In the complex global art market, where art collections are stores of great wealth and billions of dollars in property is traded at auction and privately, we are an invaluable resource for our clients during the appraisal and sales process and advise them as they navigate the market. Butera Art Advisory guides clients through the disposition of fine and decorative arts, jewelry, and other tangible assets – identifying opportunities, coordinating with seasoned industry counterparts, and seamlessly directing the process from initial conversations through completion. As a third-party advisory, our team is uniquely positioned to serve as a trusted agent and deliver the best outcomes for our clients.

Our specialists leverage their deep understanding of the art market, the art and objects that form its basis, and the historical context that surrounds it. We steer the sales process, offering clear, independent guidance to clients and bringing transparency to pricing, positioning, and decision-making.

For clients with larger collections, Butera Art Advisory recognizes that in today’s market, how a collection is marketed is just as important as how it is estimated. Our team is adept at crafting strategic marketing and sales proposals that capitalize on the collections’ and collectors’ unique stories to maximize client upside.

Clients working with Butera Art Advisory have access to our extensive network of industry professionals across auction houses, galleries, collectors, and private dealers. We ensure that items are sold through the best-suited venue and location at the right time. Our team also secures enticing and appropriate pre-sale estimates and favorable terms – including lower seller’s fees and other minimized costs. Butera Art Advisory specializes in discreet, individualized sales support, developing unique marketing strategies and drawing on our team’s expertise and networks to maximize our client’s results.

Butera Art Advisory will:

  • create an inventory to help clients identify the items from the collection they wish to sell;
  • initiate conversations and conduct onsite or virtual previews of the work with trusted secondary market sources to gauge their interest in and determine the best venue for the property;
  • solicit sales proposals;
  • negotiate on behalf of the client to secure the most advantageous financial terms and conditions of sale;
  • conduct a comparative review and analysis of competing sales proposals for review with the client and assist in the decision-making process;
  • arrange packing and transportation of property to salesroom(s); and
  • serve as the single point of contact between the client and the vendor during the sales process.

I was executor of my mother-in-law's estate and had to sell an apartment full of fine art, fine furniture, jade, china, silver and a healthy array of clothes. I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Butera Art Advisory and its president Alanna Butera. They provided straightforward information about valuation and the sale process for the fine art and other property in the apartment. I had a dedicated project manager who was my contact on a day-to-day basis, and the entire team was always available for advice and counsel. Their goal was the same as ours - sell at the highest prices for the top pieces and liquidate the remaining property at a fair price. Even when we switched gears and decided to donate some of the lower valued contents, they identified organizations that might be interested in the donations. We were thrilled to have had Butera Art Advisory as our partners in this endeavor.

Private New York City Client