Art Dealers Association of America Develops Their Appraisal Division

Carol Vogel of the New York Times reports:

NEW APPRAISALS CHIEF

In an effort to beef up its appraisal business — and grab some of it away from the auction houses — the Art Dealers Association of America has hired Karen E. Carolan, the former director of the Internal Revenue Service’s art appraisal division and former chairwoman of its Art Advisory Panel. She was appointed executive director of the association’s appraisals services department. “This is a long-term initiative,” said Lucy Mitchell-Innes, president of the dealers group.
While the association already has a team of appraisers, it is hoping to increase the business that comes primarily from estates and collectors making donations to nonprofit institutions. Performing appraisals not only brings in revenue, it is also a good way to learn where works of art are, which can often lead to future sales. That’s partly why the auction houses are so keen to help clients with appraisals for everything from estate taxes to insurance and gift taxes.
While Sotheby’s and Christie’s usually charge fees for appraisals, it is often waived for collectors whose works they hope to sell in the future. Art dealers, like those in the association, charge a fee too, another revenue stream the group hopes to increase.

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Maine Antique Digest - Pair of Aesthetic Movement Chairs at Rago Bring $390,400

$390,400 for the pair.  Photo Courtesy of Rago

I love the fact that these were found in a boiler room and that the consignor was a 70 year old widow.  Quite shocking that these chairs had an auction estimate of $500/700, just goes to show how easily the unusual pieces are overlooked because of condition issues!  Granted, they need quite a bit of work including replacing the missing panels and casters, along with the Louis Comfort Tiffany glass mosaics which can be reproduced. 

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Maine Antique Digest - Pair of Aesthetic Movement Chairs Sells for $390,400

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Maine Antique Digest - Four More Chairs with Peacock Finials

Maine Antique Digest - Four More Chairs with Peacock Finials

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Artprice.com reports Unabashed Confidence in London

Artprice.com shows us what a difference a year can make, comparing auction catalogues that have just come out for next month's Impressionist auctions in London.  Let's see if this unabashed confidence bears up in February!  Should be an interesting month....
Read more here:
http://web.artprice.com/AMI/AMI.aspx?id=MDYyMzkwNjE2MDU2OTk=

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• Picasso and Renoir unseen in 40 years go on show at Christie's (telegraph.co.uk)

Kenneth Noland, Color Field Painter, Dies at 85

Here is a link to the New York Time obituary and wonderful slide presentation of the artist's work:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/06/arts/06noland.html

American Museum Attendance Increases in Recession

The Art Newspaper reports the findings from their survey of 20 American museums, showing that two-thirds of these institutions have seen an increase in admission ticket sales over the past three years.  This upward trend runs across the board from museums with paid and free admissions alike, and extends not only to individual ticket sales but an increase in museum memberships as well.  The sharpest increase is seen in museums showing contemporary art.  A variety of factors are used to explain the upswing, including the popularity of the "staycation", the relative bargain of the ticket prices, and the popularity of the blockbuster shows at certain institutions such as the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, The Guggenheim Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. 

Read more here:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Museum-attendance-rises-as-the-economy-tumbles/19840

Art Basel Miami Beach 2009

The Art Newspaper reports stronger sales in 2009 in spite of a still-struggling economy. Most galleries indicated that sales are up from the doldrums of 2008, although it does take a bit longer for deals to close. The fair has "grown up" in the words of David Juda of Annely Juda Fine Art. The atmosphere is quieter and more sedate than the party-oriented mood of prior years, with buyers doing their homework before making a purchase. David Juda also reports that he has closed sales at both the mid-market level (David Hockney prints sold between $23,000 and $38,000) as well as the upper echelon (Naum Gabo's Linear Construction in Space No. 2 sold for just under $1m). Needless to say, price levels have dropped from previous years, and in the words of 303 director Lisa Spellman, "$500,000 is the new million".

Read more here:

http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/The-going-is-tough-but-stronger-sales-at-all-levels-than-last-year/19833"