Synopsis
In the high-stakes run-up to Art Basel 2004, top-tier dealers faced mounting pressure to hold back prime works for the fair, even as eager collectors tried to lock them down early. “Some dealers have put 10 to 20 pieces on reserve before even leaving home,” noted fair director Samuel Keller, capturing the market’s growing pre-sale frenzy. At Sperone Westwater, director David Leiber explained. “We have to pretend to ourselves for months that there's no interest in certain pieces that could actually be sold several times over.”
