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- Sep 14
- 4 min read

Secondary Market Works

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SATURDAY EVENING POST

September 14th, 2024

Upon spending time around the art world, you’re likely to hear pieces described as being either primary or secondary market works. These terms refer to the provenance of a particular work and whether it is being purchased for the first time (primary sales) or has been previously owned and is re-entering the market (secondary sales). Often times, secondary market works are thought of as coming from auctions and primary works from galleries, but galleries often deal in secondary market works as well!

Pablo Picasso, Visage (A.R. 288), ceramic, 12 1/8 x 5 3/8 in.,1955.

Pablo Picasso, Chevalier (A.R. 137), ceramic, 8 3/8 x 5 3/4 in.,1952.

Pablo Picasso, Profil et femme nue, drypoint etching on paper, 13 3/4 x 10 1/12 in., edition 11 of 30, 1944.

Primary market sales refer to the first time that a works is sold, either by an artist, gallery, or by commission. Once this first sale has occurred, any subsequent sale or purchase of the work is deemed to be on the secondary market. As you might imagine, this places most art being sold as secondary market work. Purchasing works by contemporary artist such as Picasso, Willem de Kooning, Man Ray, Emily Carr, and Andy Warhol would all be considered secondary market sales.

Willem de Kooning, Woman, oil, charcoal, and gouache on paper laid on canvas, 23 1/4 x 18 1/4 in., 1965.

Willem de Kooning, Girl, graphite on notepaper, 4 x 5 in., 1952.

Man Ray, Portrait of Balthus, silver gelatin print, 9 x 7 in., 1930.

Emily Carr, Woman of Concarneau, watercolour on paper, 14 x 10 1/4 in., 1911.

Andy Warhol, Self Portrait, Polaroid, 4 1/4 x 3 3/8 in., 1977.

Andy Warhol, Vote McGovern, screenprint on Arches 88 paper, 42 x 42 in., 1972.

Primary sales are important for artists because it helps to establish their presence within the contemporary landscape of the art market. Secondary market sales of their work are similarly important for both artists and collectors as they help establish the value of their pieces. Recorded exhibitions, purchases, and transfer of ownership between galleries, individuals, institutions, and auctions creates what is referred to a work’s provenance. The provenance of a work has several functions, but primarily establishes a history of an artist’s work and it’s value, both historically and monetarily. Galleries and institutions put a great deal of effort into researching and recording the provenance of the works they handle.

Jack Shadbolt, The Last Flowering, oil on canvas, 56 x 48 in., 1993.

Jack Sahdbolt, In the Leaf-Mould, mixed media on paper, 21 1/2 x 16 in., 1954.

Gathie Falk, Support System with Camelia Bush, oil on canvas, 84 x 60 in., 1988.

Gathie Falk, Detail of Support System with Camelia Bush, oil on canvas, 84 x 60 in., 1988.

Gordon Smith, Untitled (Black Painting), acrylic on canvas, 59 3/4 x 66 3/4 in., 2011.

Jack Bush, Deep Night, chalk and pencil, 2 x 4 1/2 in., 1976.

Jack Bush, Doppio Movimento, coloured drawing, 5 1/2 x 7 in., 1976.

Maxwell Bates, Classical Ball, ink and watercolour on paper, 14 x 19 1/2 in., 1974.

Rodney Graham, Grand Piano, collage on paper, 8 1/4 x 11 1/12 in.

Auctions are often the first places people think of when it comes to secondary market sales, but galleries offer great opportunities for secondary market works. Gallerists often seek out artists and pieces with which they have personal experience, giving them great insight into the history and practice of particular artists and works. Additionally, when it comes to selling pieces, working with a gallery allows greater control over the final sale price since it will be pre-established and not subject to the whims of auction buyers. When handling secondary market works, we work with clients to establish a fair market value for their consignment so they know what to expect, and in some cases we may even offer to purchase the work outright.

Robert Mangold, Red/Gray Zone, silkscreen, 31 x 44 3/4 in., edition 44 of 108, 1996.

Joseph Albers, SP-VII, silkscreen, 24 x 24 in., 1967.

Sol Lewitt, Horizontal Colour Bands and Vertical Colour Bands, Plate 06, etching with aquatint, 17 3/8 x 34 7/8 in., edition 26 of 30, 1991.

Secondary market sales also serve to support the artists we represent by allowing them to create works without feeling pressure to cater to a particular market. We are fortunate to represent a fantastic group of contemporary artists here at Paul Kyle Gallery whose work we truly believe in and our aim as a gallery is to champion their works. Over time, their works will enter the secondary market and generate a history of their own, and we are lucky to be a part of that process.

We have a long history of working with artists both within Canada and internationally, and are always looking for works whose provenance we can help build upon.

Wayne Ngan, Red and Blue Raku Vase, ceramic, 6 1/2 x 6 x6 in.

Wayne Ngan, Lidded Pot, ceramic, 8 1/4 x 9 x 9 in.

Wayne Ngan, Bowl, ceramic, 3 x 7 x 7 in.

Ron Martin, Guelph Trip - One & Two #17, acrylic on canvas, 84 x 66 in., 1975.

Jeff Wall, Young Man Wet with Rain, silver gelatin print, 112 x 62 1/2 in., edition of 4 + 1 AP, 2011.

All of the works in this article are available at or have been sold by Paul Kyle Gallery. For additional information on any of the included pieces, or to consign with us, please contact us at info@paulkylegallery.com or at 604-620-0049.

UPCOMING GUEST LECTURE

ROALD NASGAARD

September 25th, 2024 @ 7:30PM

Join us for an enlightening evening with special guest speaker Roald Nasgaard.

Roald is an award winning author, curator, and Officer of the Order of Canada. During his career he has been a champion of abstract art in Canada and served as the chief curator of the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) for two decades.

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