Heidi Lee Art Advisory

I love it when clients send recommendations and feedback.  Here is one from a trusted client, Ron Shelp that was sent on LinkedIn.

“I met Heidi through an Armory Show Group visiting my art collection. That chance meeting has led to a lasting and rewarding relationship and friendship. I have an extensive collection located in my loft, an art storage room in the loft, an off-site storage area and art in my upstate home. I was a prolific but unorganized collector. Heidi promptly redressed that situation. We visited all sites, took photos and measurements and I now have it on…

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I am often surprised by the lack of consistency in describing an artwork. As any art professional can tell you, a full description of an artwork is required in order to evaluate an artwork accurately and perhaps more importantly, when reporting a lost or stolen work of art.   Throughout my career, I have seen artwork described in dozens of different formats usually missing vital information about the work of art like title, year and dimensions.  Fortunately, we now have Object ID to use as a widely recognized guide. Established by J. Paul Getty Trust, Object ID is the international standard…

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Despite these uncertain economic times many areas of the art market are thriving and we are witnessing sky-high prices thanks to a select group of very powerful and fast-acting Chinese art buyers.  Propelled by its exponential economic growth China has emerged as the 2nd largest art market in the world after the U.S. today.  Hong Kong alone saw sales turnover increase by 300% between 2009-2010*.  Bill Ruprecht, Sotheby’s chief executive, said the Chinese are spending about $4 billion a year on Chinese paintings world-wide.  That is more than Sotheby’s and Christie’s sales last year of Impressionist, Modern

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Different strokes for different corporate folks

Corporate art collections vary in size, medium, importance, and agenda. Deutsche Bank has one of the longest histories of corporate art collecting and is arguably one of the finest. Headquartered in Frankfurt, DB has acquired thousands of young and emerging artists before their prime, including Gerhard Richter, James Rosenquist, and Joan Mitchell. Incidentally, many of the works in the collection have become masterpieces and have accrued in value, some reaching in the millions.

I had the rare privilege of touring the collection at 60 Wall St with the Whitney Museum and previewing…

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Looking to sell a work of fine or decorative art at auction?  Keep reading to find out the differences between several big-name and smaller auction houses and which one might be the best venue for your property.  Note that all of the auction houses listed below offer complimentary preliminary auction estimates.

1.) Sotheby’s and 2.) Christie’s

Christie’s and Sotheby’s are the world’s premier auction houses.  Sotheby’s focuses only on high-end fine and decorative art, jewelry, and wine, while Christie’s also sells objects priced in the mid-range.  Each handles sales in over 50 categories, including Impressionism and Modern, Post-War and…

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Gloria Velandia, Chief Conservator of Art Basel Miami Beach, offers nine important tips for preventive conservation.

1) Get in a conservation mindset. Accept that you will have to spend some amount of time, money, and effort on your collection. Whether you are motivated by a desire to maintain the integrity of your artworks, maximize the future value of an investment, or preserve your cultural heritage, start caring about the longevity of your collection!

2) Spend on framing. Have a trained conservator help you select suitable frames for your artworks in order to prevent using materials that will accelerate their degradation.…

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Q. I am thirty years old and live in Manhattan and have an interest in contemporary art. What is the best way for me to start collecting if I don’t have any prior experience? – Mary C.

A. First, it is important to see as much art as you can to develop your eye and understanding of contemporary art in general. Whether you go to galleries on the weekends or visit museums on your holidays, you can always fit art and culture into your schedule since galleries and museums accommodate the public and remain open during “off hours”.  Since you…

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