Gregg Baker, expert in asian arts and screens

Gregg Baker, expert in asian arts and Japanese screens, answers to the Artfinding's exclusive interview about his specialty and vision of the global art market.

“London has more dealers in Asian arts than any other western capital I know. In 1985 when I opened my first gallery it was the bubble of the Japanese market: a hugely successful period, all you had to do was to buy and you could sell it.”

Nowadays things have changes, prices also. The Japanese have fallen off the market, but they are still buying high level of ceramics and other works of art. Americans are very active on the market, and obviously the Chinese whom buy their works of art back from their heritage, and hugely chasing anything decent around the World.

London has some of the greatest Asian Art museum collections in the word – "The British Museum has the Sir Percival David Collection, the Victoria & Albert Museum and The British Library has a world famous collection of Chinese manuscripts including The Stein Collection of early manuscripts from Dunhuang.”

London is the original home city for the 3 leading auction houses, Sotheby's, Christie's and Bonhams. It is also well known as the centre of Asian Art because of the sheer quality of dealers covering art from many countries.

Jessica Curtis from The Asian Art in London gave us some background: “Historically London had the leading dealers in Asian Art – Spink & Son, Bluett & Son and John Sparks. There are numerous learned societies in the field of Asian Art e.g. Asia House who regularly hold lectures from scholars around the world.”

At the end of the 80's, it has been a big economical crisis and a long recession concerning all countries and particularly Japan and the Japanese market. That crisis had lots of consequences on the art market aswell because people were no longer investing on that field because it was too insecure.

Contact :

142 Kensington Church Street
Kensington
London
W8 4BN

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7221 3533
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7221 4410

Email: info@japanesescreens.com

Comments

• Artofasia (2010-11-03) Report to moderator As an asian art collector, I would say that London is the only Western city in which you can find a week dedicated to Asian Arts such as the Asian Art in London. This "fair" exhibits artworks from the most important galleries specialized in this field. You're looking for the best Asian Arts available on the market: go to London. As an asian art collector, I would say that London is the only Western city in which you can find a week dedicated to Asian Arts such as the Asian Art in London. This "fair" exhibits artworks from the most important galleries specialized in this field. You're looking for the best Asian Arts available on the market: go to London.

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