Frequently Asked Questions
What is an art advisor, and why do serious collectors use one?
An art advisor acts as an informed fiduciary representing your interests alone within an opaque, relationship-driven art market. Mercer Contemporary provides independent art advisory services grounded in market intelligence, discretion, and long-term perspective. We help collectors make disciplined acquisitions, secure the best price, avoid costly errors, and build collections that retain cultural and financial value over time.
Mercer Contemporary represents the interests of collectors alone.
How does an art advisor create value beyond access to galleries and auctions?
The primary value of an art advisor is information asymmetry. We understand pricing structures, market dynamics, resale risk, and long-term market trajectories, insights rarely visible to individual buyers.
Our role is to help clients buy with precision, not urgency, navigate private transactions discreetly, understand true market value versus headline prices, and preserve optionality over time.
Why not purchase directly from galleries or auction houses?
Galleries and auction houses represent artists, consignors, institutional priorities, and their own sales goals. An art advisor represents the collector.
We provide objective guidance across the primary and secondary markets, elegantly negotiate on our clients’ behalf, and advise when patience and selectivity are more valuable than speed. Independence is essential in a market shaped by relationships and limited transparency.
How do you provide access to works that are not publicly available?
Access is built on credibility, discretion, long-standing relationships, and the advisor’s buying power.
Mercer Contemporary maintains active relationships with galleries, artists, artists’ estates, collectors, and institutions. By understanding allocation strategies and collector stewardship, we are often able to secure works that are privately placed and never offered through public channels.
How do you assess whether a work will retain value?
Value retention requires disciplined analysis rather than market momentum. We evaluate historical relevance, institutional context, provenance, exhibition history, scholarship, artist market depth, and liquidity considerations.
Our art advisory process is designed to protect downside risk while supporting thoughtful, long-term collecting decisions.
How do you ensure authenticity and mitigate risk?
Every acquisition is subject to rigorous due diligence. This includes provenance verification, title review, authentication documentation, condition analysis, and coordination with independent experts when appropriate.
Risk mitigation is foundational to responsible collection building and management.
Do you advise against purchases?
Frequently. Disciplined collecting requires restraint.
We regularly advise clients not to proceed when pricing is misaligned, market conditions warrant caution, or a work does not meaningfully advance the collection’s long-term strategy.
What does wall-to-wall oversight mean?
Wall-to-wall oversight refers to comprehensive collection stewardship.
This includes acquisition advisory, due diligence, negotiation, appraisal, insurance planning, storage, logistics, installation, conservation, and ongoing collection management. Mercer Contemporary serves as a single point of accountability across every stage of ownership.
Do you work with collectors who have multiple residences or complex holdings?
Yes. This is our wheelhouse. We regularly manage collections that span multiple properties, storage facilities, states/countries, and jurisdictions.
Our collection management services provide centralized oversight, consistent standards, and accurate records across geographically dispersed holdings.
How does collection management inform acquisition strategy?
Collection management enables more intelligent acquisitions.
By understanding the full scope of an existing collection, we can advise on gaps, redundancies, concentration risk, and opportunities to strengthen coherence and long-term value.
I already have a collection. Can you help me get organized?
Yes. Many collectors engage Mercer Contemporary for collection management after years of organic growth.
We provide structured oversight that includes inventory review, documentation, valuation context, condition tracking, and strategic planning. Our goal is to bring clarity, continuity, and informed stewardship to complex collections.
Do you provide art appraisals?
Yes. Mercer Contemporary is USPAP-certified and an Accredited Appraiser with the Appraiser’s Association of America. We provide professional art appraisal services for insurance, estate planning, charitable contributions, financial reporting, and sale-related purposes.
Appraisals are conducted in accordance with the recognized Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and supported by current market data, comparable sales analysis, and thorough documentation. Independence and accuracy are central to our appraisal practice.
Can you assist with insurance planning?
Yes. We work with collectors to ensure collections are accurately valued and appropriately insured with our world-class partners.
This includes reviewing existing coverage, identifying valuation gaps, advising on risk exposure, and coordinating updated appraisals when necessary.
Do you assist with storage, shipping, and logistics?
Yes. We coordinate secure storage, domestic and international shipping, customs logistics, installation, and deinstallation.
We work exclusively with trusted world-class fine art handlers and storage facilities to ensure works are protected at every stage.
Can you advise on conservation and framing?
Yes. We advise on conservation, condition monitoring, and appropriate framing to support long-term preservation.
When needed, we coordinate with conservators, framers, and specialists to ensure museum-level standards and alignment with the artist’s intent.