Seller Guidelines

Eligible Artwork and Objects

Dark Gloomy Art is intended for distinctive historical and contemporary works with artistic, decorative or collectible interest.

Sellers may list original paintings, drawings, illustrations, engravings, etchings, lithographs, woodcuts and other works on paper, alongside selected contemporary works, fine art reproductions and suitable art-related objects.

All listings should fit the character and standards of the marketplace and must be accurately described. Sellers should clearly state whether a work is an original, reproduction, edition, attributed work or other type of object.

Items that are misleading, counterfeit, unlawfully obtained, inappropriate for the marketplace or presented with insufficient information may be removed.

Describe Every Work Clearly and Honestly

Provide accurate information All information included in a listing must be accurate to the best of the seller’s knowledge. This includes the artist, title, date or period, medium, dimensions, condition and type of artwork.

Do not make unsupported claims Sellers should not describe a work as authentic, original, signed or created by a particular artist unless there is a reasonable basis for doing so.

Be clear when information is uncertain If the artist, date or origin of a work is uncertain, this should be clearly stated. Appropriate attribution terminology should be used rather than presenting uncertain information as fact.

Keep listings up to date Listings should be updated if important information changes or new information about the artwork becomes available.

Disclose relevant details Any information that could materially affect a buyer’s decision should be included in the listing rather than omitted or hidden.

Present Your Artwork Clearly

Use clear, accurate photographs Images should accurately represent the artwork and should not be heavily edited, filtered or altered in a way that could mislead buyers about colour, condition or appearance.

Photograph the full artwork The main image should clearly show the complete work. Avoid excessive cropping, distracting backgrounds or reflections where possible.

Include useful detail images Where relevant, sellers should include close-up photographs of signatures, inscriptions, labels, frames, surface texture and other important details.

Show the reverse where appropriate For historical works, framed pieces and works with labels, stamps or inscriptions, a photograph of the reverse can provide useful information for buyers.

Photograph condition issues Any significant damage, restoration, staining, tears, losses, cracks or other visible imperfections should be shown clearly where possible.

Use photographs of the actual item For original and one-of-a-kind works, sellers should upload photographs of the specific artwork being offered for sale rather than generic or representative images.

Describe Authorship Accurately

Original works A work should only be described as an original by a named artist where the seller has a reasonable basis for that attribution. Any uncertainty surrounding authorship should be clearly communicated.

Attributed to “Attributed to” means that, in the seller’s opinion, the work is probably by the named artist, although authorship has not been conclusively established.

Circle of “Circle of” indicates that the work is believed to have been created by an artist closely associated with the named artist and from approximately the same period.

School of “School of” describes a work associated with the artistic tradition, region or influence of the named artist, but not necessarily produced by the artist themselves.

After “After” means that the work was created by another artist following, copying or interpreting a known work or composition by the named artist.

Supporting information Where available, sellers should provide relevant provenance, certificates, inscriptions, labels, receipts, expert opinions or other supporting documentation. Sellers must not present uncertain or unsupported information as established fact.

This is an especially important section for Dark Gloomy Art because of the historical works you want sellers to list.

Be Transparent About Condition

Describe the condition accurately Sellers should provide an honest assessment of the artwork’s current condition. Normal signs of age should be distinguished from more significant damage or deterioration.

Disclose damage and imperfections Any notable tears, cracks, losses, staining, foxing, fading, warping, surface damage or other imperfections should be clearly described and, where possible, photographed.

Declare restoration and repairs Known restoration, conservation, retouching, relining, repairs or replacement elements should be disclosed in the listing.

Consider the age of the work Historical works may naturally show signs of age and use. These characteristics do not necessarily make a work unsuitable for sale, but buyers should be given enough information to understand its condition before purchasing.

Frames should also be described If a frame is included in the sale, sellers should disclose any significant damage, losses or repairs to the frame, particularly where it forms an important part of the work.

Provide Supporting History Where Available

What is provenance? Provenance is the documented history of an artwork’s ownership or origin. For historical works in particular, provenance can provide buyers with useful information about the history and background of a piece.

Include provenance where known Where available, sellers should provide relevant information about previous owners, galleries, dealers, auction houses, exhibitions or collections associated with the artwork.

Supporting documentation Certificates, invoices, auction records, gallery labels, exhibition labels, receipts, correspondence or other relevant documents may be included where appropriate.

Do not invent or overstate provenance Sellers must not present unverified ownership histories, dates or associations as established fact. Where information is uncertain, this should be clearly stated.

Protect personal information Documents containing private information such as home addresses, telephone numbers or payment details should be appropriately redacted before being displayed publicly.

Provenance is not always available The absence of documented provenance does not necessarily prevent an artwork from being listed. Sellers should simply provide the information they genuinely know and avoid making unsupported claims.

Price Your Work Fairly

Set a realistic price Sellers are responsible for setting their own prices. Pricing should take into account the artist, age, medium, condition, size, provenance, rarity and comparable works where relevant.

Be consistent Where the same artwork is offered elsewhere, sellers should avoid creating misleading or unexplained price differences across platforms.

Include relevant costs Sellers should consider marketplace commission, payment processing fees, packaging and any other applicable selling costs when setting a price.

Avoid misleading pricing Prices should not be artificially inflated or presented in a way that could mislead buyers about the market value of a work.

Review prices when necessary Sellers may update their prices as appropriate, particularly if new information about the work becomes available or market conditions change.

What Cannot Be Listed

Counterfeit or misleading works Counterfeit artworks, forged signatures, deliberately false attributions and items presented in a misleading manner are not permitted. Legitimate reproductions may be listed where they are clearly identified as reproductions.

Stolen or unlawfully obtained property Sellers must not list artwork or objects that they know, or reasonably suspect, to be stolen, unlawfully obtained or offered without the legal right to sell them.

Illegal or restricted items Items whose sale, ownership, export or import is prohibited by applicable law must not be listed. Sellers are responsible for understanding any legal restrictions that apply to their artwork or object.

Protected cultural and natural materials Works containing protected wildlife materials or culturally protected objects may be subject to specific laws, licences or documentation requirements. Sellers should not list such items unless they are legally permitted to do so and can provide any required documentation.

Copyright and intellectual property Sellers must have the appropriate rights to sell reproductions, prints or other works protected by copyright. Unauthorised copies or reproductions that infringe another person's intellectual property rights are not permitted.

Misleading documentation False certificates, fabricated provenance, altered documentation or intentionally misleading ownership histories are strictly prohibited.

Marketplace suitability Dark Gloomy Art reserves the right to review or remove listings that do not meet the standards, character or legal requirements of the marketplace.

Professional Standards for Sellers

Communicate professionally Sellers should communicate with buyers clearly, respectfully and promptly, particularly when responding to questions or resolving an issue with an order.

Keep account information accurate Seller profiles, contact details and payment information should be kept accurate and up to date.

Complete orders responsibly Once an artwork has been sold, sellers are expected to fulfil the order in accordance with the listing details and agreed delivery arrangements.

Do not move transactions outside the marketplace Buyers and sellers should complete marketplace transactions through Dark Gloomy Art where the buyer was introduced through the platform. Sellers should not attempt to bypass marketplace fees by directing buyers to complete a sale elsewhere.

Resolve problems promptly If an issue arises with an artwork, delivery or buyer, sellers should communicate promptly and make reasonable efforts to resolve the matter.

Follow marketplace policies Repeated breaches of marketplace standards, misleading listings, fraudulent activity or inappropriate conduct may result in listings being removed or a seller account being restricted or suspended.