for the most part, collectors we deal with have absolutely no intention of selling the artwork they buy.  They intend on hanging onto their pieces for eternity.  On the other hand, times change and so do intentions.  Enter the Secondary Art Market.

i haven't heard it put better than this so I'll quote from Art Business News, "The Secondary Art Market is an unofficial network of dealers and individuals who buy and sell "prints" often times above the issue price, after an image is sold out by the publisher.  Originals are offered as well, but are less common than published prints.”

typically speaking, if a publisher is still in business, its current price list is used as a guideline by which this network determines the asking price.  Pricing is clearly more of a grey area here, regulated not only by the supply and demand based upon how many pieces from the same edition are "available," but also by how motivated the seller is to relinquish the work.

as a buyer, using the Secondary Art Market can mean acquiring that long sold out piece you've spent years searching for no matter the price, or finding that perfect piece at a really great price.  Sometimes the dealers will have the artwork you’re searching for in hand, other times they’ll need to search for it themselves-but if you’ve been looking for a piece for a long time, it can be worth it to have the help of a professional.

a piece of art on the Secondary Market can last 15 minutes or it can remain available for months.  It truly depends on the current status of the artwork and its perceived value.  Just be sure that the artwork is legitimate and the source you purchase it from is reputable.  The Secondary Art Market can be a very large sea indeed, so tread carefully.

the fees associated with buying and selling a piece of art from the secondary art market can vary from 20 to 40 percent of the purchase price of the art.  at pieces fine art, we charge a 20% fee, or commission, plus any shipping charges.

pieces fine art deals with the Secondary Art Market on a limited basis, using a small network of reliable and trusted dealers and individuals and is more than happy to guide collectors, both buying and selling art.  Feel free to contact us if you're looking to sell a piece from your collection or if there's a special piece you've been trying to get your hands on.

click here to go back to the pieces fine art home page