Archive for the 'New York City' Category
Deflation in the Antiques Trade
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010The “go-go” years of the antiques trade in the 1980s relished the economy’s inflationary bias. The effect on prices for these objects was devastating, in a good way. Prices, like homes values prior to the present “Great Recession” had no where to go but up, up, up. As long as I can […]
Where Do We Go From Here?
Saturday, July 17th, 2010The (hot) summer of 2010 is upon us in New York City, but telling the temperature in the art and antiques business is a bit more problematic. After the universal effects of “The Great Recession”, are things improving, getting worse, or still evolving from its traumatic consequences? Change in this industry is more than […]
NYS Auction Legislation; Not Good Enough
Monday, March 8th, 2010Presently before the NYS Senate is a bill, passed by the Assembly that is attempting to define how public auctions should operate. This law needs clearer and more direct disclosure of the potentially deceptive and collusive actions presently allowed. Codified with this bill, the new rules will avail auctioneers to continue these abuses.
Below, is […]
The State of the (Winter) Antiques Show
Friday, January 29th, 2010I started writing this blog when the antiques business was pre “Great Recession” in January of 2007. It was when the venerated New York Winter Antiques Show was on its last legs as an event with past glories. At that time the selection of dealer inventory styles was expanding. The extent […]
Industry Control; Controlling Inventory.
Monday, January 18th, 2010Physical possession of a fine or decorative arts item includes an added premium of control. Auctioneers like Sotheby’s and Christie’s have been using this advantage more than anyone in the industry. Their warehouses can be unbelievable experiences to walk through and see such quantity, quality, and diversity (sounds like Newel). But control […]
Antiques Economics
Friday, August 15th, 2008Supply and demand are the measures we use to gauge a price. The influences which have a cause and effect on those functions are fluid and every changing course. Sounds like a classic definition of how antiques are priced. Whether it is negotiating with a dealer or paying the highest price (including […]
Selling Art vs. Antiques; Apples vs. Oranges
Sunday, June 22nd, 2008Antiques and art are not really so similar. While they both fall under the same industry category, selling these items seems to require very different approaches. As I strolled down the side streets of Chelsea’s West 24/25/26th Streets, I saw techniques and environments for selling art that just doesn’t happen for antiques and […]
The New Economics of the Decorative and Fine Arts
Thursday, May 1st, 2008In an intriguing article in Art + Auction magazine, Dr. Clare McAndrew, an art market economist who runs the research and consulting firm Arts Economics, offered an interesting perspective on the economic fluctuations of the art world. Dr. McAndrew explained the extent to which the decorative arts have been drastically overwhelmed in dollar […]
France Gives Auctioneers Their Market
Friday, April 18th, 2008Dealers in France, and by default around the world, suffered a devastating defeat when the French government lifted major constraints on how auctioneers operate. When Francois Curiel of Christie’s say the report is “good news for us”, it can’t be good for dealers, consigners, or anyone else, but them. By the government of […]
Decorative and Fine Arts, as Props Around Us
Thursday, March 6th, 2008Presentation is everything, for selling, image, or a person’s own self esteem. The forms of presentation for decorative and fine arts can be seen in museums, homes, auction house exhibitions, or a movie or theatre set. These items were made not only to be representative of their era, but to exhibit taste and […]