clients. The standard seller’s commission is typically around 15%, a critical revenue stream for the auction house but one that reduces the seller’s net proceeds. These commission fees generally exclude key expenses such as shipping, loss, damage, and liability (LDL) insurance, cataloguing, and marketing. These additional costs, deducted from the sale price, help cover the auction house’s operational expenses, further impacting the seller's final return.

Auction Factors

Selling Via Auction

Auction houses combine competitive performance with various fees to create an energetic environment that attracts sellers. Understanding these fees and tactics as a seller in the market is essential for navigating the auction process and setting realistic expectations for final returns. If you’re considering selling your artwork, 

 is here to help. With their extensive auction backgrounds, our specialists are uniquely positioned to offer unbiased advice when looking to sell. 

Time constraints at auction can also pose challenges for sellers, from managing consignment deadlines and auction dates to the uncertainty of whether the piece will meet its reserve. That said, the major players - Christie's, Sotheby's, Phillips, and Bonhams - offer unmatched global reach, while smaller houses cater to niche categories, and others bring brand gravitas that many find appealing.

Shipping, Insurance, Marketing, & Storage

The year 2024 was a challenging period for auction houses, marked by market uncertainty, widespread layoffs, cyberattacks, and structural changes. One of the most significant events was Sotheby’s bold overhaul of its fee structure in May 2024 - a move that was ultimately reversed by December.

The revised structure introduced a flat buyer’s premium of 20% on hammer prices up to $6 million and 10% on amounts above. For sellers, a standardised 10% commission was applied to the first $500,000 of the hammer price per lot, with no commission on amounts exceeding that figure. Consignments with a total low estimate above $5 million had their seller commissions waived entirely. However, given the long-standing negotiability of seller commissions on high-value works, these changes offered little practical departure from previous practices.

Additionally, Sotheby’s scrapped the 1% administrative fee on all sales, while retaining a performance commission of 1–2% for works exceeding their high estimates, incentivising top-tier results.

Sotheby’s CEO, Charles Stewart, described these changes as the most significant fee restructuring in over 40 years, positioning the adjustments as a direct response to client feedback. The goal was to enhance competitiveness in a rapidly shifting auction landscape, though the short-lived nature of these reforms suggests the challenges of balancing seller incentives, buyer appeal, and profitability in a volatile market.

Despite Sotheby’s efforts to modernise its fee structure, the revised system ultimately failed to deliver the anticipated results. As of February 17, 2025, Sotheby’s will revert to its previous fee structure, closely aligning with the terms in place before the changes were introduced.

The buyer’s premium will return to a tiered format: 27% on works up to $1 million, 22% on works valued between $1 million and $8 million, and 15% for works exceeding $8 million. On the seller’s side, commissions will once again follow “bespoke terms,” allowing negotiation on a case-by-case basis, especially for high-value consignments.

However, two notable adjustments from the revised structure will remain in effect. The 1% overhead premium on bought lots will stay eliminated, except for sales involving wines and spirits. Additionally, the 2% success fee will continue to apply to hammer prices that exceed a work's high estimate, incentivising strong performance.

These ongoing shifts underscore the challenges auction houses face in balancing profitability, seller appeal, and maintaining confidence in an art market landscape that is increasingly dynamic and unpredictable.

 Sotheby’s 2024 Fee Structure Overhaul: Changes and Reversals

Image © Sotheby's / Contemporary Evening Sale © November 2024

Many major auction houses have dedicated private sales departments to handle high-value artworks. These transactions are typically for pieces valued at significant thresholds (usually $800,000 or more, depending on the house), offering sellers discretion and bypassing the public auction process. Commissions for sellers in this area are as private as the sales themselves, and fully negotiable, so research is crucial as a seller.

While public auction and dealer sales saw declines in 2023 - down by 7% and 3%, respectively - auction house private sales rose by 2% year-over-year (YoY), a growth trend originating from the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact. In 2020, as global fine art sales fell to their lowest turnover since 2009, private sales facilitated by auction houses rose by over 40%, demonstrating the appeal and resilience of discreet, private transactions during economic downturns. This is a continuing trend that we have seen spill over into the online marketplace with the rise of digital technologies. 

Private Sales Increase In Auction House Performance

Gallery spaces inhabit a world of contrasts - often showcasing art in the traditional white cube setting where artists and collectors meet as consignors, with sales facilitated through 

 Galleries span several tiers, an important consideration when selling an artwork. At the entry level are emerging galleries, often new to the scene and dedicated to supporting young artists, likely graduate students. These spaces play a crucial role in fostering careers, offering artists their first exposure and inviting patrons who are eager to discover new voices in art. Mid-tier galleries occupy a unique space, bridging the gap between artist studios and major institutions, by supporting emerging or mid-career artists who have already gained some amount of secondary market recognition.

 At the top tier are blue chip galleries, known as ‘mega dealers’. These galleries often combine primary and secondary market artwork sales, and are esteemed spaces that showcase the work of established, high-value artists with global reputations. Often occupying multiple locations in major cities and cultural capitals, these galleries exude the same level of exclusivity and prestige as auction houses command, facilitating big brand artists' sales.

Selling Via Gallery

Exclusive access, curated offerings, and targeted transactions.

 Top-tier galleries handle both primary and secondary market sales, representing living artists as well as the estates of late artists, which often gives them access to works that have never been publicly sold - fresh to the market, primary works. Additionally, directors of blue chip galleries are often active buyers at public auctions and private sales, acquiring works to curate exclusive offerings for their clientele. This approach helps ensure a steady profit margin for the gallery while benefiting sellers through targeted transactions. Consequently, purchasing from a gallery often comes at a higher value compared to other avenues.

In today’s economy, smaller galleries face financial challenges - with at least 19 closures in London and New York since 2023 - and even major galleries are navigating the balance between artistic goals and financial realities. In response to these pressures, galleries are adapting by creating unique experiences: transforming exhibitions into events, and embracing hybrid models that integrate physical and digital spaces, all in a bid to stay relevant and competitive in the art trade.

Gallery commissions for selling can vary widely. I

t’s important to remember that their business model is often more profitable for primary market works, where they can secure larger commissions. Additionally, it’s usually unrealistic to purchase a work from a gallery with the expectation of reselling it there for a profit. Galleries incur substantial costs to support exhibitions, tours, and fairs, and their pricing reflects the margins needed to sustain these operations.

The advantages include ease of access for buyers, with many visiting galleries in person, creating a captive audience eager to purchase. For sellers, this exposure can be beneficial, but the convenience often comes at a premium, as works are typically priced above 

. Buyers are ultimately paying for the curated experience, and galleries that master this approach tend to thrive.

Exercise caution when considering the peer-to-peer model for art transactions. While direct sales between sellers and buyers are gaining popularity, particularly in a fragile economy, this approach comes with both benefits and risks. On the positive side, peer-to-peer transactions (seemingly) offer convenience, quick “hassle-free” sales, and the ability to avoid intermediary commission fees. However, the absence of a professional intermediary can pose significant challenges.

 Sellers may struggle with verifying the buyer’s credibility and ensuring reliable payment. Pricing artworks accurately becomes difficult without expert guidance, increasing the risk of undervaluing or overvaluing pieces. Additionally, there are no formal mechanisms to resolve disputes over authenticity or condition, making returns difficult to handle and leaving sellers vulnerable if issues arise. Peer-to-peer transactions also limit market visibility, reducing access to qualified buyers. While the model has its appeal, these risks often outweigh the benefits, making professional intermediaries an essential safeguard for successful transactions.

Peer-to-Peer Transactions

 Marketplaces, from eBay to more polished platforms, often allow fakes to circulate and leave provenance questionable. While these platforms may suit buyers looking for visual enjoyment of the artwork, sellers frequently struggle to achieve 

 for their work without professional guidance. If a deal seems too good to be true, it likely is - for both sellers and buyers.

Buyer verification and transaction safeguards. 

For sellers, the most critical advice is to ensure the buyer is paying FMV, that payment is secured before shipment, and that the buyer cannot back out of the sale. Essentially, you must “know your buyer” as thoroughly as a professional would - a challenging task with this transactional approach. If you’re willing to take the risk, request provenance documentation, a detailed condition report, and exercise caution until every detail has been verified. Also fundamental, ensure you have a return agreement in place to protect against discrepancies in condition or missing certificates and paperwork.

Selling With MyArtBroker

H9-1 Justice by Damien Hirst - MyArtBroker

At MyArtBroker, we specialise in private print sales, facilitating a live trading network of verified buyers and sellers while acting as your trusted intermediary. Unlike auction houses and galleries, 

 works closely with you to ensure you understand the FMV of your artwork, grounded in current market trends. This personalised approach offers a level of care and transparency that sellers won’t find through other selling avenues.

We also provide the convenience of accessing value estimations for specific pieces directly on our platform. Powered by our 

, this feature keeps you informed of real-time market trends. We recognise that simply hearing a valuation number can raise questions, which is why we display the current sales value clearly - empowering you with the information you need to make confident decisions about selling your artwork.

At MyArtBroker, our advisory services are completely free, providing sellers with expert guidance and support throughout the process. When you 

, you’ll be assigned a dedicated specialist with decades of auction experience and extensive knowledge of Modern, Contemporary, and Urban art. Our specialists understand what’s performing well in the public market and will work closely with you to determine the best timing and competitive pricing for your artwork. We pride ourselves on an unbiased approach and will only proceed with selling your work if we are confident in achieving a successful outcome.

Selling with MyArtBroker costs you nothing, as we charge no seller fees. Our buyer’s commission is a market-leading low average of 18%, with no hidden costs. By operating a lean, online, and streamlined business model, we avoid the overhead expenses that drive up commissions on other platforms, ensuring an efficient and transparent experience for both buyers and sellers.

How To Sell With MyArtBroker

 Begin by requesting a free valuation using our online form. Our specialists assess your artwork using private sales data, auction results, and our 

 Once your valuation is complete, one of our dedicated specialists will contact you to provide personalised advice. They’ll guide you through pricing, timing, and strategy based on your specific goals.

 After agreeing on a competitive price, your artwork will be listed on our platform. With access to a global network of collectors, your work gains maximum visibility to the right audience.

Your artwork is matched with serious buyers.

 Our specialists then match your artwork with serious buyers, ensuring a seamless transaction while keeping you updated at every step.

Buyer is secured and we handle logistics.

 Finally, once a buyer is secured, we handle the logistics, including payment and delivery, so you can enjoy the benefits of a successful sale.

Our goal is to combine the efficiency of auction private sales for mid-market works with significantly lower commissions. We function similarly to an independent dealer, someone with years of experience and in-depth knowledge of the art world before transitioning into private practice - qualities that define 

. Our brand is trusted, and our sales specialists bring years of expertise from the auction market, particularly within the blue chip print sector. This ensures that our buyer base aligns perfectly with the prints we sell, resulting in targeted and effective transactions. Our approach combines flexibility with a personalised, one-on-one service.

We cannot overstate the importance of working with a trusted and credible source - like MyArtBroker - that handles transactions with transparency, professionalism, and care, ensuring a secure and successful sale. Artworks are high-value assets and deserve the same level of research and consideration as any other type of investment. Selling art can be an immensely rewarding process when you collaborate with the right people and take the necessary steps to prepare.

MyArtBroker's Trading Floor on Desktop View. 

 are poised to further transform the art market, making transactions more accessible and dynamic than ever. The most recent studies on wealth transfer underscore this shift, with projections indicating that $84 trillion will pass between generations over the next 20 to 25 years. A significant portion of this wealth is expected to be invested in high-value assets, including art collections. Analysts have highlighted how this transfer will impact the art market, stressing the importance of innovation and adaptability to address economic and geopolitical challenges. Much of this wealth will transition to Millennial and Gen Z heirs, whose digital fluency and shifting preferences are likely to disrupt traditional art market practices and reshape communication strategies.

Trading Floor

The art market will undergo this shift as tech-savvy generations drive a growing preference for digital buying and selling methods, fostering greater engagement and more accessible transactions. These generations prioritise transparency in pricing and FMV, seeking clear, accessible transaction information. MyArtBroker is meeting this demand by leveraging technology to deliver precise, data-driven insights that sellers need for smooth and successful transactions. This move toward digital engagement aligns with the values of the next generation of collectors, paving the way for a more adaptable and 

 is a sophisticated digital platform designed to increase transparency in art transactions by leveraging advanced technology. The system continuously monitors our user interactions, such as requests for works, and supply in our network. This data-driven approach enables the platform to categorise artworks as “In Demand,” “Wanted,” or “For Sale,” providing users with up-to-date information on market dynamics.

Our team supports our clients by conducting thorough condition checks, verifying authenticity, and coordinating secure shipping and logistics. Additionally, they offer expert valuations to determine FMV for free, ensuring that sellers receive factual pricing aligned with the current market.

This integration of cutting-edge technology with personalised expert support allows MyArtBroker to offer the convenience of global digital transactions while maintaining the reliability and assurance of traditional art dealing practices.

At the heart of the evolving art market model is a push for greater transparency. Auction houses occupy a paradoxical position: they are both primary sources for pricing data and FMV for unique originals and editions, yet they remain limited in how they provide access to this information. While editions are comparable to a degree, they’re still subject to changing market tastes and economic conditions. Finding correlation between changing values requires extensive archiving, making it increasingly challenging to track an artist’s market trajectory over time. Moreover, auction houses are fundamentally sale rooms, not databases. Attempting to discern market patterns or trends by piecing together past auction results from these sites is nearly impossible without committing to extensive, meticulous data recording. Not to mention, the auction market for instance only occupies around 34% of the global prints market.

MyArtBroker’s MyPortfolio 

Throughout 2024, transparency, modernisation, and regulation remained central topics, becoming increasingly important for new sellers - many of whom have yet to adopt digitised 

. This is where MyArtBroker’s MyPortfolio proves invaluable.

 functions as a comprehensive portfolio management system, streamlining the process for new collectors entering the art market. As the next generation of heirs prepares to inherit significant wealth, and with art sales volumes increasing while values decline, engaging these heirs as both buyers and sellers is crucial for the market’s long-term sustainability. While this new generation of buyers has the financial means to invest, the challenge lies in inspiring them to see art as a strategic tool for wealth management and portfolio diversification through active participation in buying and selling.

 MyArtBroker’s MyPortfolio provide a centralised platform for tracking an artwork’s current and historical value. These tools offer valuable insights into market trends and portfolio performance that are typically inaccessible through auction houses or require prohibitively expensive databases.

, which compiles global auction data for blue chip prints, tracks repeat sales of specific editions, and visually presents this information in annual plot graphs. This gives users direct access to historical sales performance, empowering them to make informed decisions about their collections, including determining appropriate selling prices and identifying potential acquisitions.

For new collectors, MyPortfolio is particularly advantageous, offering intuitive tools to assess when to buy, hold, or sell without requiring deep art market expertise. By automatically and intelligently updating values and monitoring demand, MyPortfolio enables collectors to confidently manage and grow their collections while understanding their true value.

Details Of Renaissance Paintings (Sandro Botticelli, Birth Of Venus, 1482) by Andy Warhol - MyArtBroker

Preparation For Sale

This Is Where It’s Fuckin At by Harland Miller - MyArtBroker 

For sellers, deciding where to sell, tracking value, and carefully preparing for sale - including strategic timing and ensuring the artwork’s condition - are essential steps to maximise returns. Understanding market saturation is particularly critical when determining the right time to sell. While auction sales are renowned for competitive bidding, they can also contribute to saturation by introducing a high volume of similar works across multiple sales. This approach, while aimed at driving prices above estimates, can sometimes distort perceptions of demand. In contrast, private sales often provide a clearer reflection of genuine market confidence, showcasing the prices buyers are willing to pay and what sellers are prepared to accept - especially in a market prone to unpredictable auction fluctuations.

In simple terms, saturation in the art market occurs when there are too many similar artworks by the same (or similar) artists become available for sale, and not enough buyers interested. This oversupply makes it harder for sellers to find buyers, dividing the buyer base, which can drive prices down. Prints offer a unique perspective in this context due to their inherently editioned nature. While widely circulated series by blue chip artists may initially appear saturated, the reality is more nuanced. Saturation risk is influenced by factors including the artist's brand strength, edition sizes, market demand, and economic realities. Being able to identify these instances helps timing with sales. 

Consider the following case studies, of active and passed artists, where saturation may seem more or less obvious, but always manageable when working with experts:

Understanding Market Saturation

 Warhol’s prints, including iconic portraits of celebrities and consumer objects like 

, exemplify how mass-produced editions can retain their value despite high volumes. His market remains remarkably resilient to fluctuations, bolstered by the cultural significance of his imagery, the rarity of certain colourways, the exclusivity of 

 Hirst's market has tested the limits of saturation, particularly with iconic series like his spot paintings, produced in over a thousand variations ranging from high-value originals to more accessible prints. The 2021 

 project further expanded this approach, adding significant volume to his market. This abundance has segmented Hirst's market, with unique originals maintaining strong demand while large-edition prints have experienced price fluctuations. Time-released drops, where edition sizes are dictated by demand, often flood the market with thousands of multiples, creating downward pressure on prices. However, standout series like 

 paintings continue to set records, solidifying their position as valuable investments within Hirst's market.

Banksy’s print market illustrates both the challenges of saturation and the enduring value of limited editions. By controlling supply and offering authentication through 

, Banksy ensures strong demand for his signed and unsigned prints of iconic works like 

. However, years of Banksy-only sales have introduced a challenging level of market saturation, with similar works entering the market in high quantities and dispersing demand. This shift has since stabilised prices positioning Banksy prints towards long-term investment potential rather than rapid resales. 

 Miller, a well-established blue chip artist, commands a robust market driven by his strong brand and recognisable imagery. While his prints have achieved record highs, other artists producing similar works with more accessible price points, like 

, has broadened the buyer base but also introduced challenges. Increased competition and market dynamics, such as saturation in the prints sector and shifting buyer preferences have led to mixed results, including unsold works on the public market. Despite this, Miller’s solid market foundation ensures his continued relevance and success.

How To Sell Prints In The Current Market

How and what to sell now

Practical advice on selling strategy in the contemporary market, including timing, valuation considerations and which prints attract strongest demand.

How and what to sell now

How To Sell Prints In The Current Market

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Louisa Earl

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Joey Syer

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