London is one of the three centres of the global art market alongside New York and Hong Kong, hosting the European headquarters of Christie's, Sotheby's, Phillips and Bonhams, Frieze London in October and a dense gallery ecosystem in Mayfair and St James's. The independent advisory sector has grown accordingly: advisers who represent collectors at auction, negotiate private sales and manage collections on an ongoing basis.
The advisers listed here share three characteristics. They are independent of any gallery or auction house. They work for a disclosed fee, either a retainer or a percentage of acquisition price. And they have a track record of advising private collections at the level where individual works trade in the millions of pounds.
London-specific considerations include the post-Brexit customs regime for works moving between the UK and the EU, the UK's 5 percent import VAT on art, and the Artist's Resale Right on secondary sales of works by living or recently deceased artists.
What to Look For in a London Art Advisory Professional
- Independence from galleries and auction houses, confirmed in writing
- Auction representation experience, including anonymous bidding and post-sale negotiation
- Provenance research capability and familiarity with restitution risk for pre-war European works
- Understanding of UK import VAT, ARR and post-Brexit customs procedures