To the Auction House

By Selena Cate Green
Editor, Secondhand Market Report

I came to Los Angeles with a specific purpose — to deliver a set of blueprints to the auction house. The trip included one meeting, some sourcing, time to write, and enjoying the delicious food that LA has to offer, but this was the reason for being here. Walking up to LA Modern Auctions with the blueprints felt less like arriving at a destination and more like reaching the next step in a longer decision-making process.

We’re not sharing details about the blueprints or where they came from, and that choice is intentional. When something feels significant, care often matters more than explanation. Some things deserve space while the right next step becomes clear.

We first reached out to a major research institution, hoping they might be able to help with authentication or guidance. They weren’t able to offer those services, but they did point us toward a more appropriate archive instead. That response was helpful in its own way. It confirmed that this wasn’t something to force through the wrong door, and that understanding often comes through specificity, not scale.

From there, we contacted a family-connected organization tied to the work. We wanted context before making any decisions. We heard back directly, with a simple and candid question: “How much are you hoping to get for these drawings?”

That question carried weight. Not because it was inappropriate — it wasn’t — but because it marked the moment when responsibility and the market began to intersect. It also clarified something important for us: this wasn’t the right place to resolve what came next.

That realization led us back to something we talk about often at Secondhand Market Report: CTM — Channels to Market. CTM is the idea that every object has a range of possible paths, and that choosing the right one matters just as much as the outcome itself. At one end are institutions and high-end auction houses. At the other is letting something go entirely. In between are dozens of valid options — selling online, selling in person, private placement, flea markets, estate sales.

The work isn’t deciding if something should enter the market. It’s deciding where it belongs.

In a secondhand culture that often celebrates the quick flip, this part can get lost. Speed has its place, but it isn’t always the right measure of success. Some objects ask for consideration before conversion — for understanding before outcome. Recognizing that difference is part of the responsibility that comes with finding something meaningful.

For this particular piece, research, outreach, and experience pointed toward a channel built for evaluation, context, and expertise. A place designed to handle material thoughtfully, without forcing an immediate conclusion.

That’s what ultimately brought me to the auction house.

Intention.
Understanding.
Alignment.

Standing there with the blueprints, it felt less like the end of a story and more like a handoff — from discovery to consideration, from one phase of care to the next.

This visit reinforced something we’ve seen again and again. Not everything we find belongs on the same platform. Not every decision needs to be immediate. A lot of the real work happens earlier — in the emails sent without certainty, the questions asked without guarantees, and the willingness to consider multiple paths before choosing one.

Channels to Market isn’t about chasing the highest number.
It’s about placing something where it can be understood, evaluated, and handled with respect.

Sometimes the most thoughtful decision is simply choosing the right place to begin.