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Sahlman Fine Art, LLC Private fine art advisory services in New York City. Clients are received on an appointment only basis. Contact Information: Peter Sahlman 917-686-1066 917-359-6400 Fax: 212-772-3833 Post & Ship only: 954 Lexington Avenue #312 New York, NY 10021 E-mail: fineart@pipeline.com "Art is what lifts us above daily life. It makes us more human, more refined and more intelligent." COMPLETE GLOSSARY & DEFINITIONS A - Z
STATEMENT: SAHLMAN FINE ART, LLC (SFA) is a private art investment consultation firm that specifically focuses on building, and maintaining top quality fine art collections for high-net-worth individuals. Almost all of the more recent collections that have been built or are being built have a mid-late 20th Century and/or 21st Century focus. I have singlehandedly built collections that have as their focus the following areas: 19th and 20th century European and/or American artwork, including Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Modernism, Hudson River School, German Expressionism, American Abstract Expressionists, and American/European Contemporary Masters. Established international dealers, museums, pension funds, corporate and private collectors, designers, architects, and decorators have bought (and sold) paintings through Sahlman Fine Art, LLC. All transactions are strictly confidential. A certain percentage of one’s total net worth should be allocated to high quality investment grade fine art. By buying fine art at the correct price your hard-asset art portfolio can balance your securities, real estate, bond, and hedge fund portfolio. When fine art is bought below gallery/retail prices it will stabilize the volatility of your entire portfolio and position your art collection for upside appreciation. Over the past fifteen years the net asset value of the many different collections I have single-handedly built have unequivocally appreciated many fold in value. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The buying process involves a multitude of variables, which makes building an important collection extremely difficult. Establishing true market value for a highly illiquid object in itself can be daunting. Ascertaining if the quality, condition, and composition of a piece would be rated A, B, or C is also quite complex. Data Points: Research: Do you have access to the historical sales records for the artist’s work you may acquire? Do you know how to evaluate the information relative to the piece in question? Authentication: Is the art in question 100% authentic, and recognized as such by the reputable “expert and scholar” for the artist? Is there a conflict of opinion between experts and/or scholars? Was, is, or will the piece in question be published in a catalogue raisonné, or other book? Do you know how to obtain correct documentation and certification? Galleries and Private Dealers: Are you familiar with all the important, reputable international galleries? Is the gallery selling works directly out of auction for double the auction price? Is the piece fresh to market or is the gallery selling works that have been owned by several different dealers within the last year or two? Will the gallery trade the piece back at face value? Are you getting the best possible price? Auctions: Do you know where, when and how to evaluate the hundreds of international auctions that transpire annually in each and every category? Do you know what questions to ask auction-house personnel? Do you know the downside risks of bidding in an auction environment? Can you objectively analyze an auction house condition report? Is the estimate correct or is it based on the seller’s demands? Conservation: Do you know how and when a painting or work on paper should be conserved and/or restored? Can you evaluate a work of art and ascertain what work has already been done to it? Condition: Can you tell if a work on paper is light-struck, faded, washed, etc.? Can you tell if an oil painting has been repainted once or numerous times over the life of the piece? Can you spot “in-painting, craculure, re-lining, strip-lining? Has the signature been “doctored?” Is the signature correct? Is the signature real or is it an estate/atelier stamp? Quality: Do you know how the piece fits into the artist’s “oeuvre?” Is it “typical?” How would it rate in comparison to other works by the artist?” Where in the overall composition is the work strong and/or weak? Framing: Can you evaluate different framing solutions in respect to the period, style, size and composition of the piece? Are you over-paying for framing? Is the framer’s using archival, conservation materials? The Process: Sahlman Fine Art presents photographs, fact sheets and prices (net-to-owner) of works of art for your evaluation. After review, individual pieces are selected for viewing “on-approval”. Works are evaluated again and discussions follow. An offer is submitted and negotiations commence. Acting as your representative I am interested in obtaining the object for the best possible price. A 10% commission is added after an agreed upon price is met. This calculation is exclusive of taxes. Acting as your personal agent, in confidence, some other avenues for locating works where you can be directly involved are: Art fairs, galleries, private dealers, private homes, and auctions. The auction consultation fee is 2.5, 5, or 10% commission charged on the total price of lots actually purchased, based on a sliding scale. This is extremely fair considering the auction house is yielding approximately 30% on the buy-sell transaction. If you live out of the State of New York and use SAHLMAN FINE ART, LLC as your Advisor/Consultant/Broker/Agent, your sales tax liability may be limited to only the Use-Tax laws (if any) in your home State. As your advisor, I will always transmit to you the actual asking price, and, in return I trust you will always consult me when considering an acquisition, and defer to me on all aspects of the collection. If you actively pursue collecting art and I introduce you to dealers, gallery owners, sellers, etc. you may be contacted and approached by them without my knowledge. I trust that our relationship is mutually protective and I will be informed of such conduct. There is never any obligation to buy anything at anytime. I will expose you to market availability but only recommend first-rate pieces for the collection. I take a conservative, disciplined approach. Therefore, it will subsequently take years to build a collection. Please call or e-mail with any questions. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. |