Acquisition · Art
Buy Art Privately, With Provenance Verified First
According to Passion Asset Advisory, independent acquisition advice means representing one side only under a written mandate confirmed before work begins. It sits alongside your wealth manager, never in place of them. A ‘do nothing’ recommendation is always a valid outcome.
What we help source
- Blue-chip art: established artists with deep, liquid markets
- Contemporary art: living artists with institutional traction
- Emerging artists: earlier-stage positions, entered with eyes open about risk
- Private collections: works that change hands without ever being offered publicly
- Auction opportunities: representation and bidding strategy at the major houses
- Private sales: negotiated acquisitions through galleries, dealers, and direct owner contact
What does the art advisory cover?
Before any offer, the advisory examines the ownership chain for gaps and restitution exposure. It checks authenticity against the catalogue raisonné and relevant foundation opinions. It also reviews independent condition reports, the artist's market depth, and how the work fits the collection. If provenance cannot be resolved, we advise against the work.
- Provenance: the ownership chain traced and cross-checked against the Art Loss Register, restitution exposure read against the 1998 Washington Principles, and any gaps or title risk flagged before you commit
- Authenticity: catalogue raisonné status, foundation or committee opinion where applicable
- Condition: independent condition reports, restoration history, and what it means for value
- Artist market: auction record depth, gallery support, institutional presence, supply dynamics
- Collection fit: how the work serves the collection you are building, not just the wall
- Liquidity: how this work would realistically sell, to whom, and on what timeline
- Insurance and logistics: valuation for cover, climate-controlled transport, storage, installation
Buyer scenarios we work with
- Building a collection from a thesis, not from fairs and impulse
- Acquiring a specific artist: patiently, at the right moment in their market
- Filling a defined gap in an established collection
- Buying privately when discretion matters more than the auction spectacle
- Deciding between an auction lot and a comparable private-sale work, on evidence
Risks we help you avoid
- Weak provenance: gaps that surface later as title disputes or unsellable works
- Overpaying in thin markets: one strong auction result is not a market
- Poor condition disclosure: restoration that the sales material somehow never mentioned
- Unclear title: works encumbered by loans, estates, or competing claims
What the numbers say about art as an asset
We brief every client on the market before they buy, not after. The figures below are indicative and include sources that you can check.
- The global art market reached $59.6 billion in 2025, up roughly 4% after two down years (Art Basel & UBS Global Art Market Report 2026).
- Art led the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index in 2022 (+29%) and 2023 (+11%): then fell about 18% in 2024. Selection and provenance, not the category, decide which side of that average you land on.
- UHNW collectors hold roughly 10% of their wealth in art and collectibles and rank art-market research their most valued advisory service (Knight Frank Wealth Report 2026; Deloitte Art & Finance).
One structural cost to plan for: at the major houses you pay a buyer's premium on top of the hammer price: typically in the mid-20% range on the first price tranche, tapering on amounts above it. We price every opportunity all-in, premium and taxes included, so the number you compare is the number you pay.
FAQ
Art advisory & acquisition: your questions
What does an art advisor do?
An art advisor represents the collector, not the gallery or auction house. The work includes defining what to pursue, verifying provenance and authenticity, checking condition, benchmarking price against real results, and negotiating discreetly. You pay the independent art advisor, and the advisor holds no inventory to place. This removes a sales agenda from the counsel.
How do you verify a work's provenance and authenticity before buying?
We trace the ownership chain, exhibition history, literature history, and any restitution exposure. We confirm catalogue raisonné inclusion or foundation authentication where available. Independent conservators provide condition reports. If provenance cannot be resolved, we advise against the work, regardless of the price.
Should I buy art at auction or through a private sale?
Auctions offer competition and transparency but full publicity and a buyer's premium; private sales offer discretion and pace but need independent valuation to price correctly. We run both routes on your behalf and recommend the one that serves the work and your privacy, not the one that pays a commission.
Is fine art a good investment?
Blue-chip art has held value over long periods, but it is illiquid and has holding costs. Selection and provenance matter more than hype. We treat art as a passion asset first and an investment second. We acquire for quality and documentation so the work can retain a market if you sell. Our guide asks is art a good investment? and reviews the returns honestly.
Art
Collect with a thesis. Acquire with evidence.
Tell us the artist, the period, or the gap. We bring you verified candidates and a clear-eyed view of each one's market, then execute quietly.