Private Sourcing
Some objects are never publicly offered.
A substantial part of this market never reaches a public catalogue. Objects move between collections, estates, institutions and specialist dealers, often without ever being advertised. Where a collector is looking for something specific, we will look for it.
How it works
A private search begins with a conversation about what you are looking for and why. The more precise the brief, the more useful the search: a period, a type, a condition threshold, a documentary standard, a ceiling.
We then approach the sources we know. That means other dealers, private collections, estates, specialist auction departments and, occasionally, institutions releasing duplicate material. Some searches conclude in weeks. Some take years. Some conclude with our telling you that what you want is not available at a price that makes sense, which is a legitimate outcome.
Our interest is disclosed before anything is agreed. Where we are acting as an agent we say so, and where we own the object we say that too.
Areas we search
Discuss an acquisition
Everything sent here is treated as confidential. We do not share briefs, and we do not add you to anything you have not asked for.