Strength Reported in the Dec Arts

The Financial Times recently posted an interesting article on strength in the decorative arts market. I have only posted a small portion of it here, as the FT limits what I can post. If interested in the full article, follow the source link below. The article does a good job at defining the differences between collecting fine art vs the decorative art, and the barriers to entry on quality pieces are lower.

The FT reports

And it is not just new design; the antique and collectibles market is stronger than ever. Estimate-busting 20th-century pieces by Jean-Michel Frank, Charlotte Perriand and René Lalique achieved world-record prices at Sotheby’s auctions last year. Its design auctions fetched more than $190m globally. Bonhams tells a similar story, with strong sales in North America.

Collecting design is nothing like collecting paintings or sculpture, or even conceptual art. For a start, taking a chance on a new designer or two is unlikely to make a patron rich.

But the fact that it is cheaper to start a collection makes design less risky and, in turn, more accessible — and fun. As New York gallerist Zesty Meyers puts it: “Compared to the fine art world, design is like a penny candy store.”

Compared to the fine art world, design is like a penny candy store

New York gallerist Zesty Meyers
He is right: there are many more actual things in the world to collect. Furniture and functional objects — particularly when manufactured rather than crafted — are easier to come by than paintings.

Source: The Financial Times 

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