Art dealers

kelliewallace

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I need some basic info on art dealers. What they do, how much they get paid, how they get paid, how they pay for art for clients. If anyone has information would be very appreciated. First hand knowledge is always better than Google :)
 

cornflake

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I have known, not particularly well, one. He was insanely rich; apartment filled with ridiculous art - both in quantity and quality and thus price. As I understood it, as I didn't inquire into specifics really, and he's one person, so giant grain of salt, he would both acquire, like find and arrange for the purchase of without buying himself, and take a cut or fee for doing so, and buy and sell personally.
 

King Neptune

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Then there are art dealers who run galleries, displays the works of artists, and take a percentage of anything that sells. Dealers with galleries are fairly common, and some make very good money, while others don't. However one runs it, dealing in art tends to be interesting.
 

cornflake

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The one knew, just for clarity's sake, didn't own a gallery or anything, though the house looked like one god knows, heh. He worked privately only afaik.
 

Siri Kirpal

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Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

I used to be an artist. I've also spent years with my family in antique stores.

Most galleries dealing in contemporary art take a percentage on sales. Works are held on consignment; if they don't sell, they go back to the artist.

Galleries dealing in old art, whether old masters or whatever, typically buy stock and sell it for at least double what they paid.

As stated upstream, some dealers are rich and some are dirt poor. (One I knew went back into the Merchant Marine because he was doing too poorly on sales.)

Also, some artists start their own galleries. The one I knew who did the best in the business got into the art card business, so her real sales were from the cards.

And finally, this may or may not interest you, but funky coffee shops and cafes sometimes display local art. Gives them something interesting to put on the walls. If anything sells, they take a commission. Anything that doesn't, goes home with the artist.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal
 

Bolero

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Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)



And finally, this may or may not interest you, but funky coffee shops and cafes sometimes display local art. Gives them something interesting to put on the walls. If anything sells, they take a commission. Anything that doesn't, goes home with the artist.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

I've seen art with price tags on the wall in NHS hospitals. Not sure if it was for hospital charities. Price tags were of the £100 and less level.
 

meowzilla

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A lot of art dealers, especially the rich ones, make big money working with a few, super wealthy clients. These could be new money, who want to show off how cultured and refined they are now that they've gotten all the bling out of the way - they go to a dealer to help them acquire works that show they have taste, sophistication. The dealer connects them and takes a cut.