
Colin Gleadell points out that the market for Scottish art seems to be finding its feet as more middle-market buyers gravitate toward these painters. Bonhams sale in Edinburgh tomorrow offers another test for this market straddling regional and global appeal:
The market for Scottish art – notably for the four Scottish Colourists Peploe, Cadell, Fergusson and Hunter – has been thriving lately, and now Sotheby’s, which ceased holding specialised sales in 2010, is to reintroduce them in November. Christie’s, on the other hand, feels that Scottish art is benefiting from the international client-base for its Modern British art sales, and has no plan to segregate it. Sotheby’s hopes that by reintroducing the old category it will attract more sellers of higher value lots and stoke the middle market (under £100,000) for Scottish art, which they believe is on the way up again. Both are selling their Scottish art in London. The other main players, Bonhams and Lyon & Turnbull, maintain that Scottish art sells best in Scotland. Bonhams, which has been turning over about £3 million a year in Scottish art sales, holds a £1 million sale of Scottish art in Edinburgh this week, led by a handful of works by the Colourists. Lyon & Turnbull follow in June.
Market News: Scottish art thrives (Telegraph)