If you plan to sell an old painting, start by asking a suitable auction-house or art-market specialist for a preliminary sale estimate. You can often begin with photographs and the information you already have; a formal written appraisal or authentication paperwork is not automatically required. First clarify whether you need a sale estimate or a report for another purpose, then compare specialists, assumptions, selling options, and fees.
What kind of valuation do you need?
A presale estimate helps you decide whether and how to sell. It is a specialist’s opinion, not a promise of the price the painting will bring. Christie’s says its auction estimates are not predictions or guarantees of the eventual sale price (Christie’s estimate guidance).
A formal written appraisal is a separate service intended to answer a valuation question for a defined purpose. If you need a report for insurance, an estate, a legal or tax matter, or a donation, explain that purpose before commissioning it; requirements can vary by purpose and jurisdiction. Sotheby’s says a formal appraisal is not required to request a presale estimate (Sotheby’s valuations), and Christie’s does not require prior appraisal or authentication paperwork for its initial estimate review.
Prepare the information and photographs
Organize what you know before contacting a specialist. Sotheby’s describes an estimate submission based on images and information (Sotheby’s painting sale process); the specialist will tell you if they need anything else or must inspect the original.
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- Used Book in Good Condition
- Photograph the front and back, including the frame, labels, inscriptions, signature, and stamps. Include visible damage, but do not dismantle the frame to get a better view.
- Record the painting’s dimensions and medium if known.
- Gather receipts, correspondence, exhibition records, catalogues, and earlier appraisals.
- Describe how the painting came into your possession. Separate documentary evidence from family stories, recollections, or assumptions.
Do not clean, restore, remove labels, or alter the frame just to prepare for an estimate request. If the painting needs handling or examination, ask a qualified specialist or conservator how to proceed.
Find specialists who fit the painting
Contact auction-house specialists or other relevant art-market experts whose experience matches the painting’s likely artist, period, geography, and medium. Send the same basic description and images to more than one suitable specialist if you want to compare their assessments. Ask:
- Do you handle paintings in this category?
- Can you provide a preliminary estimate from photographs, or do you need to see the original?
- What assumptions are you making about authorship, condition, and provenance?
- Which sale routes, if any, might suit the work?
An estimate inquiry can also help identify whether the work fits a venue. Sotheby’s says its specialists may discuss auction, private sale, or online options, or recommend another venue if its auction is not suitable (Sotheby’s painting sale process). You can seek estimates before agreeing to exclusive consignment terms.
Separate attribution from authentication
A signature alone does not establish who made a painting. Ask what catalogue description the specialist would consider—such as “by,” “attributed to,” “studio of,” or “circle of”—and what evidence would support it. Attribution can affect how a work is assessed and marketed.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesAsk the prospective sale venue whether further authentication research is relevant before paying an outside provider for a certificate. Christie’s says prior authentication documents are not needed for an initial estimate review; that does not mean authorship will be irrelevant to later cataloguing or a sale.
Compare sale options and seller terms
Compare the substance behind each estimate, not just the top of its range. An estimate may depend on a photo-only review, a particular attribution, or assumptions about condition. Ask each venue for the estimate range and its assumptions, the proposed sale route and timing, and the terms that affect what you might actually receive.
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| What to compare | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Specialist fit | Does the specialist handle the likely artist, period, geography, and medium? |
| Assessment basis | Was the estimate made from photographs or an in-person viewing? What assumptions apply to attribution, condition, and provenance? |
| Sale route | Is the recommendation an auction, private sale, online sale, or another venue? |
| Costs and proceeds | What seller commission and agreed charges apply? Who pays for transport, insurance, photography, or catalogue costs? What reserve, if any, is proposed? |
| Terms and timing | Is the arrangement exclusive? What are the withdrawal terms, sale calendar, and payment schedule? What happens if the painting does not sell? |
Request the charges and consignment conditions in writing. Dorotheum says proceeds are calculated as the highest bid less sales commission and fees agreed with the seller, such as catalogue costs (Dorotheum selling information). That statement describes Dorotheum’s terms; it should not be assumed to apply to other venues. Compare expected net proceeds after each venue’s own charges rather than treating an estimate as money you are certain to receive.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When a formal written appraisal is appropriate
If you need a report rather than a sale estimate, choose an appraiser with experience relevant to the painting and the intended use. The FAIR painting and fine-art appraisal guide says a report should identify the artwork, describe its medium and condition, explain attribution and valuation method, and state a value conclusion for a particular use (FAIR painting and fine-art appraisal guide).
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchBefore engaging an appraiser, confirm that they can address your specific purpose, how their fee is calculated, and whether their role is independent of a prospective sale. Do not assume a sale estimate will meet the requirements of an insurer, court, tax authority, estate, or other institution.
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