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Consultancy & Advisory Services at Maak

Private Sales

Alongside the auction schedule of Contemporary Ceramics and, from 2023 Contemporary Craft, we regularly broker private sales on behalf of our clients.

Our private sales service tends to focus on the upper end of the market. Clients may ask us to broker a private sale on their behalf if they prefer a less public route to market or if the auction schedule is not compatible with their timescale requirements.

Some of these works will appear in our Artists pages, all of which are offered subject to availability. We often have more works available for sale and therefore welcome inquiries about works that you may be interested in but have not seen available for sale on the site.

The combined approach of auctions and private sales allows for a unique flexibility that enables Maak to handle the widest possible market range, whether a single artwork or an entire collection, and provide invaluable advice on the best ways in which to present works to the market.

Jennifer Lee | 'Mottled Asymmetric Dark with Ridge, Amber Bands, Amber Rim', 1989 & 'Dark Olive, Speckled Rim', 2001

Sourcing

Maak works with a wide range of private collectors and museums to source art works, whether in the national and international auction market, through galleries and dealers or using our extensive private connections to access works that might not otherwise be available on the open market.

Sourcing services include but are not limited to:

  • - Consultations with a client to determine collecting goals
  • - Sourcing appropriate artworks from the ‘whole’ market
  • - Research and appraisal on markets and pricing
  • - Viewing, registering and bidding at auctions on behalf of a client

Wishlist

Maak offers all clients a free Wishlist service. Collectors of Contemporary Ceramics and Crafts can register a Wishlist with us, providing details of any artists or art works that you are interested in acquiring. We will then contact you directly when we have works of potential interest available for sale, either privately or at auction.

Register a Wishlist here

John Ward | Maak Contemporary Ceramics
Marijke Varrall-Jones, Director of Maak Contemporary Ceramics studying a Lucie Rie Vase

Valuations

We provide formal valuations for both insurance and probate purposes. Valuations regularly undertaken range from individual items for private clients to extensive collections of several hundred works for museums and public institutions.

We also offer inventory services whereby clients are provided with a detailed record of all works within a collection, together with insurance valuations if required, that can be updated on a regular and ongoing basis.

Auction Consultancy

The specialist team at Maak are regularly asked to work on a consultancy basis for international auction houses who lack the expertise in-house, providing formal authentications, condition reports and valuation advice in this speciality market.

Hans Coper | Cup on Foot, circa 1972 & Squeezed Vase Form, 1972
Marijke Varrall-Jones, Director of Maak Contemporary Ceramics at Collect Art Fair

Vetting

The Maak specialists are regularly invited to join vetting committee's for the selection of exhibitors and artworks to internationally renowned art fairs and are happy to consider any similar opportunities so please feel free to contact us to discuss.

Lectures & talks 

Marijke Varrall-Jones has previously been a Consultant Lecturer at Sotheby’s Institute of Art contributing to the MA in Contemporary Design as well as a number of other post-graduate courses. Lecture themes ranged from 'The Development of the Studio Pottery Movement' to assessments of the 'Contemporary Ceramics Auction Market' as well as reviews of the 'Online Auction Art Market'.

Marijke also regularly contributes to specialist panel discussions and would be happy to discuss further possibilities, so please contact us if this could be of interest.

London Art Fair | Maak Contemporary Ceramics

For any inquiries or for further information please contact us

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