deaccession

de·ac·ces·sion  (dk-sshn)

v. de·ac·ces·sioned, de·ac·ces·sion·ing, de·ac·ces·sions

v.tr.

To remove and sell (a work of art) from a museum's collection, especially in order to purchase other works of art: "He also denied that ... friends of the museum were permitted to buy ... pieces that were deaccessioned" (New York Times).

v.intr.

To remove a work of art from a museum's collection and sell it.

---

deac·cession n.

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

deaccession - sell (art works) from a collection, especially in order to raise money for the purchase of other art works; "The museum deaccessioned several important works of this painter" artistic creation, artistic production, art - the creation of beautiful or significant things; "art does not need to be innovative to be good"; "I was never any good at art"; "he said that architecture is the art of wasting space beautifully" commerce, commercialism, mercantilism - transactions (sales and purchases) having the objective of supplying commodities (goods and services) sell - exchange or deliver for money or its equivalent; "He sold his house in January"; "She sells her body to survive and support her drug habit"