FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
I am a Prospective Seller
Goupil & Cie accepts items that fall into the categories listed in our departments that you can refer to here.
You can request an estimate and a Goupil & Cie specialist will evaluate your property for you. Additional information can be found in the FAQs related to “Estimates and Reserves” section under “How to Consign my Item”.
Upon physical examination and estimation of the property, a Goupil & Cie specialist will make a recommendation and determine together with you how to sell your property according to your needs and preferences. All inquiries will be handled with the greatest discretion.
A specialist with Goupil & Cie will review your property. The name of the artist or maker, title of the artwork or item, size (dimensions), medium, material, date of creation, exhibition or ownership history, provenance, certificates, rarity and condition, or equivalent information for collectibles, and similar items that were sold recently at auctions are important aspects that are all taken into account. Estimates may be adjusted upon physical inspection of the item.
Goupil & Cie has an extensive worldwide network of individual collectors, institutions, companies and other parties that take great interest in collecting artworks and acquiring exclusive items. Goupil & Cie will personally and discretely offer your property to potential buyers.
Goupil & Cie is committed to find a buyer as quickly as possible. The timing does vary according to the actual market demand for your property, specific buyer’s interest and selected sale channel.
In order to sell your property with Goupil & Cie, you must first submit it for an estimate. You can do so, without commitment, online by filling the “Request An Estimate” form. We request that you submit your item details online before meeting our specialists to make sure that it is an item we will accept for consignment.
Alternatively, you can submit your item in person by booking an appointment with one of our representatives. Please contact our customer service representatives at [email protected]. A Goupil & Cie’s specialist will then revert to you to schedule a meeting.*
*At the moment, due to COVID-19, we are no longer accepting in person consignments. Please only submit your item details for review using the online process.
At the moment, due to COVID-19, we are no longer accepting in person consignments. Please only submit your item details for review using the online process.
No, but please do submit them one at a time. If you have more than five items to submit to us, please contact our client service specialists at [email protected].
Please refer to section, “How To Get An Estimate” for details. For our specialists to proceed with the valuation of your property, please provide us clear with front and back colour photographs of the item and information including the name of the artist or maker, title of the artwork or item, size (dimensions), medium, material, date of creation, exhibition or ownership history, provenance, certificates, rarity and condition, or equivalent information for collectibles. To facilitate the assessment process, it is important that you provide us with as much information as possible.
All auction estimates are statements of opinion only and cannot be regarded as a prediction or guarantee of the actual selling price. Goupil & Cie makes no representations or warranties with respect to the property, its authenticity, attribution, condition, or otherwise. Furthermore, Goupil & Cie auction estimates are intended solely for the use of the owner of the property and only for the purpose of considering whether to consign the property to Goupil & Cie. It may not be used by the owner for any other purpose, or by any third party for any purpose whatsoever, nor may it be published.
You may submit any authentication or appraisal paperwork you may have with your request, but they are not required for the review.
Goupil & Cie does not provide authentication services.
If your item is appropriate for sale, Goupil & Cie will provide you the estimate free of charge as a complementary service. We will also let you know if you item is not typically sold at auction.
Any item pertaining to a category for which Goupil & Cie has expertise is appropriate for sale. You can find the list of categories and their corresponding departments here.
A specialist with Goupil & Cie will review your property. The name of the artist or maker, title of the artwork or item, size (dimensions), medium, material, date of creation, exhibition or ownership history, provenance, certificates, rarity and condition, or equivalent information for collectibles, and similar items that were sold recently at auctions are important aspects that are all taken into account. Estimates may be adjusted upon physical inspection of the item.
The estimates by Goupil & Cie are all provisional, and are not predictions or guarantees of the actual selling prices. The estimates are meant for considering to consign your property to Goupil & Cie. The provisional estimate is subject to revision after physical examination by a specialist.
Goupil & Cie will provide an estimate within approximately two to four weeks. Sometimes more investigation is needed which may take up to several weeks.
In case an item is not of a type or value that is typically sold by Goupil & Cie, or if an item is not within our area of expertise, a local auctioneer or trusted partner may be the best option. If your item is from a brand and/or has a certain price threshold that are not accepted by Goupil & Cie, we will inform you. We try our best to respond to estimate requests within 2-4 weeks upon receipt.
Yes, you are welcome to do so. More often than not, most who request an estimate intend to consign their items with Goupil & Cie. However, you are under no obligation to do so.
Goupil & Cie does not have a restoration service and therefore we are unable to provide estimates for damaged property or repairs.
Goupil & Cie is committed to guarantee strict confidentiality of any personal information you provide us with. Please refer to our Privacy Policy if you want to know more about how we handle and protect personal data.
Goupil & Cie operates in the secondary art market and as such, we do not accept works of art from artists or representatives from the primary art market.
Goupil & Cie welcome wines collection consignments, please contact us at [email protected] with a list of your wines with their provenance, bottle size, vintage and storage history.
Yes, please get in touch with us at [email protected] for further assistance.
Yes, please contact our Client Advisory team here for further assistance.
To sell your item with Goupil & Cie, you will first have to agree to the consignment agreement. The consignment agreement establishes the terms and conditions, as well as the fees that are applicable to the consignment of your property.
The costs associated with the sale of your property include the consigner’s commission, relevant marketing, shipping and insurance fees, and any other charges agreed upon. The seller commission for Goupil & Cie is a fixed percentage on the hammer price of the item sold during the auction or transactional price for private sales. Taxes and shipping and any restoration and framing services are excluded and calculated separately.
Once we have determined that your item is appropriate for auction, our specialist will determine the location and sale date with you to ensure the optimal results. Our specialist will also discuss shipping options with you.
After having estimated your property, our specialists will get in touch with you to discuss the subsequent consignment of your property.
To sell your item with Goupil & Cie, you will first have to agree to the consignment agreement. The consignment agreement establishes the terms and conditions, as well as the fees that are applicable to the consignment of your property.
The costs associated with the sale of your property include the consigner’s commission, relevant marketing, shipping and insurance fees, and any other charges agreed upon.
Yes, your Goupil & Cie specialist will discuss and agree on a reserve price with Goupil & Cie.
You are responsible for the packing and transport of your property and all taxes due. However, we will be pleased to recommend a shipping partner and to assist you with any of your arrangements.
Once your item is accepted for sale, Goupil & Cie will find a suitable buyer either by conducting a public auction or by proceeding to a private sale.
Goupil & Cie will get in touch with you after the sale to notify you about the situation of your property. Within 35 days and on the condition that the buyer proceeded with the payment in full, you will receive your payment corresponding to the hammer price less the consigner’s commission and other agreed fees. If there is no buyer for your property at or above the reserve price, we will get back to you to jointly determine what comes next.
Please feel free to reach us at [email protected] if you have any question or need assistance with the sale of your property.
Goupil & Cie sells items via online and saleroom auctions as well as private sales that fall into the different department categories that you can refer to here.
I am a Prospective Buyer
Not at all. Goupil & Cie client advisors are engaged with clients worldwide and will assist you in acquiring the finest objects that meet your wishes thanks to our extensive global network.
Thanks to our close contacts within our extensive global network, Goupil & Cie client advisors can quickly locate the items that meet your wishes, and match buyers with sellers. The timing may vary depending on the rarity and uniqueness of the specific items. Rest assured, we will do our utmost to seek private sales opportunities until your wishes have been met.
At any given time Goupil & Cie has numerous and various artworks and exclusive items available for private sale. Please get in touch with us to discuss what you are looking for and how we can be of help. You can find the list of categories and their corresponding departments here.
We will collaborate with you to source and research items specifically on your behalf. Goupil & Cie has fostered and maintains close relationships with collectors, gallerists and institutions around the world, and through these global yet close contacts we are able to help find the exceptional artworks and other exclusive items you are looking for.
If you require privacy or confidentiality, private sales would be appropriate and the process is handled with the greatest discretion. Goupil & Cie negotiates a mutually agreed purchase price with the seller and the buyer. At an auction, many parties that are interested in the same particular artwork or item often determine the final price.
An invoice will be sent to you once you have agreed on the purchase of the private sale item that our team has sourced for you. You are welcome to pay by credit card for purchases for limits up to 5,000 USD, 5,000EUR, 50,000HKD, 5,000CHF, 5,000GBP or 5,000SGD. Any invoice amounts above those amounts have to settled by bank transfer exclusively.
You just need to create an account with Goupil & Cie. Once you have created your account, you will have access to all our online auctions to bid at your convenience as well as our sale room events.
No, once you log into your account you do not need to register for each sale separately. You have access to all auctions that are going on once you have logged in.
Auctions are normally open for 2 weeks. Each auction is different and the timeline will be announced for each sale.
Currently, items can only be viewed online. Pictures are posted online and lot condition reports can be requested at any time. Should you have any questions regarding a lot you are interested in, please contact us at [email protected].
Yes, you will either have to create an account online prior to the auction, or register with us during the event at least 30 minutes before the start of the auction. Please kindly note that you have to bring all the required documents with you to register at the event.
No, you just need to have an account with us. You can obtain a paddle at the event, as long as you have a valid government issued ID that matches your online account.
A valid credit card is needed to verify your identity. If your identity has not been verified, you will not be able to bid for any lots in any auction. Your credit card will be charged 1 unit of currency to verify authenticity but this amount will be refunded within 3 business days.
For online bidding, successful bidders can immediately checkout online by credit card for limits up to 5,000USD, 5,000EUR, 5,000SGD, 5,000CHF, 5,000GBP or 50,000HKD.
For saleroom biddings and private sales, credit card payments are also accepted up to the limits above upon receipt of the invoice.
Any invoice amounts above those amounts have to be settled by bank transfer exclusively.
Wire transfers are not accepted from any third party. Wire transfers from joint accounts will only be accepted if the name of the account holder appears upon receipt of payment.
If you are a successful bidder, your card will not be charged automatically for the purchase. An invoice will be sent to you with payment instructions.
Should you prefer to use your credit card on file, or any other credit card to pay for the purchase, the details of that card can be entered for limits up to 5,000USD, 5,000EUR, 50,000HKD, 5,000CHF, 5,000GBP or 5,000SGD. Any invoice amounts above those amounts have to settled by bank transfer exclusively.
We work with our buyers and shippers to facilitate pickups and deliveries. All shipments are shipped directly from our facilities via express courier or a shipper that you have selected at checkout.
Once your total payment including shipping fees has been validated, you will be notified by a shipping confirmation email with tracking information that will be sent by our partner shipper.
Shipments are estimated to be delivered within 3-5 business days after the date of payment validation, depending on the destination. Delivery times are estimates and cannot be guaranteed. Due to COVID-19, please kindly note that many shipments are experiencing longer than normal delays. A tracking number is provided for each shipment so its journey can be monitored. Please contact our Client Advisory team at [email protected] for any questions regarding the status of your shipment.
If your lot is stored at a local Goupil & Cie location, you may also opt to schedule an in-person pickup during business hours once you have received your payment confirmation. Please note that due to COVID-19, we are currently not accepting in-person pick-ups. All items will be shipped by any other method of your choice.
Kindly contact our Client Advisory team at [email protected] to request an address change prior to shipment. Please note that address changes are not possible once your order has been processed or shipped. It is your responsibility to ensure that the correct shipping address is selected during check out and communicated to our team. Additional shipping fees may apply if an address change is successfully processed. Please refer to Conditions of Sale regarding our shipping process.
Should you wish to delay the delivery of your shipment, please kindly contact our Client Advisory team at [email protected] to enquire if your request can be accommodated.
Items won during the same auction may not arrive at the same time.
A shipping notification with a tracking number will be sent via email upon shipment of all or part of your order. Additional shipping updates may be provided by email.
In the unlikely event that you receive a damaged item, contact our Client Advisory team as soon as you can at [email protected]. Please refer to our terms and conditions for shipping.