Later this month both Christie’s and Sotheby’s (possibly with/out a high-value Velázquez), are bringing in the New Year with important auctions that may well set the tone for 2024 in a time of global instability. Will investors rely on luxury art as a safe investment in an unsettled global economy?

Christie’s launches 2024 with ‘Americana Week’, from January 17 – 19, starting with 17th and 18th century maps and materials that may be of particular interest to Canadian collectors (see for example maps from Champlain’s exploration). There are also sketches for those interested in history and the history of fashion and sstyle. Silver Americana follows. More here: https://www.christies.com/en/events/americana-week/what-is-on

Sotheby’s brings a two-part Master Paintings auction to ring in the New Year from January 26 – February 3. In 2023 the old masters continued to show strong while overall – with a few exceptions – the modernists lost some of their investment lustre. The upcoming Master Paintings Part I includes Rubens, Van Dyke, Gainsborough, and a particularly beautiful Meléndez landscape featuring artichokes and tomatoes.

For more see: https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/master-paintings-sculpture-part-i