A Guide to the UK Auction House Process & Fees in 2026.
A brief history shows that the art auction started in England in the late 17th Century with a painting auction recorded in 1693, in London. Catalogues, as today, were published before the sale date. During the 19th Century the market was driven by new collectors and wealthy industrialists. They purchased artists of the day including J.M.W. Turner. Towards the end of the 19th Century and Early 20th Century, in an art auction, you would see female portraits by Sir Joshua Reynolds, George Romney and Thomas Gainsborough. Early British fine art auction houses include Sothebys and Christies. Later regional fine art auctions were set up across the country.
The process of selling Fine Art at auction is the same as the early days. You need to find a local or London auction house to value your item. Ship it to the auction and wait. It is important to match your items value and quality to the correct auction house and market.
There can be regional differences and like any service some are better than others and they all charge fees!
Auction Pitfalls
Many of our clients are looking to avoid the high cost of selling items at auction and so find selling to our specialist gallery a more favourable option. Below is an outline of the potential pitfalls of selling in auctions.
We will explain auction commission charges and UK auction costs including fees and how much it costs in real terms. Tax is also included in the selling process including VAT and import duty.