Collecting Art for Love, Money and More

by Ethan Wagner, Thea Westreich

Collecting Art For Love, Money and More is an insider’s guide for both the novice and experienced buyer. It reveals the motivations and secrets of successful collectors as well as providing an historical overview of the greatest collectors and their superb collections. Written by renowned art advisor Thea Westreich Wagner and her husband Ethan Wagner, this book offers clear advice on how to build and maintain a distinctive collection, from discovering new talent and accessing the best work to getting the highest returns on investment.

This book provides invaluable insights and tips, alongside photographs and specially commissioned illustrations, and key advice from each chapter is summarized to guide the collector. It captures the sense of anticipation, thrill, and commodity conditions of the art marketplace that make acquiring works of art such an adventure.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Art History

192 pages, Hardcover

First published April 30, 2012

Reviews

[Patrik Hallberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a good introduction to this amazing field, collecting contemporary art. Of course, I'm biased since this is my great passion in life. I like the chapters about the art critic and the curator and how the art critic has lost its power in favor of the collector who shows off his latest stuff and then all his/her collector friends follow. I added The Painted Word by Tom Wolfe and Painting Beside Itself by David Joselit to my reading list.

[Amar Pai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this book is just a rich couple bragging about their art collecting hobby, the book is so lovely in its design that I am forced to give it 4 stars. Kudos to whoever designed this book!! Great illustrations as well.

[Liv pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

For context this review is from the perspective of a soon to be curation student who has just finished an art degree:

I picked up this book because I wanted to be able to see how the whole art fiasco is being pitched to the rich that are buying it, and in that way it’s been enlightening.
I found this useful in describing the basics of how the comercial art world functions, and enjoyed the sort of 50%-75% mark the most, however there were so many names that it was difficult to physically read. I took notes through this whole book and had to give up on most names 1/3 of the way through, and now have just noted down the ones that I want to Google most. I appreciate that this book is maybe trying to provide shout outs to professionals that the authors appreciate, however I don’t know if it worked in this format. Some of it definitely was painful in its poshness, however I appreciate the rhetoric that they recommend doing this for emotional fulfilment and relationships over money
Interesting perspective overall to see, and I’m sure it’s intended audience found it beneficial

[Ebonique Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great starter book on collecting art.

[Ilya Kavalerov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and easy read. Married collector/art advisor couple expand on an evident, but unexpected reason for collecting art: self-affirmation and exploring one's own taste. Has a pretty good list of further reading at the end. Gives little inside scoop of the art world, meant mostly for the affluent but non-decorative-art-ignorant thinking of collecting in the sub $20,000 range.

Quotes say all:

"The entire activity of collecting art is built on belief - in art's special qualities and in the perspicacity of his or her own acquisitions."

"Buying provokes a more profound and considered engagement with art and provides a deeper understanding of ones taste and proclivities."

"The challenge for collectors is not to uncover material on the art and artists they're interested in but rather to home in on that which can expand their vision and inform their understanding and choices."

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this book may be mildly helpful for someone completely unfamiliar with the art world, I would not recommend it. It's a glorified exercise in name-dropping. Anyone already familiar with collecting will find its insights obvious and general manner pretentious.

[Ash Ponders · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like an exercise in name dropping than either a memoir or instructional book. But not wholly useless either.