The auction market rebounded hard in H1 2026 — what it means if you are selling
Christie's, Sotheby's and Phillips took a combined $6.77bn in the first half, the strongest six months since 2022. Here is what the recovery changes for consignors.
Independent art auction advisory
We represent your side of the transaction — valuing, negotiating and placing art across the world's salerooms.
Fifteen years placing contemporary, modernist and photographic art — alongside major street artists such as Banksy — with the right saleroom, at the right moment.
Works consigned to and acquired through
- Sotheby's
- Christie's
- Phillips
- Bonhams
- Heritage
- Artnet
- Artsy
- Grisebach
- Tateward
- Julien's LA
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Auction advisory
We model your options across international and regional salerooms — estimate, timing, settlement period and every associated fee — then negotiate reduced seller's rates on your behalf. All paperwork and remittance stays in your name.
02
Acquisition
Buying at auction, from dealers, from other collectors or direct from the artist. We negotiate on your behalf, verify what you are being offered, and reduce the risk attached to purchases found through informal channels.
03
Artworks
A selection of works available directly, across all six categories we cover. Everything is offered price on request — tell us what interests you and we will come back with condition, provenance and terms.
Categories
Browse artworks
Contemporary and Post-War Art
Work from 1945 to now — the most actively traded category at auction, and the one where estimates move fastest.
Modernist Art
Early- and mid-twentieth-century painting and sculpture, where condition and exhibition history carry unusual weight.
Impressionist Art
Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works, a market that rewards impeccable provenance above almost everything else.
Old Master Paintings and Drawings
Pre-1800 painting and works on paper, where attribution and scholarship determine value more than fashion.
Photographic Art
Vintage and contemporary photography, where print date, edition and printer matter as much as the image.
Street Art and Urban Contemporary
Banksy and the wider urban contemporary market, where authentication paperwork is often half the value.
Art news
All articlesFrequently asked
- What does an art auction advisor actually do?
- We represent the seller rather than the auction house. That means comparing houses and sale dates, negotiating seller's commission and unsold fees, agreeing estimates and reserves, and handling shipping, insurance and settlement — so the paperwork and remittance stay in your name.
- What do you charge?
- Our fees range from 2.5% to 10% depending on the work and the complexity of the sale. Because we negotiate reduced seller rates on your behalf, the overall cost of selling is usually the same or lower than consigning directly, and unsold and marketing fees can often be avoided entirely.
- Which auction houses do you work with?
- We have extensive experience with Sotheby's, Christie's, Bonhams, Phillips, Artnet, Heritage, Julien's LA, Grisebach, Tateward and Artsy, alongside regional salerooms where a specific category performs better.
- Can you value a work before I decide to sell?
- Yes. Send details and images and we will advise on likely pricing using results from a specialist art price database, with no obligation to proceed.
- Do you handle Banksy and street art?
- Yes. We are specialists in Pest Control documentation, Banksy valuations and shipping through the artist's preferred courier, and have negotiated original and print sales at the major houses with significant reductions in seller's fees.
Considering a sale, or looking for a particular work?
Whitebank Fine Art is a London art advisory and gallery. We reply to every enquiry, and a valuation carries no obligation to proceed.