A Practical Guide to Selling Artwork at Downsizing & Estate Sales

MaxSold has managed thousands of online Estate Sale and Downsizing auctions across North America, and we are delighted to share what we have learned.


This book isn’t meant to be an authority on art, as even with decades of study and specialization art is a difficult subject to master. However, by reviewing the details in this book, you’ll have a solid foundation in what to look for when it comes to art found in a typical estate or downsizing sale.


First, you’ll get an appreciation of the critical physical attributes to consider when it comes to art. There’s a dead simple way to get an idea if the art piece is a print or painting – using a tool called loupe. 


Second, you’ll learn physical attributes to consider such as what it is painted on, medium used and condition of the frame. Third, you will learn that dates, signatures, monograms and gallery marks are important, and get a listing of online tools to access to research the piece.


When describing and taking photos of art, you will learn what’s important to cover in the description, and aspects of the piece that will need to be photographed. Lastly, you will learn five critical mistakes people make when describing art.