For Sellers
Auction or private? A seller's decision guide.
An honest framework for choosing the right venue — the work characteristics, market dynamics, and seller priorities that tip the calculus one way or the other.
Rarity Advisors guides collectors, family offices, and estates through the sale of exceptional works — at auction when the market should set the price, and privately when discretion serves you better. One advisor. Your side of the table.
We are not loyal to a channel — we are loyal to the result. Every work is assessed on its merits, against both markets, and routed to the venue most likely to deliver the strongest outcome with the least friction. No house quota. No in-house buyer waiting in the wings.
For trophy works and active artists, competitive bidding usually wins. We select the right house, negotiate favorable terms on your behalf, and run the process — so the gavel works for you, not against you.
For works where exposure carries risk — sensitive estates, fragile markets, or a desire for privacy — we place directly with a short list of pre-qualified collectors. No public record. No catalog. The transaction stays between buyer and seller.
Whether we end up at Sotheby's or in a Manhattan apartment, the first four steps look the same — because the goal is to recommend the path before we walk it.
Provenance, condition, comparables. A defensible private-market and auction-market value, side-by-side.
We model the likely outcome for both paths — auction and private — and recommend the route that delivers more for the work and the seller.
House negotiation and lot strategy, or direct collector approach and quiet placement. You stay protected.
Escrow, condition, shipping, insurance, and clean documentation for your records, advisor, or estate.
We sit on your side of the table — weighing both auction and private outcomes for each work, and running whichever sale serves you better. No house quota. No in-house buyer.
Request a Confidential Valuation →For estates, divisions, and trust administration: qualified appraisals, IRS-defensible valuations, and a recommended path to sale — whether that's auction, private placement, or beneficiary distribution.
Engage on an Estate Matter →An honest framework for choosing the right venue — the work characteristics, market dynamics, and seller priorities that tip the calculus one way or the other.
What counsel needs to know about defensible fair-market valuation, qualified appraisals, and the IRS Art Advisory Panel when fine art enters an estate.
Send a few details. We'll respond within one business day with a private valuation and a recommended path to sale — auction or private — so you can decide with the full picture.
Request a Confidential Valuation →