Looking for Art: The RealReal’s Fine Art Section
Can you find great art on The RealReal? *adds a Cartier watch and David Hockney print to cart* Here’s what caught my eye (and almost drained my wallet).
From Estate Sales to The RealReal: My Hyperfixation on Pre-Loved Treasures
Since its inception, I’ve loved The RealReal. I return to it regularly for the thrill of the hunt for something special, the wardrobe inspiration, the feel-good factor of shopping secondhand, and the chance to track down something truly unique. (Also, their newsletter is pretty fun cc:
& .)I come by a pursuit of secondhand goods honestly.
During summers working at Christie’s through university, I split my time between the auction house and a homeware consignment shop in Greenwich, CT. While Christie’s has the glossier reputation, my time at the consignment shop was, surprisingly, just as formative. I learned about organizing estate sales, the collectible resale market, place a value on any object, how to identify silver marks, research ceramic makers, work with trade buyers and resellers, and the thrill of the hunt for pre-owned pieces.
Therefore, I’ve long been a fan of pre-loved beautiful things, with some of my best finds having resulted from hours scouring the internet — a bracelet from an estate jeweler on eBay, a watch from an auction outside Philadelphia.
What makes The RealReal stand out is how it elevates that thrill of discovery, making secondhand and pre-loved shopping feel aspirational and so chic.
Exploring the Secondary Art Market: How The RealReal Fits In
A very similar dynamic exists in the art world. Just as fashion finds new life through resale, artworks can also move through different hands over time. Buying art at auction, for example, can be considered another form of treasure hunting — one that gives pieces a second (or third, or fourth) home.
However, an auction isn’t the only place for secondary-market art. Many art dealers specialize in placing previously sold works, and increasingly, online platforms, including The RealReal, have expanded into art sales.
Curious about their "Fine Art” selection, I took a scroll.
The Pros of Buying Art on The RealReal
🏁 Buy it now - a self-serve art purchasing experience.
🏁 Clearly indicated pricing - even on previously sold works.
🏁 No bidding wars - eliminating the uncertainty of auctions.
🏁 Mostly prints - making it easy to research comparable pricing.
🏁 Ready to hang - many works are framed, making them easy to display immediately.
The Cons of Buying Art on The RealReal
🚩 Lack of curation and contextualization - certain artists dominate the Fine Art section, creating a sense of oversaturation. Also, with all artists presented side by side — regardless of market position or significance — it can be difficult to grasp the unique context and associated value.
🚩 Strange merchandising - multiple listings for the same edition make sense for clothing, but for photographs? Less so.
🚩 Questions around quality control - unclear if the condition reports refer to the frame, the artwork, or both, and not all works are available to see in person.
🚩 Lack of specialized expertise - unlike traditional art vendors, TRR doesn’t have dedicated specialists for art, which impacts the accuracy of descriptions.
It wouldn't be a newsletter without some suggestions, so read on for works I’d add to cart (with price comparables for my paying subscribers).
Scoop: I love Genieve Figgis’s funky, Contemporary-Rococo take on painting. This is one of her prints that IMO is a little pricey, but I think makes the most sense for a regular on The RealReal in terms of aesthetic and vibe.
Scoop: I hadn’t heard of Rachel Nicholson before, but this painting is super sweet. A fun bonus is that she is the daughter of the incredible sculptor, Barbara Hepworth, and didn’t start painting until her 40s! I was not able to find much pricing data on her market but *apparently* this is 30% off.
