Sell a Early 20th Century work
Have a Early 20th Century work to sell? Start with a free auction estimate. Early 20th Century has 17 recorded auction lots, 82% of them sold, most often at Toomey & Co.. Half of the priced sales fell between $546Sign up free to see and $1,464Sign up free to see.
Record price: $2,489Sign up free to see for Collection of five shades, Rago Auctions, March 2024.
Past auction results, not a valuation. Condition, size, subject, date and provenance decide what a particular work brings. Full price guide: what is a Early 20th Century work worth? →
Recent Early 20th Century results
- Neoclassical-style torchieres, pair — $1,207Sign up free to see, Toomey & Co., Feb 2025
- Collection of five shades — $2,489Sign up free to see, Rago Auctions, Mar 2024
- Collection of sixteen lamp sockets — $983Sign up free to see, Toomey & Co., Feb 2024
- Vases, set of two — $581Sign up free to see, Toomey & Co., Feb 2024
- Collection of twenty-four lighting parts — $852Sign up free to see, Toomey & Co., Feb 2024
- Wine cooler — $441Sign up free to see, Toomey & Co., Oct 2023
Where Early 20th Century sells
| Auction house | Lots | Sold | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toomey & Co. | 11 | 10 | $717Sign up free to see |
| León Gallery | 4 | 2 | $1.7kSign up free to see |
| Rago Auctions | 1 | 1 | $2.5kSign up free to see |
Free auction estimate
How selling at auction works
- Send photos for a free estimate. A photo of the front, plus the signature, the back and any labels if you can. Add the size and anything you know about where the work came from.
- Get an auction estimate. A specialist compares the work with recorded auction results and replies with an estimate range: what the work could reasonably bring at auction, not a guarantee or a formal appraisal.
- Agree terms and a reserve. If you decide to sell, you sign a consignment agreement that sets the commission, any fees and the reserve (the confidential minimum price below which the work will not sell).
- Ship or hand over the work. The work goes to the house for inspection, cataloguing and photography. Condition and authorship are checked before it is offered.
- The sale. The work is offered in a scheduled sale, online or in the room. Buyers pay a buyer’s premium on top of the hammer price; that is the buyer’s cost, not yours.
- Get paid. After the buyer pays, the house settles with you: the hammer price minus the seller’s commission and any agreed fees.
Typical timeline
- Estimate: usually a few days after you send photos.
- Consignment to sale: commonly 6–12 weeks, because houses build sales around themes and seasons and need time to catalogue and market each lot.
- Payment: usually about 30–35 days after the sale, once the buyer has paid.
What selling costs
- Seller’s commission: a percentage of the hammer price. At many houses it falls roughly between 10% and 25%, often lower for higher-value works, and it is frequently negotiable.
- Possible fees: some houses charge for photography, insurance, shipping or an unsold-lot fee. Ask which apply before you sign.
- Buyer’s premium: paid by the buyer on top of the hammer price. Prices in our results include it where the house publishes it.
What to have ready for your Early 20th Century estimate
- A straight-on photo of the whole front, in daylight, without glare (frame on is fine)
- A close-up of the signature, monogram or any stamp
- The back: canvas or board, stretcher, labels, gallery or exhibition stickers, inscriptions
- Height and width (and depth for sculpture), without the frame if you can
- Medium if you know it: oil, acrylic, watercolor, print, bronze…
- How you acquired it: purchase receipts, gallery invoices, letters, family history, past appraisals
- Condition notes: tears, flaking, stains, restoration, foxing on paper
- For prints: the edition number (e.g. 23/100) and any blindstamp
How to photograph art for an estimate →
Early 20th Century appraisal for insurance or an estate
Not selling, but need a documented value? A free auction estimate is for selling; insurers, executors and charities usually need a formal written appraisal. Need an appraisal for insurance? Request a written Early 20th Century appraisal →
Selling Early 20th Century: questions
How do I sell a Early 20th Century work?
Send photos of the front, signature and back with the size for a free auction estimate. If you decide to sell, you consign the work to an auction house under a written agreement that sets the commission and reserve; the house catalogues, markets and sells it, then pays you after the buyer pays.
Is there demand for Early 20th Century at auction?
ArtSell has recorded 17 Early 20th Century lots between 2016 and 2025, and 82% of them sold; 9 priced sales came in the last five years.
What have Early 20th Century works sold for?
Half of the 12 priced sales were between $546 and $1,464 (median $1,023); the record is $2,489. These are past auction results, not a valuation of your work.
How much does it cost to sell at auction?
The seller pays a commission on the hammer price, at many houses roughly 10% to 25% and often negotiable for higher-value works, plus any agreed fees such as photography, insurance or shipping. The estimate itself is free.
How long does it take?
An estimate usually takes a few days. From consignment to sale is commonly 6 to 12 weeks, and payment usually follows about a month after the sale.
Early 20th Century price guideAll Early 20th Century auction resultsEarly 20th Century sculpture
Seller guides
How to sell art at auctionSell a paintingSell a printSell a sculptureSelling inherited art and estatesHow to photograph art for an estimateAppraisal vs. auction estimateWhere to sell artArt appraisal for insurance