Selling a Park West Piece Privately: A Practical Checklist

Collections change. Tastes move on, homes get smaller and walls fill up. Selling a Park West piece privately is straightforward once you know three things: how to price it realistically, which paperwork a buyer expects, and how to get paid and ship safely.

1. Price it from real sales, not the appraisal

Your Park West appraisal states a retail replacement price: what it would cost to buy the piece again from the gallery. Resale prices are usually well below that, and how far below depends on the artist, the edition size, condition and demand. See appraisals explained.

• Look at what comparable pieces actually sold for: same artist, similar medium, edition size and size.
• Edition size matters. A title with hundreds of impressions comes up for sale far more often than a unique work. See edition terms.
• Artists who have passed away often hold value better on resale than living artists who keep producing new work.
• Decide your minimum in advance, after shipping and any fees, so you can answer an offer quickly.

2. Assemble the paperwork buyers ask for

3. Describe it accurately

• Copy the medium, signature and edition lines from the certificate word for word.
• Give the size of the image and of the frame.
• Disclose any flaws plainly, with photos. It prevents returns and disputes.
• State who pays shipping and how the piece will be packed.

4. Get paid safely

• Don’t ship until the payment has cleared. Bank transfer, or a payment method with seller protection.
• Be wary of overpayment, “my shipper will collect”, and payment-link scams. These are the classic patterns of fraud in art sales.
• Use a written bill of sale listing the piece, registration number, price, date and both parties.

5. Ship it properly

• Pack framed pieces with corner protectors, tape across glass in an X, and use a double box or a crate for anything valuable.
• Insure the shipment for the sale price, require a signature, and photograph the packing as you go.
• Keep the tracking number and the receipt until the buyer confirms it arrived in good condition.

6. Close out your records

Record the sale date, price, shipping and fees against the piece, take it off your insurance schedule, and keep copies of its paperwork. Ask your tax adviser how a sale should be reported in your situation.

Selling to fellow collectors on The Exchange

Park West Collectors members can list their verified Park West pieces on The Exchange, our members’ marketplace, on the annual plan. A buyer contacts you, and you agree the sale between yourselves. We take no commission on direct sales. If you’d rather not deal with the buyer yourself, our optional Escrow service handles verified pieces offered at $2,500 or more. The buyer pays Kerja Gallery, we check the piece and ship it insured, and you’re paid the day it ships. The fee is 25% of the sale price.

Your Art Vault is an independent platform operated by Kerja Group LLC, written by collectors for collectors. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Park West Gallery. Park West documents shown are from our own collection, with personal details removed, and are reproduced for explanation only. This article is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice.