Erica Orden delivers the goods on collectors and their seasonal rotation of works. The story highlights one of the important changes in the nature of collecting in recent years. Many collectors now routinely possess more art than can be permanently displayed in their homes. Like museums, they must–and want to–rotate their works to discover new meaning them and display them for greater impact:

Some collectors swap out older works for newer purchases throughout the summer, or import a special piece to display in advance of an important dinner or party. The volume of transport between Manhattan and the Hamptons between Memorial Day and Labor Day is so high, in fact, that a number of fine-art transport companies offer weekly “art shuttles,” which coordinate pick-up and delivery among groups of customers, allowing greater efficiency for the companies and reduced rates for the clients.

One such company, Long Island City-based Atelier 4, offers a “Flex-Shuttle” that delivers between Manhattan and Eastern Long Island for $495. The company offers exclusive service starting at $1,050 a trip. Atelier 4 President and Chief Executive Jonathan Schwartz said he attracts roughly 1,200 clients each season, with about 20 customers opting for the exclusive service. Many of those clients swap out works three or four times per season, Mr. Schwartz said.

“We’re talking about collectors who have more works than they can put on the walls in their various homes,” Mr. Schwartz said

Marshall Didier, the owner of Marshall Fine Arts, in Deer Park, N.Y., said some of his customers have used his installation services for their Hamptons homes on an annual basis for as many as 18 years. “They call up and they say, ‘It’s time,’ ” he said. “We’ve got the phone numbers in place.” Mr. Didier’s shuttle costs about $250 each way. Exclusive transport costs between $900 and $1,200, depending on the preparatory work required.

They Don’t Summer Without Their Art (Wall Street Journal)