Single Owner Collection Auction Analysis – November 2021

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ArtTactic is delighted to launch its second report on the auction market for Single Owner Collections at Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips between 2016 and 2021 (YTD).  This report aims to provide new data, trends and insights into the growing importance of Single Owner collection sales in today’s art market.

The world is on the cusp of an unprecedented transfer of wealth. Over the next decade, it is estimated that US$15 trillion* of wealth will be transferred to millennials and Generation Z. This substantial shift also raises important questions around art-related wealth and the next generation of art owners’ tastes and priorities. Judging by the findings from this report, art collections, built up by an older generation of collectors, are now coming back to the market at a faster rate than previously seen. Record sales in 2021 suggest that a new type and generation of collectors are continuing in the footsteps of the older generation, and so far, there are few signs of any major shifts in intergenerational taste for blue-chip Post-War, Modern and Impressionist art.

If you are interested in a bespoke auction analysis – please contact us on info@arttactic.com and we would be delighted to give a you a quote on bespoke package.

Who is it for?

This report aimed at investors, dealers, auction houses and collectors, who want to get an in-depth understanding of the impact of single owner collection auctions on the art market and the performance of various collecting categories.

Selected Report Findings:

Single owner collection sales reached a record $2.22 billion at auction this year.

Single owner collections accounted for just under 20% of total auction sales at Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Phillips during 2021, up significantly from previous two years.

Online-only single owner auctions peak in 2020, as in-person auctions return this year

New York remains the key hub for single owner auctions, whilst London loses out to Paris and Hong Kong

White Glove sales accounted for 70% of total single owner sales in 2021

Analytical tools:

Single Owner Collection Trends 2016-2021 by value and lots 

Single Owner Collection Trends 2016-2021 by collecting category

Single Owner Collection Trends 2016-2021 by location

Top 25 Single Owner Collection Auctions 2016-2021