Material Culture

With over three decades of experience in the fields of art, decorative arts and antiques from around the world, Material Culture applies its expertise to the appraising, consigning and selling of all kinds of artifacts from local, national and international consignors, including estates, private individuals, trusts, businesses, educational and cultural institutions. Located in Philadelphia, Material Culture prides itself on being a full-service auction house, with the ability to take on single items, collections, or entire estates, through the wide variety of auctions it offers. Material Culture's experience in the global market contributes to the strong showing of buyers overseas as well as domestically, with educated bidders from 30+ countries regularly participating in their high-energy sales. Material Culture is dedicated to providing individualized attention to consignors, buyers and the artifacts up for sale throughout the entire auction process. The expert staff works to stay up-to-date on the developments of the global market, and applies experience, attention and care from appraisal to promotion. Consignors take note: Material Culture offers a no-surprises, competitive flat fee that takes into account all of the expenses associated with finding the best market for an item; there are no special charges for photography, internet listings, insurance, etc. Material Culture aims to exceed expectations and make the auction experience the best it can be for both consignors and buyers. Material Culture’s exhibition galleries, nearly 20,000 square feet of naturally-lit space, are housed under the same roof as Material Culture’s 40,000+ square foot retail space and cafe, at 4700 Wissahickon Avenue, located off the Roosevelt Expressway, only 10 minutes from Philadelphia’s city center. This location is an easy, quick distance for either visitors or residents of the area, an advantage over auction houses far from a large metropolitan center. At the same time, this location provides spacious, hassle-free parking facilities, avoiding a problem that can plague auction houses in dense urban areas. Both exhibitions and auctions take place in Material Culture’s dedicated spaces, and participate in Philadelphia’s status as a city of the arts. Material Culture has always believed that art is for everyone, and aims to make participation in the auction business easier and more accessible to a spectrum of art lovers, for the convenience of the local community, and to the benefit of collectors and enthusiasts worldwide.