Selling
Consign to Auction
Consigning works to Wright is straightforward and easy. We have multiple venues for selling your property—from auction to retail or private sale—and we are happy to provide a free evaluation of your items at any time.
Consigning from Start to Finish
1. Submit images
Email images of your property to Wright specialists and receive an evaluation within 72 hours
2. Ship works
Items accepted can be sent to Wright at any time prior to the consignment deadline
3. Marketing
Wright will photograph and market the works to our audience and new markets
4. Receive payment
After a sale, Wright will send you payment via the method of your choice
Free Evaluation
The perfect auction starts with the perfect consignment.
Richard Wright
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I consign to auction?
Auction is a marketplace that allows the value to be set by demand. Our auctions are curated to the taste of the market and our clientele to ensure the greatest interest and activity on any given item. It only takes two interested parties to see a work sell for prices that exceed expectation. Auction may not be right for every item and our specialists will make a recommendation based on the work itself.
How do I start the consignment process?
The first step of the consignment process is to contact our specialists with information regarding the work(s) you wish to sell or have evaluated. Our specialists can be reached by email at consign@wright20.com or by phone at 312 563 0020. We are happy to discuss works at any time, but if you can provide images it does assist us in assessing condition and therefore value of a given work.
What is the consignment fee? Are there other fees?
There is a commission fee for all consigned property. This fee is determined by the value of works being sold and is negotiable.
There is a fee for the insurance of your work while in the possession of Wright, set at 1.5% of the hammer value. Other fees may include photography and/or an unsold lot fee, but these too, are negotiable.
How long until I hear back?
If you submit works for consideration through our website or by email you should hear back within 3 business days. If you do not, feel free to call or email to check in on your submission. If you need prompt attention to any inquiry, please include a note and we will do our best to accommodate.
Can someone come out to look at the works in person?
A Wright staff person would be happy to visit you and your collection. If in Chicago or New York we have specialists on hand regularly, but we often travel throughout the United States and abroad to meet with clients. Please contact us regarding your collection and we can make arrangements.
If I don’t want to wait for auction, what other options do I have?
While we have multiple auctions each month, these sales are curated and therefore a work might not be appropriate for a sale for a few months. Depending on the item, Wright could offer to sell a work privately or we could list it on Wright Now, our online buy-it-now marketplace.
Does Wright buy items out right?
If you are looking to sell a work immediately, Wright may be able to connect you to a buyer either privately or via Wright Now, our online buy-it-now marketplace. Contact our specialists to discuss works you are looking to sell now!
Have you sold this artist or design before?
Wright has handled more than 60,000 works since our founding in 2000. All auction results can be found on our website using our search located in the upper right hand corner of our website. Type in any artist name to view what Wright has offered.
Our specialists follow the market and would be happy to discuss any item or artist with you. Call the gallery at 312 563 0020 or email consign@wright20.com to connect with a specialist today.
Do works need to ship to Wright?
All works accepted for consignment do need to ship to Wright for photography, marketing and finally sale. Your consignor representative will be happy to assist you in making shipping arrangements to the appropriate location.
How do I understand the consignor agreement?
The Consignor Agreement is our contract of business. The Consignor Agreement with Property Schedule lists figures for the value of your items as well as your seller’s reserve and the various fees associated with your consignment.
Understanding your agreement: Property Schedule – a list of each item with its estimate and reserve; Commission – details regarding your seller’s commission rate; Expenses – processing expenses and insurance fees for your item(s) while in our possession; Settlement – discusses payments for items sold; Special Terms – an addendum containing any special agreed upon terms (if any) that may overrule terms listed in previous clauses.
What sort of marketing will Wright do?
All works will be photographed, cataloged and described in full on our website and mobile app and if there is a catalog, in print. We market all auctions digitally and list our sales on appropriate third party sites such as Live Auctioneers and or Artsy to ensure a broad audience. We list our sales with various print and digital sources including newspapers, art digests, design events, etc. Our catalogs are shipped across the globe to an expansive network of buyers and consultants and we host exhibitions or private viewings of all works in either our Chicago or New York location. Finally, you will find us on Facebook and Instagram.
When will I get paid?
Results (including Buyer's Premium) will be posted on our website the evening of the auction. Within 10 days after the auction you will receive a statement listing your sold items and the net sale proceeds due to you. Auction payments are made 35 business days after the auction date.
What happens if the works don’t sell?
Your consignor representative can assist you in selecting the best course of action should your item fail to sell at auction. Options may include listing your item on Wright Now, our buy-it-now marketplace, holding the work for a future auction, or return of the piece should it appear to be the wrong fit.
Can I attend or watch the auction?
Yes! All auctions are open to public. You can attend in person or follow along live from our website or via the Wright iOS app.
What if my item(s) needs restoration?
Wright specialists will assess the condition of your item and can assist in the restoration or cleaning of any work should it be necessary. We have a network of trusted vendors and conservators that we work with should your item benefit from their services.
These mavericks have always done it their way. Christie's, Sotheby's and Phillips may be the auction house heavyweights, but the Chicago-based Wright is a favorite among connoisseurs.
The New York Times
The only auction house dedicated to art and design of the 20th and 21st century. Wright is unique in the industry. Market expertise, innovation and a point of view allow us to stand apart in the industry. We have built markets for established and previously unknown artists alike; we explore new areas of collecting; celebrate the visions of collectors; and foster the legacy of artists and designers.
Wright hosts many art and design auctions throughout the year as well as several specialty sales each season. We are always accepting consignments and we always have the appropriate venue for the sale of your items.
Modern Design
Contemporary Design
Scandinavian Design
American Design
20th Century Art
Contemporary Art
Prints & Multiples
Important Italian Glass
And more...
Art
From prints and multiples to paintings and sculpture, Wright celebrates art of the 20th and 21st century with museum-like treatment at all price points appealing to the entire market.
Design
Committed to the most influential designers of the 20th century, our sales traverse the globe to present classic and iconic designs alongside rare and unique works. We have several highly-anticipated sales each season as well as sales dedicated to works from specific regions, such as American and Scandinavian Design.
Important Italian Glass
For more than half a decade, Wright has worked with Sara Blumberg and Jim Oliviera, the preeminent experts of the field, to curate auctions of the most desirable works of 20th century Murano glass. Our sales are the best in the industry and achieve record prices.
Single-Owner Sales and Special Sections
The vision of the collector often adds an element of intrigue and desire to the objects offered; Wright recognizes and highlights the connection between collector and the works they collect with entire auctions or sections within sales.
Unique Collections or Single-Artist Auctions
From an auction of Berkel Meat Slicers to the sale of interior furnishings and tableware of The Four Seasons or auctions dedicated to single artists or designers, Wright excels at telling the story that makes a work valuable.
Record Results at Wright
Thomas Stearns
La Sentinella di Venezia
estimate: $300,000–500,000
result: $737,000
Pierre Koenig
Case Study House #21
estimate: $2,500,000–3,500,000
result: $3,185,600
Enrico Castellani
Superficie bianca
estimate: $600,000–800,000
result: $917,000
Ruth Asawa
Untitled (S.386, Hanging, Five-Lobed, Multi-Layered, Interlocking Continuous Form Within a Form with Two Interior Spheres)
estimate: $700,000–900,000
result: $905,000
Isamu Noguchi
Important and Unique Dining Table for Mr. & Mrs. Milton Greene
estimate: $1,000,000–1,500,000
result: $1,653,000
Pablo Picasso
Buste de Femme
estimate: $700,000–900,000
result: $746,500
Josef Albers
Dark
estimate: $200,000–300,000
result: $557,000
Marc Newson
Important and unique desk from Syn Studios, Tokyo
estimate: $200,000–300,000
result: $515,000
Harry Bertoia
untitled (Multi-Plane Construction)
estimate: $500,000–700,000
result: $420,000
Gio Ponti
Room from the 9th Triennale of Milan 1951
estimate: $300,000–400,000
result: $324,000
Pierre Jeanneret
pair of lounge chairs from Punjab University, Chandigarh
estimate: $30,000–50,000
result: $179,000
Ercole Barovier
Important Mosaico vase
estimate: $150,000–200,000
result: $257,000
Paul Evans
Exceptional Argente cabinet, model PE42A
estimate: $50,000–70,000
result: $293,000
Harry Bertoia
untitled (Sonambient)
estimate: $200,000–300,000
result: $408,000
Isamu Noguchi
Rare and Important Chess table, model IN-61
estimate: $150,000–200,000
result: $233,000
Ercole Barovier
Important Primavera vase
estimate: $250,000–350,000
result: $293,000
Jean (Hans) Arp
Constellation
estimate: $70,000–90,000
result: $233,000
Ercole Barovier
Murrine vase
estimate: $15,000–20,000
result: $317,000
Paul Evans
Important Sculpture Front cabinet
estimate: $150,000–200,000
result: $233,000
Harry Bertoia
untitled (Dandelion)
estimate: $200,000–300,000
result: $348,000
Michelangelo Pistoletto
Tenda blu (Blue Curtain)
estimate: $150,000–200,000
result: $605,000
Roy Lichtenstein
Brushstroke Chair and Ottoman
estimate: $200,000–300,000
result: $341,000
Carlo Mollino
coffee table, model 1114
estimate: $80,000–120,000
result: $206,500
Paavo Tynell
Rare and Exceptional chandelier
estimate: $50,000–70,000
result: $197,000
Kenneth Noland
Damson
estimate: $70,000–90,000
result: $197,000
Paolo Venini
Important Mosaico Tessuto vase
estimate: $100,000–150,000
result: $173,000
Isamu Noguchi
rare and important Rudder dining suite from the Hasting Estate
estimate: $150,000–200,000
result: $182,500
Fulvio Bianconi
Con Macchie vase
estimate: $20,000–30,000
result: $197,000
Napoleone Martinuzzi
Rare and Important Pulegoso vase, model 3273
estimate: $100,000–150,000
result: $269,000
Gio Ponti
rare sofa for Palazzo Liviano, University of Padova
estimate: $50,000–70,000
result: $161,000
Gio Ponti and Piero Fornasetti
Important sideboard
result: $240,000
George Nakashima
Minguren dining table
estimate: $70,000–90,000
result: $192,000
Barbara Hepworth
Four-Square (Four Circles)
estimate: $150,000–200,000
result: $269,000
Isamu Noguchi
table, model #IN-62
estimate: $70,000–90,000
result: $630,000
Andy Warhol
Campbell's Soup II Portfolio (F. & S. II.54-63)
estimate: $100,000–150,000
result: $168,000
Charlotte Perriand
Bloc bahut
estimate: $200,000–250,000
result: $240,000
