Art Advisory Services for Collectors

Owning valuable art can create complicated financial, family, and estate decisions. I advise collectors and their families on art collection planning and the financial and strategic issues involved in selling valuable art.

My approach draws on experience advising collectors, serving as President of Christie’s Americas, and working as a Partner at McKinsey & Company. Together, those roles bring art-market knowledge and strategic and financial judgment to decisions involving valuable collections. Learn more about my experience and background.

Clients work directly with me throughout an engagement. I remain closely involved in the analysis, recommendations, negotiations, and decisions rather than handing the relationship off to others.

For practical guidance on collection planning and selling valuable art, explore Financial Advice for Collectors in the Insights section.

Financial Planning for Art Collections

As collections grow in value, they can become an important part of a family’s balance sheet and estate plan. Collectors may need to decide which works to keep or sell, when and how to involve heirs, whether museums or charities should be beneficiaries, and how to maintain enough liquidity to avoid selling important works at an inopportune time.

I begin by looking at the collection in the context of the family’s broader financial circumstances and long-term goals. From there, I develop a practical plan that may include future sales, transfers, and charitable gifts.

For a fuller discussion of these issues, see How to Create a Financial Plan for an Art Collection.

Advising on Art Sales

Selling valuable art involves more than choosing an auction house or accepting an offer. Collectors may need to weigh potential financial returns against certainty, timing, privacy, and risk.

I help clients evaluate their options, including auction, private sale, and gallery consignment and determine which approach best fits their objectives. I also assess issues that may affect a work’s marketability, negotiate financial terms and other commitments with auction houses and galleries, and remain involved through completion of the sale.

For more on these decisions, see Selling Valuable Art: What Every Collector Needs to Know and Auction House Guarantees and Enhanced Hammer Deals: What Art Sellers Need to Know.

A Fiduciary Approach

My advice is independent of the auction houses, galleries, dealers, and other market participants whose interests may differ from those of the collector. Art Fiduciary Advisors acts in the best interests of its clients and works closely with their existing tax, legal, estate-planning, and financial advisers so that decisions about art are considered alongside the family’s other assets and objectives.