Sell Your Original Artwork in the UK

Used original artworks in the UK typically sell for £40 to £600 (about $54 to $810). Original art sells on attribution and provenance, so say exactly what you know about who made it and where it came from — and nothing you cannot support.

What original artworks are worth in the UK

Condition	Typical	What it means
New with Tags	£600	Unused, tags or seals intact
Like New	£510	Barely used, no visible wear
Good	£390	Light signs of use, complete and working
Fair	£270	Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part
For Parts	£150	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

Signed works by artists with an auction record
Documented provenance and exhibition history

What pulls it down

Flaking paint and craquelure needing conservation
Overpainting and amateur restoration

Selling an original artwork in the UK

Most private sales settle by bank transfer or cash on collection. Faster Payments clear in seconds, which makes a transfer as safe as cash for the seller — wait for it to land before the item leaves your hands.

Distance selling rules bind traders, not private sellers, but an item must still be as described and anything sold as working must actually work.

Second-hand demand peaks in January, in the weeks before Christmas, and at the start of the academic year in September.

Working out what yours is worth

Photograph the signature, the reverse and any labels
Search auction results for the artist’s name

Sell your Original Artwork in the UK

Listing is free and there is no commission and no buyer fee, so the price you agree is the price you keep. Most listings take about a minute to put up.

List your Original Artwork — free What is yours worth?

Getting it ready

Photograph any signature, and check the back for labels, gallery stamps, inscriptions or exhibition stickers.
Do not clean or restore it. Amateur cleaning destroys value far more often than it adds any.

Photograph

The full work straight on in even daylight, no glare, no flash
A detail of the surface showing brushwork or print texture, plus any damage

Put in the description

Dimensions of the work and, separately, the frame
Provenance: where you acquired it and any documentation, plus condition

Medium, subject and attribution: “Original Oil on Canvas, Coastal Landscape, Signed, 60x80cm”. Say “signed” only if it is, and describe the signature rather than naming an artist you cannot verify. Framed or unframed belongs in the title too.

Pack flat with corner protectors and a rigid board either side, and never let the glazing sit against the surface. Consider removing glass entirely before posting, as it breaks and cuts the work.

It costs nothing to list

There is no listing fee, no selling fee and no commission, so the £600 a buyer pays is the £600 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 UK

The United Kingdom is a big place and what sells well moves with it. These are the parts of the United Kingdom with their own page for original artworks.

Common questions

Where can I sell an original artwork in the UK?

List it free on WishThrift and deal with the buyer direct. There is no selling fee, so the whole amount stays with you. Most private sales settle by bank transfer or cash on collection. Faster Payments clear in seconds, which makes a transfer as safe as cash for the seller — wait for it to land before the item leaves your hands.

Has it been restored?

Say what you know. Disclosed restoration is normal in the art market; undisclosed restoration discovered later is a serious problem.

How do I find out if a painting is valuable?

Identify the artist first, from the signature and any labels on the reverse, then search auction results for that name.

Should I have a damaged painting restored?

Get advice first. Amateur restoration and overpainting reduce value more than the original damage did.

More: how to sell an original artwork, what original artworks are worth, or Art & Collectables across the United Kingdom.