About Us // Established 2012

  • Managing Director of Geist, Jacob Harmer, standing in front of Banksy's Valentines Day Mascara
    Jacob Harmer with Banksy's Valentines Day Mascara (2023)

    History of Geist

    Founding Years and Early Focus
    Founded in 2012 by British art dealer Jacob Harmer, Geist started out as a traditional London gallery at 120 Mount Street, Mayfair. Our first big break came when we signed Arturo Di Modica. At this point, Charging Bull was established as a global icon, but as the artist had worked completely alone, outside the formal art market, the name Arturo Di Modica, his story, and the rest of his body of work were relatively unknown. Due to the artist's ill health, from 2016 we focused exclusively on Di Modica's market until his sad passing in 2021, at which point the world was in the midst of COVID and the art market was at its next inflection point.

  • Transition to an Online Art Dealership: 2020 Onwards

    MISSION STATEMENT

     

    An online art dealership specialising in the world's leading modern and contemporary artists, combining technology with next-generation market insight to shape the future of art dealing

    COVID normalised buying and selling art remotely, and during this time Geist evolved into a purely online art dealership, operating on a global scale. With the passing of Di Modica, we moved back into other blue-chip markets whilst continuing to represent the Estate of Di Modica. David Hockney's iPad market began building momentum and, as Geist had been buying Arrival of Spring in Woldgate works as early as 2014, we rode that wave and have gone on to become one of the biggest private sellers of these works in what is now a market worth close to a billion dollars. As well as Di Modica and Hockney, Geist has been a key dealer in the Banksy market since 2021, and this continues to define our story to this day. Geist entered a very different art market in 2012, defined by in-person trade and exclusivity. With the rise of technology, the market has undergone a fundamental transformation, bringing greater connectivity and transparency. Through this, Geist has worked to operate on the cutting edge of change, with the aim of creating the next generation of art dealership.

  • Recent Notable Geist Sales

    Private Sales of Contemporary Prints, Sculpture and Original Artworks
    • Arturo Di Modicas, 6ft Bronze Charging Bull Polished bronze sculpture, sold through Geist

      Arturo Di Modica

      6ft Bronze Charging Bull

      Polished bronze sculpture

      Signed, numbered & dated

      Price: £309,000

    • Arturo Di Modica Il Cavallo (1988) Bronze Sculpture sold through Geist

      Arturo Di Modica

      Il Cavallo (1988)

      Bronze Sculpture

      Signed and dated

      Price: Confidential

    • Banksy Valentines Day Studio Test sold through Geist

      Banksy

      Valentines Day Studio Test

      Spray paint on ply wood

      Signed and with PCO certificate 

      Price: Confidential

    • Nic Fiddian Green 6ft Still Water Bronze Sculpture sold through Geist

      Nic Fiddian Green

      6ft Still Water

      Bronze Sculpture

      Limited edition series

      Price: Confidential

    • David Hockney Arrival of Spring 28th April Regular size iPad Drawing sold through Geist

      David Hockney

      Arrival of Spring 28th April

      Regular size iPad Drawing

      Signed and dated

      Price: $610,000

    • Banksy Choose Your Weapon (Red) Uniquely hand finished sold through Geist

      Banksy

      Choose Your Weapon (Red)

      Uniquely hand finished

      Signed and with PCO certificate

      Price: Confidential

    • Andy Warhol Black Marilyn, 1967, Screenprint on paper, sold through Geist

      Andy Warhol

      Black Marilyn (1967)

      Screenprint on paper

      Signed in pencil

      Price: £310,000

    • David Hockney Yosemite I Oct 16th iPad drawing on dibond sold through Geist

      David Hockney

      Yosemite I Oct 16th

      iPad drawing on dibond 

      Signed and dated

      Price: Confidential

    • CS Gast Bust (2017) Unique sculpture sold through geist

      Banksy

      CS Gast Bust (2017)

      Unique sculpture

      Signed and with PCO Certificate

      Price: Confidential

    • David Hockney Arrival of Spring: 29th Dec Large format iPad sold through Geist

      David Hockney

      Arrival of Spring: 29th Dec

      Large format iPad

      Signed and dated

      Price: Confidential

  • David Hockney's The Arrival of Spring, 2nd January, 2011. iPad drawing printed on paper available for private purchase through Geist
    The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, 2nd January, 2011
    iPad drawing printed on paper
    55in x 41.4in, Edition of 25

    2026 Geist Inventory Purchase 

     

    How Geist Works

    At its simplest, Geist sources, markets and sells works of art. Unlike many online art platforms that seek maximum public exposure, Geist believes the best transactions are often the quietest. By combining technology with market data and a carefully curated global network, our aim is to place exceptional artworks with the right collectors through discreet private sales.
     
    Key areas of our business include: 
     
    1. Primary Sales: the marketing and sale of primary works; 
    2. Brokerage Sales: Acting as an agent for secondary market sales;
    3. Off-Market Sourcing: Sourcing specific works not on public markets;
    4. Inventory Sales: Purchase of inventory by our focus artists; 
    5. Private Commissions: Client project specific artist commissions;

  • Geist's Philosophy on art, collecting and private sales

    We believe we are only as good as our weakest link, which is why we set an exceptionally high standard for the reliability and integrity of every Geist team member and third party we work with, whether collectors, dealers or galleries. 

    Ultimately, our goal is to connect buyers and sellers of the world's most sought-after modern and contemporary artworks. We aim to do this as efficiently as possible, with the ideal outcome being that Geist works directly with both buyer and seller. We believe we are only as good as our weakest link, which is why we set an exceptionally high standard for the reliability and integrity of every Geist team member and every third party we choose to work with, whether collectors, dealers or galleries. Over the years we have carefully curated our network, and as trust has grown, so too has our business. Operating remotely from our Manchester offices, Geist has developed differently from the traditional gallery model. Rather than relying on social events and physical presence, we focus on building long-term relationships by consistently delivering value and honouring our commitments. We believe trust is earned over many years, and it remains the foundation upon which Geist continues to grow.

  • Focus Artists

  • Global Logistics Infrastructure
    2021: Installation of Arturo Di Modica's Il Cavallo (1988)

    Global Logistics Infrastructure

    Geist has built a global network of logistics partners and suppliers to facilitate everything from museum-grade framing to the installation of complex monumental sculptures. The world of fine art logistics can be a minefield, but like our sales network, we have carefully curated logistics partners who meet our high standards of reliability and professionalism. When buying or selling with Geist, we aim to make the entire process of collection, transportation and installation as smooth as possible.

  • Market Data & Insights

    Price Transparency, Market Analysis and Collector Insights
    The art market has long been defined by opacity, but the age of technology is bringing greater transparency. Geist is embracing this evolution by publishing comprehensive price data and market insights within our specialist niches.

    Although we believe collectors should buy art for the love of art, at our core we are deeply fascinated by how art markets work. Within our focus niches, Geist is actively publishing some of the most comprehensive, accurate and well-researched price datasets available, with the aim of helping shape market perceptions grounded in reality rather than speculation. Beyond published price data, we are privileged to engage in conversations with hundreds of collectors, participate in thousands of negotiations and receive an even greater number of private price indications. Combined with our own transactional experience, this provides Geist with a unique perspective on the markets in which we operate. We use these insights to identify long-term trends, back the markets we believe in and publish regular editorial research for the benefit of collectors and the wider art market.

  • Frequently Asked Questions

    1. How does Geist safely complete transactions remotely?

    Prior to completing transactions, we have our independent shipping agents perform condition reports which are approved by our buyers and we validate ownership through provenance checks. 

     

    2. How do I sell with Geist?

    If you own works which fit within our focus artists, we will provide you with private selling estimates. If you wish to proceed, we will sign a 'Remote Consignment Agreement'. The work remains in your possession until we have agreed a sale with a client, at which point you will be paid in full and the artwork then collected by our shipping agent. 

     

    3. Does Geist purchase works directly for inventory?

    Yes, we are very actively buying works for inventory within our focus markets.

     

    4. Are all of your available works on the Geist website? 

    No, discretion is key for most works that we sell. Our best opportunities are offered to our existing clients, with the work never being marketed publicly.  Looking for something in particular? Get in touch here. 

     

    5. If I buy or sell with Geist, who handles transportation? 

    Geist will provide shipping estimates for our buyers and once approved, we oversee the entire shipping process.

     

    6. Where is Geist based?

    Founded in London in 2012, Geist now operates internationally from its offices in Manchester, serving collectors around the world through a technology-driven private sales model.

     

    7. Does geist offer artwork valuations?

    Yes, we provide valuation services for works by artists within our focus markets, primarily Arturo Di Modica, Banksy, David Hockney, Andy Warhol and Yayoi Kusama.