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How to Collect Art
You must read this book before buying any artwork – written by the world’s leading art-market economist
Navigating the world of collecting can be a tricky process, especially for one just starting out in the art market. The world’s leading art market expert Magnus Resch explains the core principles of the art market and reveals the secrets of how to build and grow an art collection.
He answers questions such as:
• What art should I invest in?
• Where do I start?
• Which gallery should I visit?
• How do I get VIP tickets for Art Basel?
• Where's the best place to sell my art?
• Is this price fair?
This book is a comprehensive guide for anyone interested in collecting art, novice or expert. Readers will learn:
• How the art market really works;
• How to navigate the art world;
• How to start and develop a sustainable collection strategy, for every budget.
Featured alongside Magnus’s advice for collecting are quotes and case studies from esteemed art world professionals, including mega collectors Shelley and Philip Aarons, Beth Rudin DeWoody, Jorge M. Pérez, Howard E. Rachofsky, and Komal Shah; museum directors Adam Weinberg and Heidi Zuckerman; art fair founder Touria El Glaoui; mega art dealers Marc Glimcher, Adam Lindemann, Jeffrey Deitch, and Simon de Pury; leading art curator Hans Ulrich Obrist; superstar art advisor Amy Cappellazzo; and artist Julian Schnabel. The book also features a foreword written by leading art collector Pamela Joyner.
No-nonsense, clear prose makes this the perfect primer for anyone who is interested in collecting art. This book is for:
• Art lovers who want to buy their first pieces;
• Collectors who want to understand more about investing in art;
• Advisors and gallerists who want to refresh their knowledge.
This book, with words of advice from the most accomplished experts in the field, is like carrying an art advisor in your pocket.
Navigating the world of collecting can be a tricky process, especially for one just starting out in the art market. The world’s leading art market expert Magnus Resch explains the core principles of the art market and reveals the secrets of how to build and grow an art collection.
He answers questions such as:
• What art should I invest in?
• Where do I start?
• Which gallery should I visit?
• How do I get VIP tickets for Art Basel?
• Where's the best place to sell my art?
• Is this price fair?
This book is a comprehensive guide for anyone interested in collecting art, novice or expert. Readers will learn:
• How the art market really works;
• How to navigate the art world;
• How to start and develop a sustainable collection strategy, for every budget.
Featured alongside Magnus’s advice for collecting are quotes and case studies from esteemed art world professionals, including mega collectors Shelley and Philip Aarons, Beth Rudin DeWoody, Jorge M. Pérez, Howard E. Rachofsky, and Komal Shah; museum directors Adam Weinberg and Heidi Zuckerman; art fair founder Touria El Glaoui; mega art dealers Marc Glimcher, Adam Lindemann, Jeffrey Deitch, and Simon de Pury; leading art curator Hans Ulrich Obrist; superstar art advisor Amy Cappellazzo; and artist Julian Schnabel. The book also features a foreword written by leading art collector Pamela Joyner.
No-nonsense, clear prose makes this the perfect primer for anyone who is interested in collecting art. This book is for:
• Art lovers who want to buy their first pieces;
• Collectors who want to understand more about investing in art;
• Advisors and gallerists who want to refresh their knowledge.
This book, with words of advice from the most accomplished experts in the field, is like carrying an art advisor in your pocket.
- GenresArtNonfiction
232 pages, Paperback
Published January 31, 2024
52 people are currently reading
835 people want to read
About the author
Magnus Resch
19 books28 followersMagnus Resch is an art-market economist, serial entrepreneur, and bestselling author. Magnus is a Professor for art economics, lecturing at Yale University. He holds a Ph.D. in economics and studied at Harvard, the LSE, and University of St. Gallen. His career has been portrayed in a Harvard Business School case study and in various articles, in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair and the Financial Times. Magnus lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 10, 2024
If you're looking for a way to get into the art market, this book is a perfect entry. Dr. Resch writes exceptionally accessibly, and the steps he describes over the chapters are clear, action-oriented, and data-backed. Maybe billionaires looking to stash blue-chip works away in warehouses will buy this book, but it's really for people who just like art and want to be mindful while purchasing.
October 21, 2024
This was a comprehensive and helpful read. Its advice was straight-forward and actionable. Wish I had read it before I started buying art!
October 31, 2024
The author of How to Become a Successful Artist turns his data-driven approach to art collecting, why you should do it and what makes for a successful collection. He importantly doesn’t suggest buying art purely as an investment but also talks about the practical realities of what works hold their value.
May 21, 2024
Informative and contains helpful information and items to consider. I found it interesting it doesn't contain any information on the print aspects of art including types of prints, edition sizes, numbering, signatures, etc.
Appreciate the tips on cataloging and the (unspoken) truth behind the "banana wall art" from Art Basel 2019; that was eye opening, jaw dropping, and light-bulb-in-the-mind illuminating.
Appreciate the tips on cataloging and the (unspoken) truth behind the "banana wall art" from Art Basel 2019; that was eye opening, jaw dropping, and light-bulb-in-the-mind illuminating.
February 16, 2024
After recently buying a painting at auction, I was browsing the Phaidon Press website and saw that Magnus Resch had written a book on collecting art. There are few people other than Resch with the background, knowledge and experience to write such a book so I bought a copy.
Resch breaks all the aspects of art production and sales - artists, galleries, auction houses, art fairs, art advisors, and collectors - into alpha, beta, gamma and delta tiers. Alpha is where all the money and notoriety is. If you have $50,000 or more to spend on a work of art (and more likely are willing and able to spent six or seven figures), then you deal with the alpha tier of the art world and maybe your artworks will one day provide a return on investment. This goes for any of the aspects. If you're a gallery owner, you better be an alpha gallery if you want to make money. If you want to make money as an artist, be an alpha artist and have your works shown in alpha galleries and alpha museums. Money begets money.
Otherwise, from a financial standpoint, it doesn't much seem to matter if you buy an original painting from an artist or some poster at a Walmart. Any "value" attached to the artwork will be the intrinsic value derived from your enjoyment and appreciation of it.
In case Resch doesn't make it clear with his own writing, he has blurbs on almost every page from someone in the art world with their advice on collecting art, the majority of which are some form of buy what you like. That makes a lot of sense given that you're not going to see any financial appreciation of what you bought. Those blurbs that have something else to say can typically be contradicted by another blurb elsewhere in the book.
None of the book is terribly surprising, especially as I have witnessed the same thing as a collector of books and baseball memorabilia (my Will Ohman baseball card collection is invaluable to me and I'll never be able to afford a significant piece from some Hall of Famer). It just gets tiring sometimes that so much is tied to wealth. And I can only imagine how it must feel to artists, especially those who aren't dead white males, to know that your work is pretty much guaranteed to not make you any money.
I'll end this review with my advice on how to collect art if you are like me and shop at discount grocery stores and take standard income tax deductions. Buy what you like but buy from a real live artist, especially if your purchase can improve their financial well-being.
Resch breaks all the aspects of art production and sales - artists, galleries, auction houses, art fairs, art advisors, and collectors - into alpha, beta, gamma and delta tiers. Alpha is where all the money and notoriety is. If you have $50,000 or more to spend on a work of art (and more likely are willing and able to spent six or seven figures), then you deal with the alpha tier of the art world and maybe your artworks will one day provide a return on investment. This goes for any of the aspects. If you're a gallery owner, you better be an alpha gallery if you want to make money. If you want to make money as an artist, be an alpha artist and have your works shown in alpha galleries and alpha museums. Money begets money.
Otherwise, from a financial standpoint, it doesn't much seem to matter if you buy an original painting from an artist or some poster at a Walmart. Any "value" attached to the artwork will be the intrinsic value derived from your enjoyment and appreciation of it.
In case Resch doesn't make it clear with his own writing, he has blurbs on almost every page from someone in the art world with their advice on collecting art, the majority of which are some form of buy what you like. That makes a lot of sense given that you're not going to see any financial appreciation of what you bought. Those blurbs that have something else to say can typically be contradicted by another blurb elsewhere in the book.
None of the book is terribly surprising, especially as I have witnessed the same thing as a collector of books and baseball memorabilia (my Will Ohman baseball card collection is invaluable to me and I'll never be able to afford a significant piece from some Hall of Famer). It just gets tiring sometimes that so much is tied to wealth. And I can only imagine how it must feel to artists, especially those who aren't dead white males, to know that your work is pretty much guaranteed to not make you any money.
I'll end this review with my advice on how to collect art if you are like me and shop at discount grocery stores and take standard income tax deductions. Buy what you like but buy from a real live artist, especially if your purchase can improve their financial well-being.
October 26, 2025
I have strong mixed feelings about this book, because for the author in order for an artist to have a great career, he needs to be represented by an alpha gallery, to be exposed in an alpha museum and to be shown in an alpha fair, of course all this in New York, because that's where the holy land is (page 44).
Which honestly I found it very center minded.
But, also, at the end, the author told you that's it's ok to buy from other none alpha artists too.
It's like "Buy everything you want but don't go everywhere you want!"
Important information can be found at page 43, 82, 99, 101, 113, 114, 117, 121, 127, 128, 131, 135, 139, 142, 143, 145, 147, 148, 149, 158, 161, 162, 163, 164, 166, 167, 168, 169, 171, 172, 177, 180, 181, 182, 183, 185, 188, 189, 191, 193, 196, 202, 203, 204, 206, 214.
Why not mentioning the Pinault family who owns Christie's (page 77-78)? There are the most important actor of the art market, so why not mentioning them at all?
Don't forget to request a biography (page 99) of the artist.
At page 102, you can find some example with real artists.
Tavares Strachan's story at page 115 is very interesting. I also learned there that Perrotin and Marian Goodman are beta gallery (p. 116).
The Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta art galleries can be found at page 122-123. Also, there is only four alpha galleries for him : Gagosian, David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth and Pace (p. 124-125), the others are at page 126-127.
The case study with Jeffrey Deitch is very interesting (page 151 & 152).
Very important information at page 157 (Overview and classification).
From page 158, he talks about fairs, but for example there is incorrect information as the Fiac do not exist anymore (page 159).
At very important information about Art Basel and the owner at page 160.
Very important information about auction houses at page 177, where it starts about talking about them.
Starting at page 201, he talks about art advisors
At page 213, he talks about NFT and blockchain.
Also, at page 218, he doesn't even talk about "Droit de suite".
He is very biased, but he is not in the wrong either.
What do you think?
Bonsoir.
Which honestly I found it very center minded.
But, also, at the end, the author told you that's it's ok to buy from other none alpha artists too.
It's like "Buy everything you want but don't go everywhere you want!"
Important information can be found at page 43, 82, 99, 101, 113, 114, 117, 121, 127, 128, 131, 135, 139, 142, 143, 145, 147, 148, 149, 158, 161, 162, 163, 164, 166, 167, 168, 169, 171, 172, 177, 180, 181, 182, 183, 185, 188, 189, 191, 193, 196, 202, 203, 204, 206, 214.
Why not mentioning the Pinault family who owns Christie's (page 77-78)? There are the most important actor of the art market, so why not mentioning them at all?
Don't forget to request a biography (page 99) of the artist.
At page 102, you can find some example with real artists.
Tavares Strachan's story at page 115 is very interesting. I also learned there that Perrotin and Marian Goodman are beta gallery (p. 116).
The Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta art galleries can be found at page 122-123. Also, there is only four alpha galleries for him : Gagosian, David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth and Pace (p. 124-125), the others are at page 126-127.
The case study with Jeffrey Deitch is very interesting (page 151 & 152).
Very important information at page 157 (Overview and classification).
From page 158, he talks about fairs, but for example there is incorrect information as the Fiac do not exist anymore (page 159).
At very important information about Art Basel and the owner at page 160.
Very important information about auction houses at page 177, where it starts about talking about them.
Starting at page 201, he talks about art advisors
At page 213, he talks about NFT and blockchain.
Also, at page 218, he doesn't even talk about "Droit de suite".
He is very biased, but he is not in the wrong either.
What do you think?
Bonsoir.
June 17, 2025
A Stylish Primer That Scratches the Surface
How to Collect Art by Magnus Resch offers a visually appealing and beginner-friendly introduction to the art market. With sleek design and accessible language, it breaks down the basic steps of starting an art collection, including how to discover artists, engage with galleries, and understand pricing.
Resch brings credibility from his experience in the art world, and his emphasis on collecting based on passion rather than speculation is refreshing. However, the book earns 3 stars because it tends to oversimplify a complex and often opaque industry. While it's perfect for the casual or aspiring collector, those looking for deeper insights into valuation, negotiation, or long-term collecting strategies may find it lacking.
At times, the tone feels more promotional than practical, and some advice can be repetitive or overly idealized. That said, it’s a solid coffee-table read and a useful confidence-booster for someone curious but intimidated by the art world.
A good start—but not the final word.
How to Collect Art by Magnus Resch offers a visually appealing and beginner-friendly introduction to the art market. With sleek design and accessible language, it breaks down the basic steps of starting an art collection, including how to discover artists, engage with galleries, and understand pricing.
Resch brings credibility from his experience in the art world, and his emphasis on collecting based on passion rather than speculation is refreshing. However, the book earns 3 stars because it tends to oversimplify a complex and often opaque industry. While it's perfect for the casual or aspiring collector, those looking for deeper insights into valuation, negotiation, or long-term collecting strategies may find it lacking.
At times, the tone feels more promotional than practical, and some advice can be repetitive or overly idealized. That said, it’s a solid coffee-table read and a useful confidence-booster for someone curious but intimidated by the art world.
A good start—but not the final word.
January 10, 2025
Ein gutes Buch von einem der führenden Experten der Ökonomie des Kunstmarkts. Auch wenn nur die wenigsten Menschen die finanziellen Mittel haben, eine Kunstsammlung aufzubauen, so ist dieses Werk trotzdem für jeden interessant, der Kunst mag. Magnus Resch betont auch immer wieder, dass der geneigte Sammler nur in den seltensten Fällen eine finanzielle Wertsteigerung der gekauften Werke erwarten und deshalb besser aus anderen Motiven sammeln sollte. Das Buch hätte etwas kürzer sein können ohne die vielen Wiederholungen. Abschließend muss auf jeden Fall erwähnt werden, dass das Buch an sich ein absolutes Kunstwerk ist und sich alleine schon aufgrund des Layouts lohnt.
May 8, 2025
My rating should not diminish the quality of the information provided in this book.
My biggest take away is that most art sold won't be resold without a loss. The market for investing is really at the highest strata which is too far out of my reach or interest. And there's a insider and networking element to the market.
Resch successfully convinces me, that if I do buy art, buy something that resonates with me that I want to keep and experience often. Outside of that, just experience and learn as much as I can.
My biggest take away is that most art sold won't be resold without a loss. The market for investing is really at the highest strata which is too far out of my reach or interest. And there's a insider and networking element to the market.
Resch successfully convinces me, that if I do buy art, buy something that resonates with me that I want to keep and experience often. Outside of that, just experience and learn as much as I can.
April 10, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
How to Collect Art is an indispensable, no-nonsense guide that demystifies the art market with practical advice from industry legends and insider insights from Magnus Resch. Whether you're a curious newcomer or a seasoned collector, this book feels like having a world-class art advisor right at your fingertips.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
How to Collect Art is an indispensable, no-nonsense guide that demystifies the art market with practical advice from industry legends and insider insights from Magnus Resch. Whether you're a curious newcomer or a seasoned collector, this book feels like having a world-class art advisor right at your fingertips.
February 6, 2024
"How to Collect Art" presents a treasure trove of information on a subject where details usually remain sporadic and obscure. Merging scientific research with actionable advice, Magnus has created a point of reference in the world of Art, for aficionados, emerging artists and collectors alike. A must-read!
June 22, 2024
An interesting insight and step-by-step guide into art collecting. The book is well-structured and informative for someone like myself who is looking to buy my first original art piece. It takes the intimidation out of buying through the different distribution channels in a rather opaque art world.
March 26, 2024
Great introductory book to the Art Business and all it's players
March 30, 2024
Interesting and informative read
May 26, 2024
I genuinely thought that was really good. Easy to grasp and understand and u can tell this man loves art and artists. I would highly recommend, no prior knowledge necessary!
July 21, 2024
Very approachable writing, great introduction and big picture overview of art world
July 21, 2024
Loved this. Perhaps not for everyone - some people may find parts quite dry, but the clear analysis is what I loved, combined with some actionable ideas, no matter what your budget.
August 16, 2024
Explica de forma muy sencilla todo lo que hay que saber del mundo del arte. Art dealers, comercio, galerías, artistas, relaciones, etc. TOP
September 14, 2024
Informative
January 5, 2025
Good fact-based overview of the global art market. Easy to read. Insightful, but low methodical depth. Don't expect a deep statistical analysis.
July 4, 2025
An important, informative, facts-based read. I hope everyone who has some disposable income or who loves art will pick this book up.
April 30, 2024
This book is a phenomenal first step into understanding the basics of the primary and secondary art markets. Resch offers clearly defined structures (literally pyramid hierarchies) that allow the art-curious to explore the who, what, where and how of the art world.
And perhaps the biggest take away? Learning how to buy art that you love, all the while avoiding the trap of an investment mindset.
And perhaps the biggest take away? Learning how to buy art that you love, all the while avoiding the trap of an investment mindset.
June 10, 2024
Great book. Very informative and well written. Grab yourself a copy!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews