Collecting in Today's Market

The Sense of Sight, John the Elder

"The purchase of art in periods of economic uncertainty represents a logical fulfillment of mankind’s deep need to preserve a sense of stability. In the absence of consistent monetary value, what could be more reassuring than to play for very different stakes—so that money becomes linked, not to some arbitrary standard like gold or the dollar, but to another human activity which implies a level of sensibility and high intelligence, both functional and concrete?" (Pierre Restany, Art Aktuell)

It comes as no surprise that the present economic environment encourages careful analysis of the art market in order to understand the unique buying opportunities that occur when the markets are down. As part of our efforts to better serve our cliental, members of the Arader team attended Collecting in Today’s Market at the SFMOMA. Janet Bishop, curator of painting and sculpture at the SFMOMA, lead a panel which included respected gallery owners, chairmen of established auction houses, art advisors and prominent Bay Area collectors. The panel addressed the way economic shifts affect the art market and the speakers’ respective strategies for collecting in today’s market.

Most notably, respected gallery owners revealed insightful feedback regarding collectors’ attitudes about the market. The feeling is that collectors are less interested in the buzz and more focused on art that has historical, personal, or simply even aesthetic value. Indeed, the fastest way to destroy art is to make it part of the profit-making setup, so corrective periods such as these are needed to remind collectors and artists: ars gratia artis! Nonetheless, a serge of optimism revived dealers on Monday, as the auction of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé’s Collection pulled in over $266 million. The result shattered the record for a single-owner, single-session sale and almost all pieces sold for well above their estimates, indicating that collectors have returned. Indeed, the results will be a huge boost for the nervous art market and collectors alike.

All in all the discussion left us informed but, most importantly, inspired about the opportunistic climate. True collectors will continue to love art and will continue to make smart investments in quality art pieces. Fortunately, current market conditions allow collectors more art to choose from, allowing them to acquire pieces previously unattainable. Collectors should in fact be rejoicing! Indeed, as the art market experiences a time of correction, now is the time for scrutiny but also for enthusiasm and appetite. We invite you to visit us on Clayton St. Feel free to call and make an appointment.

Hello and Welcome!

It is our pleasure to introduce you to Arader Galleries in Denver, CO. We are located in Cherry Creek North, the city’s finest shopping district, at the corner of Third and Clayton. The Denver Gallery is pleased to offer a unique selection of engravings and lithographs pertaining to Colorado history. Highlights include some of the first maps of Colorado, as well as the Alfred E. Mathews views which feature splendid images of the West, and were among the earliest to show the Colorado territory in all its natural glory. In addition, the Denver Gallery also houses a comprehensive collection of original paintings and watercolors, antique prints, maps, natural history, botanical and architectural engravings.

Arader Galleries maintains a wonderful clientele of private collectors, museums, interior designers and art consultants. We feature the largest collection of Audubon prints and rare maps in the world. You are invited to visit the gallery or call us with any special requests.

W. Graham Arader III began dealing maps over thirty-five years ago, while still an undergraduate at Yale University. While there, he studied cartography with Alexander Orr Vietor, the curator of the Yale map collection at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. By the late 1970’s, Mr. Arader had established himself as the leading antique map dealer in America. Today, with galleries in San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, Houston and now Denver, W.Graham Arader III is proud to offer the finest and most comprehensive collection of original antique prints and maps in the country.

Much of the art that we carry documents the results of European and American exploration. The 16th to 19th centuries saw an incredible expansion of knowledge, and artists were called upon to document the discovery of new places, flora, fauna and cultures. Our holdings include work by the premier painters, printmakers and cartographers of the last four centuries, including the ornithologists, John James Audubon and John Gould; botanists and flower painters, Pierre-Joseph Redoute and Basil Besler; explorers Karl Bodmer and George Catlin; and cartographers, Abraham Ortelius and Gerard Mercator. Other categories represented include Colorado history, architectural drawings, sporting, marine, as well as many other topics of interest.

For thirty-nine years we have maintained our mission 'experts working as your personal curators' to assist in assembling important collections, public and private. We truly look forward to the opportunity to work with you in the near future.


Arader Galleries, 275 Clayton St. Denver, CO 80206, 303-321-0113, Kasey Collins, Director