Case Studies
There are very few art advisories like La Finca in the world that have experience designing the strategies for selling estates. Done right, it is an undertaking that requires an insider’s perspective, a knowledge of what resources and information about venues, dealmaking and valuations are available and possible. This is a service that easily pays for itself through its enhanced performance, cutting of costs, knowledge of dealmaking and negotiation.
Have a look at some specific “Case Studies” of how La Finca’s approach produces successful sales and fantastic return for the benefit of its clients.
Key success stories:
The market difference with curatorial thinking
This collection was carefully assembled by a Brazilian ambassador to Germany in the 1960s. It contained exceptional and rare examples of Brazilian and European artists who were working in Geometric Abstraction, a global movement combining abstraction, minimalism and Op art beginning in the mid-1950s.
Strategically the collection was brought to market using several specialized auctions and capsule sales within larger, premier auctions in New York and London. These initiatives were assembled from a curatorial and art historical lens which generated excitement from the collectors in the US, Latin America and Europe by emphasizing the importance of each practice and the piece on offer—coupled with insights into the larger art movement and how those ideas from the 50’s and 60’s still resonate today. As a testament to this selling strategy the works up for auction were 100 percent sold and achieved incredible results including the sale of a rare, early lightbox by Abraham Palatnik, Untitled (Prototype for Kinechromatic device), circa 1955 which sold for double the high estimate and the highest price in the entire auction.
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Abraham Palatnik (B. 1928). Untitled (Prototype for Kinechromatic device), Circa 1955
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Abraham Palatnik (B. 1928). Progressao, Circa 1964, Progressao, Circa 1964, BR 8158, 1981
Almir Da Silva Mavignier (B. 1925). Gelb, Weiss, Orange Auf Schwarz, 1964
Images © of the artist’s
What a client gets with La Finca is over 25 years of art market expertise coupled with a diverse background of art history, curating, and auctioneering that coalesce into a unique background within the industry.
The power of a good story
The story of an artwork can often transcend its very edges. When you bring a collection for sale you want to somehow tell the complete narrative of those pieces, the collector who assembled them and what they meant on a personal level (in addition to their understanding from standpoint of aesthetics, meaning and historical context).
When researching Robert and Margrit Mondavi’s collection (who founded the Robert Mondavi Winery and Opus One), their personal friendship with artists Wayne Thiebaud and Helen Frankenthaler stood out as a point which would help position the collection to sell well. It tells the story of legendary winemakers connecting with their counterparts from art. They clearly loved spending time, dinners, laughs, wine and art together. That story, told through photographs, letters and drawings which were published in the auction catalog (and pictured here) added to the allure and desirability of the works on offer with the strategic goal of creating value and honoring legacy.
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Margrit Mondavi and Helen Frankenthaler.
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Wayne Thiebaud (1920-2021) Pencil sketch of Mr. Mondavi.
Helen Frankenthaler (1928-2011) Summer Angel, 1984. Acrylic on canvas. 91 1/8 x 114 1/2 inches (231.5 x 290.8 cm.)
Wayne Thiebaud (1920-2021) Camellia Cake, 1995. Oil on panel. 11 x 14 inches (27.9 x 35.6 cm.)
Margrit Mondavi and Wayne Theibaud
Taking care, when doing business
Norman Zammitt (1931-2007) was an exceptional artist. His career at the end of his life, however, was overlooked and receded further after his passing in 2007. In 2020, the heirs of his estate expressed their desire to sell the entire contents of the studio and storage.
In the end, the estate—containing over 800 paintings, sculptures and prints—was successfully found a new home with a top tier gallery, Karma, who has spaces in multiple cities. While this was an atypical project, it required the same fundamentals as any other estate.
Strategically, one must start with square one and understand the work, its art historical significance, the market (and its potential) and the goals of the clients/beneficiaries. This must be done with great thought and care because if one brings something to market incorrectly, there are deep value implications that are very difficult or, in some cases, almost impossible to recover from.
Now, the work has been brought back to the fore with a major retrospective at the Palm Springs Art Museum and articles about Zammitt in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and ArtForum. These were followed by shows at Karma Los Angeles, Art Basel Switzerland and Art Basel Hong Kong and Frieze Los Angeles.
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Norman Zammit Exhibition at the Palm Springs Art Museum
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Norman Zammit (1931-2007) One, 1973. Acrylic on canvas. 96 x 182 inches
Norman Zammit Exhibition at the Palm Springs Art Museum
Norman Zammit (1931-2007) Green One, 1975. Acrylic on canvas. 99 x 144 inches
Norman Zammit Exhibition at the Palm Springs Art Museum
Images © Norman Zammit
The value of knowledge
This sculpture by Claes Oldenberg, “Inverted Q” (1976)—from one of the most important series of works—was almost decommissioned and valueless.
A family that collected this work in Atherton, CA had owned this piece for years. However, over time it had developed a split in the seam of the resin which ran right down the center of the work. The only way to bring it market was through a careful restoration, however, the original production facility the artist used in 1976 would only repair it with a cost to the family for more than the value of the piece, potentially leaving the family with nothing.
After reaching out to the Claes Oldenberg studio, a solution was agreed to that allowed the work to live on and be brought to market by using one of the best known restorers in Los Angeles and one that the studio and artist were comfortable with. The cost was a fraction of the original quote and now a sale with upside was possible.
Having an expert advice on how to correctly handle this restoration and sale was key to realizing and retaining its value for all those invested in the longevity of an artwork.
Claes Oldenburg (B. 1929)
Soft Inverted Q, 1976.
Cast resin and lacquer
18 x 17.5 x 15.75 in. (45.7 x 44.5 x 40 cm)
© 2024 Claes Oldebnurg
Difficult decisions made easy with proper guidance
This large-scale sculpture by UK artist Lynn Chadwick, had lived its life at a family home by the ocean in San Diego, California. Over time the patina had suffered being nearby the ocean from salt, sun and birds. So, when the owner of this work needed to move out of her home and into assisted living this bronze needed to be sold.
As one of Chadwick’s most significant and monumental works of the period, choosing the right foundry to re-patina the sculpture was the nucleus of the works achieving its full value. If one used the wrong foundry, the market would not accept it, and it would either fail to sell or undersell. If one chose not to restore it, the potential buyer pool would be significantly reduced as many collectors do not want to take a rigorous restoration.
There were outstanding questions also as to where to sell it, New York or London. With shipping costs and restoration, and upside potential being the primary concerns, the answers became clear with the proper guidance.
Following a beautiful restoration at Pangolin in Gloucestershire, UK it was successfully sold on behalf of the family as the leading lot in a specialized British and Modern auction at Christies in London