The main difference is the nature of the respective clients that go the galleries vs auctions. No one who understands ‘art’ would even expect a gallery to have a sale or discount.

The normal expectation is that art accumulates in value with the overall trend of the market over years and that one could always on sell their art works at an increased value at least comparable to the average in market increase over a number of years.

With auctions however, comes that awful creature, the dealer. It is all in the name “one who makes a deal”…. and what is a “deal”?

Unfortunately, and particularly here in Australia, dealing is seen to be the standard form of business. “Good deal” or “bad deal”, most people who are now holding art that has fallen rapidly in vale, have been subjected to a “deal” along the way. And quite rightly, as they were probably trying to make a fast buck in any case.

Stay with reputable galleries and people you know and trust to be in business for a long time. There are many excellent galleries to buy from and should you go to the auctions, then please know the true value of an artist before you go, and be familiar with their works over time.

nJoy