E&R Cyzer catalogue 2017 - Flipbook - Page 7
E & R Cyzer - The first fifteen years…..
The opening of our original gallery in December 2002 was, in reality, an act of blind faith.
As collectors, we felt we understood art market fundamentals. We had always followed the principle
of buy what you love and what you can afford. So here we are fifteen years on and still excited by this
unpredictable and uneven venture which has at its core a passion and enthusiasm like no other.
So much has changed. When we moved into Bruton Street ten years ago, there were nine galleries in
the street. We are the sole survivors.
The art we deal in is much harder to find and to buy. That's not just down to price.
If you own a great picture you will do better holding it unless you need the money for something
else - and then it will cost you a commission, or in many cases a prohibitive auction house fee to sell
it and probably you will have to pay some tax on the proceeds. So, this means that buying is harder
and the cost of buying good quality art for our gallery can be prohibitive.
Also, selling in and through the gallery (as opposed to auction) is becoming a challenge. We see
too many clients holding back, waiting for auctions, where they experience auction fever and buy
irrationally, showing buyer’s remorse when the bill arrives and they have hopelessly under calculated
the enormous amount of buyer’s premium and VAT charged on top of the hammer price. But people
love an under bidder. It was ever thus.
Who knows how long this journey will last? We can only hope that we have as much fun going
forward as we have had getting here.
So here is a selection of paintings which we currently have in stock and which can be seen at our
gallery. Featuring works from the early 20th century to the present day, this is very much the period
we love and specialise in.
Alison joined us in 2004 and looks after us and our business so well. Harry works tirelessly to make the
gallery run like clockwork and Diana's youth and energy keeps our spirits up during those inevitable
quiet times that seem to go on forever.
We wish you all well, customers, colleagues, all our friends, whether in the art world or simply
interested bystanders.
Please come and see us soon.
Elayne & Richard
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