Benjamin Miller, Host of Curious Objects & the stories behind them
In the latest episode of our new podcast, Curious Objects, Benjamin Miller interviews Stuart Feld of Hirschl & Adler. In this excerpt, Miller asks Feld about the mistakes he often sees collectors make. The biggest? Bargain-hunting.
Stuart Feld, Courtesy Hirschl & Adler
Benjamin Miller: What are some mistakes that you see even experienced collectors making that you would caution against?
Stewart Feld: It can best be described, I think, as “beating the system,” in that many collectors who really don’t have any experience and don’t know what they’re doing have gone out and tried to build a collection on their own where money is the chief decision-making factor in an acquisition. With the given that there are no bargains in an area that has been heavily collected over a long period of time, the thing you want to do is to buy the best thing you possibly can. And, again, I repeat—because it’s really important—if you don’t know how to make the selection yourself you need to put yourself in the hands of somebody who can give you that advice. That advice does cost money, and some people giving that advice shouldn’t be giving any advice because they themselves don’t know.
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