Posted January 5, 2001

Hislop's Art Sales Index

The two-volume 2,400 page Art Sales Index, 32nd Annual Edition, 1999/2000 Season contains 138,000 sales results for oil paintings, drawings, works on paper, miniatures, prints, and sculptures by 42,900 artists that sold at over 2,700 auctions held at nearly 600 international auction houses from March 1999 through August 2000. According to managing editor Duncan Hislop, this auction season saw over 8,100 artists appear at auction for the first time ever, over 250 artists achieve individual sales of over $250,000, and fine art auction sales totaling nearly $3 billion-- a 16.38% rise from the previous season.

Each auction record in the Art Sales Index includes the name of the artist, birth and death dates (when applicable), title of the art, medium, dimensions, sale date, sale location, lot number in the sale, presale estimates, and selling price in dollars and pounds. To make research easier, individual prices for any given artist are grouped by medium and arranged by hammer price from lowest to highest dollar amounts. In addition to auction records, this season's Art Sales Index also contains lists of record prices, top selling artists, top auction houses, an auction season turnover analysis, and other art market information.

Art Sales Index and ArtQuest Ltd., publsher of the Art Sales Index, has been publishing auction records longer than any other company currently in existence. The quality and accuracy of their auction records are recognized throughout the art trade. Experienced dealers and collectors know that without the latest, most accurate art price information, they can lose many thousands of dollars transacting in works of art. Art Sales Index and ArtQuest Ltd. also publish auction records in CD-ROM and online database formats.

Art Sales Index, 32nd Annual Edition, 1999/2000 Season edited by Duncan Hislop. Art Sales Index and ArtQuest Ltd., Egham, Surrey, United Kingdom, 2000. 2 volumes, hardbound, 2,413 pages, 8 1/2 by 12 inches. $195.

Available from Dealer's Choice Books, P.O. Box 710, Land O' Lakes, FL 34639 or call 1-800-ART-AMER or order from the Dealer's Choice Books website. The set is also available from the Art Sales Index & ArtQuest Ltd. website.

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Art Law Handbook

The Art Law Handbook edited by Roy S. Kaufman is technical and not an easy read, but it's plenty informative and highly recommended for anyone confronting legal issues involving fine or decorative art. The book covers topics like intellectual property protection and licensing, First Amendment rights, stolen art, artist/dealer relationships, import and export of cultural property, auction law, e-commerce, authentication and appraisal, estate planning, and much more. Numerous case histories and court decisions are cited as the book discusses important rulings, legislations, and legal issues affecting artists, collectors, dealers, historians, curators, appraisers, and other fine arts professionals.

Every Art Law Handbook comes with a free CD-ROM containing numerous proven contracts, releases, notices, forms, agreements, and related documents that can be easily copied onto a computer and customized to fit just about any art business situation. The CD-ROM's selections include export forms, consignment agreements, artist/gallery agreements, purchase agreements, e-commerce and website development agreements, registration forms for stolen objects, copyright licenses, and much more. The CD-ROM also contains the texts of important laws and treaties, art information sources, selected treasury regulations, art-related website listings, and additional relevant information. Other art law books also provide this type of information, but it must either be photocopied or manually re-typed and re configured in order to be of any use. The Art Law Handbook CD-ROM saves huge amounts of time and insures accuracy of reproduction whether it's being used for research or for copying, customizing, and printing out of finished forms and contracts.

Art Law Handbook edited by Roy S. Kaufman. Aspen Publishers, NY, 2000, hardbound, dustjacket, CD-ROM, 7 1/2 by 10 1/4 inches, 1164 pages, $185.

Available from Aspen Law & Business, 7201 McKinney Circle, P.O. Box 990, Frederick, MD 21705-9727 or call toll-free 1-800-638-8437. The book is also available from the Aspen Publishers website.

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Art Marketing 101

Art Marketing 101, A Handbook for the Fine Artist by Constance Smith is exactly what the title implies-- a handbook for beginning artists. It covers a variety of art business basics including setting up a business, basic legal protections and agreements, art pricing, shipping, framing, display, resume and portfolio development, exhibition planning, marketing, publicity, licensing, and more. The book is particularly helpful for artists who have not sold much art or have little experience selling their art. Not only does it address topics specific to the art business, but it also offers general business pointers like how to close a sale, how to handle customer objections, and how to sell over the phone. Occasionally, the book gets a little mercenary or becomes overly simplistic, but overall, it's a good starting point for art students and artists who are just starting out.

Art Marketing 101, A Handbook for the Fine Artist by Constance Smith. ArtNetwork, Nevada City, CA, updated edition, 2000. Softbound, 8 by 10 inches, 336 pages, $24.95.

Available from ArtNetwork, P.O. Box 1360, Nevada City, CA 95959-1360 or call 1-530-470-0862. The book is also available from the ArtNetwork website.

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Fine Art Handling Gloves