Investing in art

  • Why Invest in Art
    Andy Warhol, Scotch Broth Soup, from Campbell's Soup II, 1969

    Why Invest in Art

    This is without doubt a great time to be investing in art. However, as with any similar endeavour, it is important to begin with a little knowledge.

     

    Over many years, Hidden has garnered a well-deserved reputation as a leader in the field of art bought for pleasure as well as for investment. We've witnessed the demand for rare and collectable art grow year on year; with recent interest expanding to previously unprecedented levels.

     

    This demand is international, with clients at home and abroad seeking more interesting and rewarding ways of investing their money. Some have observed and perhaps experienced the recent downward spiral of the stock market, whilst others have commented on the derisory returns on funds held in bank accounts. These savvy customers buy art from us because they demand better rewards from their investments.

     

    Demand is also strong from established collectors and investors who have already benefited from growth that continues to outstrip all other luxury asset classes (according to the Wall Street Journal and The Knight Frank wealth Report). It is also originating from discerning clients who desire to live with works that are beautiful and enriching but also happen to have strong investment potential.

  • Who should buy rare art?

    • People seeking a decent return on their savings and investments

    • People seeking an investment that can be enjoyed in its own right

    • People who want to experience the joy of owning an artwork by one of the world's great masters.
  • Which artists? We've had great success with our investments by sticking to a set of guiding principles that enable us...
    Joan Miro - Untitled, Plate 8 from: "Oda à Joan Miró", 1973

    Which artists?

    We've had great success with our investments by sticking to a set of guiding principles that enable us to focus only on work that we believe to be both aesthetically and financially sound. Even a short glance at our website will make it obvious that as a result our focus falls chiefly upon the great artists of the 20th & 21st centuries.

     

    We generally only offer work by pre-eminent masters of their craft or genre. These tend to be household names with established track records of value growth with considerable potential for further growth.  This means that when the time comes to resell the work, there will be a ready international market.

     

    Therefore you will find all of the following and more amongst our catalogue: Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Damien Hirst, Salvador Dali, Banksy, David Hockney, Andy Warhol………..

  • Which Artworks?

    This sector is characterised by its relatively low cost of entry and its diversity. We do not restrict ourselves to a particular style or price. We avoid specialist or niche areas and don't invest in the 'next big thing'. We don't gamble with our own money and won't therefore recommend you do so with yours.

     

    If the work is good, has solid growth potential and it's affordable we'll add it to our inventory. We tend to offer works in the range £3,000 to £30,000, although we have works either side of the range.

     

    For the same reason as above, we select pieces that are typical of that artist's body of work. The more recognizable an artwork is, as for example, a Picasso or a Hockney - the broader the market will be when it comes to finding a future buyer. We carefully select fine examples that will not only look stunning on your walls but will offer long-term security and liquidity. When we are selecting new pieces we consider the longevity of an artist or an image and ask the question will this artist still be a household name in 20 years-time and will this image remain obviously attributable to them. A Picasso Dove of Peace will always be iconic as will a Warhol Soup Can.

     

    It's also important to consider practical factors such as age, condition and rarity and we've set out some of the most pertinent below.

     

    Age - as with any collectible the age of the work is a factor, is the work early in the artists career or from a particularly rich or iconic period in their development.

    Rarity - Is the work a well-known and often reproduced example or is it from a small edition? How often does the work appear at auction, can it be found elsewhere?

    Subject - Was the image produced specifically for the medium, is it typical of the artist's work, does it represent the artist at the height of their powers.

    Quality/condition - We tend only to offer work in the very best condition as this typically represents a better investment in the long-term.
  • Why buy from Hidden Gallery? When buying from Hidden you’re buying from a team with a solid and demonstrable reputation....

    Why buy from Hidden Gallery?

    When buying from Hidden you’re buying from a team with a solid and demonstrable reputation. We are a bricks and mortar business that invests in the work with our own money and we treat your investment as we do our own.

     

    We’ve been involved in collecting for 30 years and have built a significant knowledge in the field, and a network of contacts around the world that enable us to stand by every work we sell. We take the guesswork out of buying rare art and provide the essential guarantees of authenticity and quality.

     

    The work we offer is largely sourced from international auction houses and renowned dealers and collectors worldwide, it is assessed for authenticity and quality by our experts, in addition to the scrutiny carried out by the vendors themselves. Consequently, we offer a lifetime guarantee of authenticity on all the work we offer.

     

    We only offer art in fabulous condition, presented in a manner that will protect and enhance the work for years to come. We carry out any preparatory and conservation work, to ensure that when you take ownership of a work it is ready to hang and enjoy. (We work with an internationally renowned conservator, have our own framers and oversee every stage of the work).

  • Why now is a great time to invest in art

    Despite a backdrop of wider economic uncertainty and stock market wobbles, the art market has continued to perform solidly. The demand for prints and editions is stronger than ever, with record prices regularly achieved at auction.

     

    In Deloitte’s Art & Finance Report (2019), 72% of wealth managers surveyed confirmed that they now operated art-related services for their clients, and that 81% of their clients had requested such services.

     

    Our own client base, revenues and stockholding continue to demonstrate exceptional growth, with increases in revenues beyond 50% year on year since 2019.

     

    In recent years a number of high-profile exhibitions have been held in the UK that have put works on paper front and centre, including a blockbuster exhibition of Picasso works at the Royal Academy. At the more contemporary end of the market, Bridget Riley's editions have experienced phenomenal growth. Ten years ago her dazzling screenprint  "Firebird" could be had for four figures, but it now regularly exceeds £30,000 at auction. David Hockney's iconic "Pool Made with Paper and Blue Ink" has seen its value triple since 2017. 

     

    This continuing public focus and regular press coverage only serves to stimulate demand from new entrants, keen to own a slice of history that is also an affordable and tangible investment. How much more enjoyable is it to talk to dinner guests about your investments when they are in the form of a Picasso hung above the mantelpiece?
  • How do I get started? It’s possible to come into this field as either an art enthusiast, investor or both....
    Alexander Calder, La Scie et Les Boules, circa 1965

    How do I get started?

    It’s possible to come into this field as either an art enthusiast, investor or both. It’s often the case that the two become blurred over time. Many of our clients who began by buying work purely for the joy of it, have become investors beyond their original scope of interest and similarly investors who began by collecting works purely as an investment vehicle have become passionate about collecting work by a particular  artist or movement.

     

    Whatever your initial rationale it can very quickly become a fascinating field, after all that’s how I started!

     

    Having discussed your aims, budget, and interests, we will make recommendations of work that might fit the bill. If we don’t have that work currently in stock, we will source it for you or suggest alternatives. If it’s an investment portfolio you require we will match the contents to the return you anticipate.

     

    Alternatively, it may simply be that you’ve seen work on our website that interests you. If so, we’ll discuss the relative merits of the work with you. Rest assured that the majority of works we offer have been chosen with future value growth in mind and if it hasn’t, we’ll tell you.

     

    Our aim is to make buying art fun and transparent. Whether you visit one of our galleries, browse our website or call for a chat we’ll aim to demystify investing in art and leave you with a sense of why we are the first choice for many clients making their first purchase.

  • Contact us Today

    Get in touch now to organise a free one-to-one consultation:

    hello@hiddengallery.co.uk

     

  • What Our Customers Say

    Having listened, initially sceptically but then with interest, to a talk by Chris Kendall on the value (and perils) of investing in art, and being unexcited by the more prosaic investment opportunities at present, I decided to put a budget aside for things which would give pleasure and also represent a good investment. A visit to Hidden in Bristol quickly excited my interest, with a wide range of works on show. In discussion with them I decided that for my situation established artists were probably the best answer; fortunately Hidden had several distinguished twentieth century pieces within my budget which I really liked. When the coronavirus came along and further undermined other types of investment, right on cue Hidden let me know that they had obtained some more prints of one of my two chosen artists, I extended the budget and bought another show-stopping signed print. At the start I was a relative rookie who knew what he liked. I've been really impressed by their ability to gauge my taste in balance with the investment aspects, and I feel it's both fun and very safe dealing with them. I should add that their framing is beautifully done both technically and in the aesthetic support of the art. All in all, a very happy customer. 

     

     Alan, Weston Super Mare

  • Our Featured Investment Artists