Augustus JOHN, OM, RA (British, 1878-1961)
Portrait of a Young Woman (date: 1942-61)
Drawing in black crayon on paper
Inscribed 'John' lower right
Image size: 16.2 x 14.2 cm (6 x 5 in)
Framed size: 41.2 x 38.1 cm (16 x 15 in)
Contained within original hand carved and gilded frame. Plaque inscribed "AUGUSTUS JOHN, OM, RA 1878 - "
Currently available and priced at £6,250

Since many of our clients lead busy professional lives, we will be pleased to bring work to your office or home for viewing (London & Home Counties), by appointment, and with no cost or obligation to purchase

Becoming a Collector

Once you have purchased two or three of something, you have started a collection.

I bought my first painting when I was nine years old - a pastel seascape which I found in a junk shop in central London in the late 1950s. It cost a few shillings and I still have it. Later I began collecting in greater earnest - paintings, watercolours, drawings, sculpture, and antiquities. Over the years I managed to put together quite an eclectic collection without spending more than a few thousand pounds a year.

For me, collecting has been always been a passion (a dealer is usually a passionate collector). Personally I have only ever bought what I liked and I have followed the same principle as a dealer: and both have given me years of pleasure.

Follow your instincts

A collector should always follow his or her own tastes and instincts. The fine arts are as prone to fashion as much else in life but collectors should always buy what they like, the mantra being "trust your own judgement".

Quality matters

Always buy the best quality of work that you can afford. Sometimes you may have to pay more than you had anticipated but be brave - because it is invariably 'the one that got away' that creates lasting regret.

Take a long term view

Time is always on the side of the collector. Like most investments it will take some years to see real growth and the greatest benefit will accrue to those who are prepared to wait the longest.

Look, listen and learn

Collecting requires patience and dedication and, above all, knowledge. Nurturing a passion for paintings, sculpture or furniture from reference books, museum visits and exhibitions is an excellent way to start.

Money is still secondary

Money has always had far less to do with collecting than most people imagine and there is always a level at which you can begin. The only criteria should be, do I like it, is it good, and can I afford it?

Top works by top artists may be out of reach for all but the very rich but the same artists whose work achieves such dizzying heights often produced beautiful preparatory drawings and finished works on paper which are still surprisingly affordable.

And there are upsides even in these trying times. It is probably the best time to buy in many years and we have been surprised at the number of clients who tell us that they want to put their money into something with residual value rather than keeping it in cash, from which they currently derive a negligible or indeed diminishing return.

Gain a 'feel' for prices

Over time a collector will gain a 'feel' for prices: what is really good value, what is about right, and what is simply 'over-the-top'. Auctions prices are useful but they are certainly not an absolute guide, particularly when two or more collectors start bidding against each other at auction up to price levels which a dealer would not contemplate.

Gallery prices are often higher but their owners must recoup the cost of expensive retail premises. Whilst comparisons can be invidious we suggest that Albany's prices are probably in the order of 50% less than a client would expect to pay for the same work in a West End gallery since we choose not to operate from expensive gallery space and are able to pass this benefit onto our clients.

Develop relationships

Most dealers are more than happy to talk with clients, be they existing or prospective, since it is, after all, what we are here for. And if one person is not to your liking, try another until you find one whose judgement you trust and whose company you enjoy.

The pleasure of collecting

Collecting at any level combines the thrill of the hunt with the pleasure of enjoying what you have bought and the knowledge that you are creating something of lasting interest and, hopefully, increasing value. So decide what it is you like, familiarise yourself, seek advice, and enjoy yourself. And I hope you will derive just as much pleasure from collecting as I have done.

Best wishes

CHRIS NOEL-JOHNSON
ALBANY FINE ART

T: +44 (0) 1367 870961
M: +44 (0) 7799 691 692
E: chrisnj@albanyfineart.co.uk