ADRIEN MEYER
collector may wish to acquire and convince its owner to sell it.” Some may argue that a sale at a fixed price without the frenetic bidding wars of an auction may lead to lower prices... But don’t forget that the dream of a deluge of pennies from heaven doesn’t always become a reality! This is the second reason for the success of private sales. “The global context has become uncertain, and many buyers and sellers prefer the stability of a fixed price. If after a certain time a sale hasn’t been achieved, the seller still has the option to try at auction.” In order to increase public awareness, Adrien Meyer is now organizing exhibitions from New York to Paris, via London and Hong Kong, in which works are presented at a fixed price. But what, we may ask, about confidentiality? “The profile of sellers has changed; for some, exposure is not a deal-breaker.” As proven by Christie’s newly launched platform specialising in the online purchase of furniture: Decorative Arts For Your Home. Another sign confirming a rapidly changing market.
department. Adrien Meyer however has another specialty: since his arrival in New York in 2010, he has significantly expanded the company’s private sales department. Under his leadership, this has become a key activity for Christie’s, representing $1.5 billion in 2024, almost a third of the annual revenue! A remarkable achievement, given that not so long ago, private or “over-the-counter” sales were a parallel activity, shrouded in secrecy, not to say taboo. This practice, which involves connecting the seller of a work of art with a buyer without going through a public auction, guarantees discretion and a fixed price. “It can also be done quickly, which is another advantage” Adrien Meyer explains. A side line yesterday, this confidential means to achieve a transaction is today increasingly popular, and essentially for two reasons. Firstly, Adrien Meyer set up a team entirely dedicated to private sales, which, drawing on an extensive database, could solicit both buyers and sellers. “Thanks to our network and our thorough knowledge of collections across the globe, we know not only who might be a potential buyer, but also how to find a piece that a
www.christies.com
For many years, “over‑the-counter” sales were a parallel activity, to some extent shrouded in secrecy, not to say taboo.
4 l Agneau de François-Xavier Lalanne, 2005, proposé à un prix fixe.
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