It's always exciting when a really big story comes along.
And it doesn't get much bigger than the news that Edvard Munch's The Scream is appearing for sale estimated at $80m in May.
As we reported, earlier this week: "There are only a handful of paintings which the great majority of people can conjure up before their minds at will, and that are known all over the world."
Munch's painting The Scream is certainly one of those...
And it couldn't be selling at a more exciting time, as globalising factors continue to revolutionise the collectibles markets.
 Edvard Munch's The Scream: a very big deal for collectors |
Like the Qatari Royal Family's recent purchase of Cezanne's painting the Card Players. That artwork sold for $250m - so just imagine what The Scream could achieve...
Other news this week included an unusual degree of optimism among share investors when the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed above 13,000 for the first time since 2008.
That said, the index failed to hang onto its gains by the day's end.
Shares investments are still a rollercoaster
The index rose as high 13,005 at one point on Tuesday but ended the day at 12965.69, up 15.82 points, or 0.1%.
Many investors speculate that such gains are happening too quickly - the Dow has risen by 6.1% over the last several weeks - and are merely a sign that the markets are 'catching-up' with the pace of economic recovery.
As always, share investments have their ups and their downs.
In contrast, I'd happily bet that Edvard Munch's The Scream will appreciate in value in future years. Rare artworks have continually proven themselves as assets throughout the recession - irrespective of trends in the financial markets.
We have this Pablo Picasso autographed postcard for sale - click here to find out more
Not only artworks, but also rare memorabilia pieces associated with history's greatest artists. For instance, did you know that the average value of a Picasso signed photograph rose by 182.1% - that's £1,400 to 3,950 - over the last 11 years?
Just one of many reasons why Picasso autographs are coveted among collectors - like this rare piece (above) that we currently have for sale.
Long may the success of the art markets continue. As always, we'll bring you the breaking news from the sale of Edvard Munch's The Scream.
In the meantime, if you'd like to find out more about how you can benefit from the art markets then please contact our experts at:
info@paulfrasercollectibles.com
Or telephone us on +44 (0) 117 933 9500
All the best, until next week
Paul
