How to Consider Price when Purchasing New Art

One of the first things to look at when an artwork is priced is whether the work is being sold in the primary or secondary market. Primary sales of artworks are simply sales that deal in new works directly from the artist and artists studio. When someone refers to a gallerist as a primary or secondary market dealer, they are referring to whether the dealer works directly with artists for new market sales, or is a reseller of artworks in the secondary market. We specialise in primary market sales and work directly with the artists and galleries that represent contemporary artists.

Secondary market sales are usually a sign of a growing interest in an artist’s work, and auction houses and dealers that specialise in secondary market sales generally focus on artists with strong markets and collector bases. The prices at auction are typically dictated by the bidders in that auction, with reserve prices set for which an artwork will not be sold under. However, this does not necessarily mean that prices for art on the primary market are lower, as other considerations also factor into how a work is priced.