3 Best Art Books for New Collectors
While the Internet does offer excellent information on the ins and outs of the art world, you need to know where to look. When you’re a new collector you don’t know what you don’t know, making it hard to efficiently find the information you need.
Sometimes a good ole fashioned book is your best option to get oriented.
These books can be a little dry at times, offering very concrete advice on, say, how to identify if a print is worth anything, but they offer essential knowledge if you are determined to collect art the right way.
Keeping these books on your shelf for reference will give you peace of mind and a feeling of confidence when dealing with art world professionals. Remember, knowledge is power.
The Art of Buying Art by Alan Bamberger*
Everything you need to know about collecting art (and then some). Buying in installments? He’s got it covered. How to spot forgeries? Check. If you like to be over prepared this is the book for you. It’s also the first book you should reach for if you have a question about the art market, and for that reason I’ve always got it on hand. It’s not the most entertaining read, but it’s good information and it does the job. It’s a consistently strong seller too, so it’s periodically revised and updated to suit the art market’s rapid changes.
Art Collecting Today by Doug Woodham*
This one’s a little more fun, with case studies regarding specific artists you’ve probably heard of. It was published in 2017, which means it can be a little funny sometimes especially in its attempts to get a hold of social media (exhibit 1.5 lists instagram followers for the top galleries, which I’m sure changed the second they printed the book). Most of the information, however, is still relevant. This book is also strong in outlining the etiquette of collecting so you don’t end up stepping on toes without knowing it.
Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thornton*
Okay, now here’s the glamor. It’s no fun not to dip your toe into the wildly competitive, fast paced art market, even if you have no hope (or desire) of ever transacting on that high a level. Be a fly on the wall at key events or locales in the art world (the studio visit, the evening auction, the art fair, the biennale, the art prize, the magazine, and the crit) with veteran art writer Sarah Thornton as your guide.
Even if you never go to an art auction in your life, you never want to look like you don’t know how the game works. Read this one with a grain of salt, but enjoy it.