Sometimes, it's all about being in the right place at the right time.
The hundreds of people queuing on the rainy street of Bristol last weekend certainly knew they were on to a good thing.
Their patience was definitely rewarded when they got their hands on a truly 'instant collectible' - a limited-edition Banksy print for just £5.
The prints were being sold to raise money for people arrested during the riots in the Stokes Croft area of the city last month, and featured a maybe less-than-subtle image of a 'Tesco-brand' Molotov Cocktail.
 Banksy's limited-edition £5 print |
Whatever you think of his motives for the sale, you can't deny that in many ways it was an incredibly clever piece of self-promotion.
The prints were national news, which ensured that people from all over the country made their way to Bristol hoping to pick up a genuine bargain.
Now standing in the rain for hours on a Saturday morning might not have seemed that attractive to many people, but a quick look on eBay the next day might have changed their minds.
Because the very same prints were changing hands for as much as £200 each.
That's an increase of 4,000% in less than 24 hours.
Try finding an ISA that does that.
I've seen modern technology completely change the way collectibles are sold, and the pace at which prices can increase. No doubt by the time you read this, many of those prints will be priced even higher.
These days when a chance comes along you have to be quick, and the competition for the best items is stronger than ever.
But as the Banksy sale clearly proved, a small investment can sometimes bring you an instant return when it comes to the collectibles market.
You just have to be up early enough.
Warhol's early investors
As I write this, Christie's in New York are preparing for the sale of work by another controversial artist who also had a genius for self-promotion.
Andy Warhol was without doubt one of the most important artists of the 20th century, but to art collectors in the early 1960s he was simply a young artist with potential.
The Detroit art collector Florence Barron certainly thought so, and in 1963 she commissioned him to paint her portrait.
However, she quickly recognised that Warhol was a rising star and told him to paint his own portrait for her instead, telling him "Nobody knows me … They want to see you."
 1963-64 Self Portrait by Andy Warhol |
She bought the portrait in 1964 for $1,600.
Later today her family are set to sell it for an estimated price of $20 - $30 million.
Make your own luck....
I've met a lot of people who feel art collectors like Barron simply 'got lucky'. But after 35 years in the collectibles business I know that most of the time you have to make your own luck.
Barron was a knowledgeable collector who knew the art market and saw the potential in Warhol's ideas.
She could see how his work was a perfect fit for the time, and that he was on the verge of something great.
The thing is, by keeping yourself informed about the markets you have the chance to make a similar discovery.
If you're looking to invest in new artists, I would advise you to see as many exhibitions as possible, watch auction prices closely and read as many articles as you can about new trends in the art world.
As I said above, sometimes it's all about being in the right place at the right time.
But if you know the markets and do your research first, it can help you get to the front of the queue once you're there.
You can keep up-to-date with all the latest news on the collectibles markets on our website.
Alternatively, if you would like more information on investing in modern art, please feel free to contact our experts at:
+44 (0) 117 933 9500
info@paulfrasercollectibles.com
All the best, until next week
Paul
