Mei Moses 2009 Results

The following is the segment changes for 2009 from the Mei Moses art tracking service.  The overall index is down 23.49% with all art market sectors showing declines.  Some are not surprising such as the contemporary sector.  What is surprising is the Old Master/19th Century index.  I was expecting this to be down but not by close to 30%.  Perhaps the 19th century art pulled the Old Master down, or perhaps only the very top end of the market was strong.  But as we have seen in many reports, expectations for Old Masters was strong, with many thinking the segment was market stabilizing.  According to the Mei Moses index, it was the hardest hit market segments which to me is surprising.  I hope to find more comments on this situation, the Mei Moses results, and the past anecdotal evidence of gains in the Old Master sector.

• Closing Value of Mei Moses® All Art Index for 2009: 204.3

• Percentage Change from Year 2008 Closing Values of Mei Moses® All Art Index: Down 23.49%

• Latin America Index: Down 8.41%

• American Before 1950 Index: Down 12.16%

• Impressionist and Modern Index: Down 10.07%

• Old Master and 19th Century Index: Down 30.11%

• Post War and Contemporary Index: Down 28.8%