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Paintings and Numbers: An Econometric Investigation of Sales Rates, Prices and Returns in Latin American Art Auctions

Author

Listed:
  • Campos, Nauro F.

    (University College London)

  • Leite Barbosa, Renata

    (affiliation not available)

Abstract
This paper uses a unique data set of Latin American paintings auctioned by Sotheby's between 1995 and 2002 to investigate several puzzles from the recent auctions literature. Our results suggest that: (1) the reputation of an artist and the provenance of the artwork, omitted variables in most previous studies, seem to be more important determinants of the sale price of a painting than standard factors, such as medium and size, (2) the opinion of art experts seems to be of limited use in predicting whether or not an artwork sells at auction, (3) there is little supporting evidence for the widespread notion that the best or more expensive artworks tend to generate above average returns (the “masterpiece effect”), although (4) there is strong evidence in our data for the declining price anomaly, or “afternoon effect.”

Suggested Citation

  • Campos, Nauro F. & Leite Barbosa, Renata, 2008. "Paintings and Numbers: An Econometric Investigation of Sales Rates, Prices and Returns in Latin American Art Auctions," IZA Discussion Papers 3445, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp3445
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    art auctions; masterpiece effect; Latin American art; declining price anomaly;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • L12 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Monopoly; Monopolization Strategies
    • Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General

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