Used paintings in the UAE typically sell for AED 99 to AED 1,500 (about $27 to $405). Original works and prints sell in completely different markets, and establishing which you have is the first step in any valuation.
What paintings are worth in the UAE
| Condition | Typical | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New with Tags | AED 1,483 | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | AED 1,260 | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | AED 964 | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | AED 667 | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | AED 371 | Not working or incomplete, sold as seen |
Guide ranges converted from sterling at the 2 August 2026 rate, not quotes — sellers set their own price. Grades are seller-declared; WishThrift does not inspect or verify them.
What lifts the price
- Original frames appropriate to the period
- Canvases with no tears, flaking or overpainting
What pulls it down
- Prints and reproductions mistaken for originals
- Unsigned works with no attribution
Selling paintings in the UAE
Bank transfer and cash on collection are both normal. Confirm funds have cleared before handing anything over.
The UAE has an unusually active second-hand market driven by how often people arrive and leave — relocation sales mean good-quality items turn over quickly and often at well below their age.
Domestic courier coverage is quick and cheap by international standards, and most of the population is within a short drive of everyone else.
The Emirates is a pre-launch market, so this is what a seller here should expect when it opens. The population turns over unusually fast, and that shapes the whole market: relocation sales put nearly-new furniture, appliances and cars on the market at heavy discounts, and the best stock appears in concentrated bursts as people leave. Distances are short and courier coverage is quick and cheap, so postage is rarely the obstacle it is elsewhere. Expect buyers to move fast and to expect a reply the same day.
Working out what yours is worth
- Photograph the signature, the back and any labels
- Search auction results for the artist’s name
Getting it ready
- Photograph the reverse before anything else. Labels, stamps, inscriptions and gallery marks on the back are often where attribution comes from.
- Look for a signature and any date, including in the corners and along the edges under the frame rebate.
Photograph
- The signature close up, legible
- The complete reverse, including stretcher, labels and any inscription
- The surface raked with side light to show texture, craquelure, and any damage or repair
Put in the description
- Medium and support — oil on canvas, watercolour on paper, acrylic on board
- Dimensions of the work, and separately with the frame
- Condition of the surface and support, including craquelure, tears, flaking or previous restoration
Collection is far safer for anything sizeable or framed. If posting, use corner protectors, a rigid double-walled box and a face-protecting board, and never let bubble wrap touch the paint surface directly.
Steady year round to a collector and decorator audience. Signed work by identifiable artists sells fastest; unattributed decorative paintings compete on subject, size and frame.
It costs nothing to list
There is no listing fee, no selling fee and no commission, so the AED 1,483 a buyer pays is the AED 1,483 you keep. You and the buyer settle up and arrange the handover between yourselves; WishThrift does not hold the money or ship the item.
Where in the UAE
The United Arab Emirates is a big place and what sells well moves with it. These are the parts of the United Arab Emirates with their own page for paintings.
- Selling paintings in Dubai
- Selling paintings in Sharjah
- Selling paintings in Abu Dhabi
- Selling paintings in Al Ain
- Selling paintings in Ajman
Common questions
Where can I sell paintings in the UAE?
List it free on WishThrift and deal with the buyer direct. There is no selling fee, so the whole amount stays with you. Bank transfer and cash on collection are both normal. Confirm funds have cleared before handing anything over.
Has it been restored?
Disclose anything you know about, including relining, retouching or revarnishing. Restoration is normal on older work and buyers accept it — concealed restoration is what causes disputes.
How do I tell an original painting from a print?
Look at the surface under magnification. Prints show a regular dot pattern; originals show brushwork and texture.
Does the frame add value?
Sometimes considerably, particularly period frames. Photograph it separately, since it may be valued in its own right.
More: how to sell paintings, what paintings are worth, or Art & Collectables across the United Arab Emirates.