ABOUT
Mercer Contemporary is an Art Advisory, Appraisal, and Legacy Planning firm specializing in Fine Art from 1850 to the present day.
Our Approach
Grounded in historical context and rigorous market insight, Mercer Contemporary guides collectors through every stage of ownership with absolute privacy and discretion.
We provide unprecedented access to galleries, rare works, and global art fairs, leveraging trusted relationships to secure opportunities unavailable to the broader market. Supported by in-depth analytics and market intelligence, we help clients make informed, strategic decisions that protect value and strengthen legacy. Whether advising UHNW collectors or those building their first collection, we ensure each step – acquisition, installation, conservation, and legacy planning – is thoughtful, protected, and personally meaningful.
Founder: Nicole Bray
Nicole Bray brings over a decade of high-level advisory and appraisal expertise, serving UHNW collectors, multi-generational families with deep museum affiliations, and blue-chip corporate collections. Known for her discretion and market intelligence, she also guides emerging collectors with the same rigor, ensuring access to opportunities typically reserved for the most established patrons.
Her practice is defined by unparalleled global access: rare works placed through trusted relationships with leading galleries and artists, priority access at premier art fairs such as Art Basel, Frieze, and TEFAF, and collaborations with curators and museum boards that strengthen both collections and legacies.
Nicole holds an MA (Hons) in Art History from Sotheby’s Institute of Art and a BA in Modern History & Political Science. She furthered her expertise with certifications from Christie’s Education, New York University, Cornell’s Dyson School of Business, and the Appraiser’s Association of America.
Her career highlights include:
- Emerging Curator Fellowship (2014) with the Rauschenberg Foundation
- Curatorial Residency (2016) in Mexico
- Professional experience at Phillips Auction House and with a major private collecting family
Nicole is USPAP-certified and accredited by the Appraisers Association of America, providing appraisal reports that meet the highest standards recognized by insurers, attorneys, and the IRS. She divides her time between New York and Montauk with her family.
Estates & Legacy Expertise: Dr. Kathy Battista
Dr. Kathy Battista, our Curator & Legacy Specialist, strengthens Mercer Contemporary’s legacy planning with unmatched international expertise. A highly respected curator, scholar, and advisor, she has organized exhibitions from New York to Istanbul and Salzburg, focusing on feminist, performance, and art historical themes that continue to shape critical discourse.
Dr. Battista is the co-editor of Creative Legacies: Critical Issues in Artist Estates and the author of six influential books, including New York New Wave: The Legacy of Feminist Art in Emerging Practice (2019), Renegotiating the Body: Feminist Art in 1970s London (2012), and Art New York: A Guide to Contemporary Art Spaces (2000). Her publications and teaching have made her a global authority on how artists and estates define and preserve cultural legacies.
She currently holds distinguished appointments with the Sotheby’s Institute MA program, the Architectural Association in London, RISD, Instituto Susch in Switzerland, and RUFA (Rome University of Fine Arts), where she teaches on the MFA program. Dr. Battista received her Doctorate in Art History from The Courtauld Institute of Art, London.
