It’s been a big weekend for art market innuendo. Following the Economist’s suggestion that Phillips de Pury’s Carte Blanche auction wasn’t entirely pure, Lindsay Pollock suggests that Pace Gallery is behind the sudden run-up in prices for newcomer Jacob Kassay
At his rather startling auction debut at a Phillips de Pury Nov. 9 day sale, a 2009 acrylic and silver deposit canvas, tagged to sell for up to $8,000 went bananas, selling for $86,500.
Last week, at a Kitchen benefit auction, a silvered 2010 work zoomed above the $12,000 “retail value,” selling for $94,000 according to two sources who attended the sale. [...]
What’s the deal? A few in-the-know dealers told me Pace Gallery is making a play for Kassay. I emailed the gallery last week, but got no response.
A dealer told me he suspected Pace may have been among the bidders or buyers at the recent auctions.
Who’s Diddling with Jacob Kassay’s Prices? (Lindsay Pollock)
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Art Market Monitor, Megan McGrath. Megan McGrath said: RT @artmarket: New blog post: Pollock: Jacob Kassay's Prices Unreal http://www.artmarketmonitor.com/2010/11/22/pollock-jacob-kassays-pri … [...]
[...] Shortly after Lindsay Pollock pointed out the feeding frenzy around Kassay, the prices peaked and now have moderated. To be sure, $206,500 is a lot of money for a young artist with small body of work but the competition for works is clearly easing as each new buyer is satisfied and removed the market. [...]