British & Continental Art
Ever since we began auctioneering in 1992 art has been very central to our business and in over a quarter of century, we have seen demands evolve for various styles, artists, and periods.
It is dangerous to make sweeping statements about how the market differs now to how it was in 1992, as there are always exceptions. But we would tentatively say that overall, the market for twentieth century artists is far stronger than it was, while the market for 19th Century works is overall weaker.
The internet has been a wonderful assistant in ensuring that the collectors of artists find their lots. It no longer matters if the painter is Dutch, French, Australia, American or from South Africa as the technology marries the collector and artist seamlessly.
My most memorable moment on the rostrum when selling art is likely to be the L S Lowry I sold in 2019 which realised £65,000 despite its diminutive size. Another memorable occasion was watching my father sell a Turner sketch at £30,000 in 2018 - particularly as it was one of the last Welsh Sale auctions my father took before assuming a more observatory stance. He declared that in 60 years it was a real thrill to sell an original JMW Turner.
