RSAS / Insights
Insights
Notes on the contemporary art market, written for collectors and clients rather than the trade.
Short, practical pieces on how the market works and what is moving within it. Some draw on our own research. Others explain the mechanics most buyers are never shown.
Articles
01What a Gallery Price Tells You, and What It Does NotA gallery price is a carefully considered number. It is not a valuation, and the difference matters to anyone spending serious money on contemporary art.Buying7 minute read
02Reading an Auction Result: Estimates, Premiums and Unsold LotsAuction results are the most public prices in the art market, and among the most frequently misread. Here is how to tell what a result actually says.Research7 minute read
03Why an Artist's First Auction Appearance MattersFor an artist whose market has lived entirely in galleries, the first time a work comes up at auction is the first public test of its price. The result can shape that market for years.Emerging Artists7 minute read
04Spotting Hype: Warning Signs in an Emerging Artist's MarketEvery emerging artist's market runs on a measure of belief. The trouble starts when belief is all there is. These are the signs that a market is being talked up faster than it is being built.Emerging Artists7 minute read
05Provenance: The Questions to Ask Before You BuyProvenance is the documented history of a work of art. It protects you against fakes, stolen goods and disputed ownership, and it affects what the work will be worth when you come to sell.Buying7 minute read
06The Real Cost of Owning Art: Premiums, Insurance, Storage and TaxThe price of a work of art is only the beginning. Fees on the way in, care while you own it and costs on the way out can add a substantial sum to the true cost, and they are worth understanding before you buy.Buying7 minute read
07Selling a Work of Art: Auction, Private Sale or ConsignmentThere is more than one way to sell a work of art, and the right one depends on the work, the artist's market and what matters most to you. Here is how each route works, what it costs and where it can go wrong.Selling7 minute read
08Buying or Renting Art for a HotelArt shapes how guests remember a hotel. Whether to buy it or rent it is a commercial decision as much as an aesthetic one, and the right answer often involves a little of both.Corporate and Hospitality7 minute read
09Briefing an Art Consultant: A Guide for Architects and DesignersA good art scheme starts with a good brief. This is a practical guide to what to include, when to bring a consultant in and how to keep the art aligned with the rest of the project.Corporate and Hospitality7 minute read
10Artist's Resale Right Explained for BuyersWhen a work by a living or recently deceased artist is resold through the art market, the artist or their heirs may be entitled to a royalty. Here is how the Artist's Resale Right works in the UK, what it costs and who pays.Buying7 minute read
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