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I am in the game so allow me to answer my own question. In doing so I am probably going to have to go into a witness protection program, but anyway ...

These paintings are worth a gazillion million ... So what makes art valuable? Listen up and I will explain ...

This is a Claude Monet ...



This is a Vincent van Gogh.



This is a Claude Monet ...



This is another van Gogh ...



Now ... I am the CEO of a world famous Art & Antique Auction Company ...

I suddenly "discover" a Japanese/Chinese/African/Peruvian artist who is the next best thing since sliced bread.

So heres what I do.

I get him to paint four or five paintings. I send out invitations to the rich & famous to attend the Auction of the decade! I introduce him to the

Glitterati and my Spin Doctor works overtime.

Come the Auction I have a well heeled Sheik or two in the room and one or two “mysterious” buyers on the telephone. The painting comes up for auction and after much theatricals is sold to a “phantom” buyer for five million dollars/Euros/pounds whatever.

Of course the “phantom” buyer is exactly that … a phantom who does not exist. The media of course begin a feeding frenzy and the buyer is later reluctantly revealed as an agent for a wealthy Middle Eastern art lover! Give me a break!

There is no buyer and the so called wealthy Middle Eastern art lover does not exist. But you and I and John Public don’t know that and we are seduced into believing that Charles Brown’s paintings are worth a gazillion gazillion.

And six months later when another one of his works come up for auction, the suckers with more money than brains all want to own one and they pay lots of lolly for it.

Sigh …

You forgot the next step, to kill off the painter so there will be no more of his/her work. Then the value goes WAY up.

LarsMac;1438735 wrote: You forgot the next step, to kill off the painter so there will be no more of his/her work. Then the value goes WAY up.


You still have to wait 50 years to see if anybody else buys into it.

That's marketing 101, JJ. But thanks for the particular insight of the art world. Are you really the CEO of a "world famous art and antique company"?

Ahso!;1438759 wrote: That's marketing 101, JJ. But thanks for the particular insight of the art world. Are you really the CEO of a "world famous art and antique company"?


I wish ... I am the CEO of an art & antique company ... but we not world famous .. yet!

Got me thinking.

I love going to auctions, even if I don't buy anything often get to view/handle items of museum quality/interest, or so seems to me.

Often seen things which I thought could bring some bucks, and watch those who know the worth, or expect to get a profit at resale.

The monetary value of anything is what the last person paid for it.

A pound of gold or a cup of water?

tude dog;1438769 wrote: Got me thinking.

I love going to auctions, even if I don't buy anything often get to view/handle items of museum quality/interest, or so seems to me.

Often seen things which I thought could bring some bucks, and watch those who know the worth, or expect to get a profit at resale.

The monetary value of anything is what the last person paid for it.

A pound of gold or a cup of water?


Is the cup of water the price in the Sahara desert?

I was taught worth of art (not money but that's the world we live in) was in the turning point of periods where there is a distinct change in style. The Artists that discover the new mode of painting are usually the most honoured and their work more valuable.