The Upper East Side 
In America, when it comes to buying and selling Old Masters, New
York is the place to be. It's possible to be even more specific: the Upper
East Side is the major center of activity. You can find Renaissance
sculpture, Venetian view painting, and even the occasional Rembrandt on the
Upper East Side.
There are a few dealers in
other places, but this is where people come. Curators come to the Upper
East Side. They don't go anywhere else.
The geographic concentration is the result
of several factors, including the small size of the Old Master market. There
aren't many dealers in the field, and by clustering in the vicinity of the
auction houses and major museums, they magnify their exposure and make it easier
for curators and collectors to make the rounds. Then there's the added
cachet of an Upper East Side address. Different types of work go in
and out of fashion. Over the past 20 or 30 years, collectors and even
museum have focused primarily on paintings and drawings.
There are relatively few galleries that have substantial space
to show large-scale Old Master paintings. Most Old Master galleries have
small spaces which is fine for Dutch work and still life. Collectors of
Old Master works tend to be a focused and committed group. They buy
primary because they love the work. American takes a different approach to
Old Masters than Europeans. Americans don't dabble. it's a real
passion. Europeans buy more spontaneously and possibly at a lower
level. In Paris they come in off the street. In New York they make
appointments and buy top quality work that goes with their collections.
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