Duveen

By Benrman

Duveen was “the most spectacular art dealer of all time”.

“You can get all the pictures you want at $50,000 apiece, that’s easy. But to get pictures at a quarter of a million apiece — that wants doing!”

Who was Duveen?

Duveen (14 October 1869, Hull — 25 May 1939, London), was a hustler at heart whose career was based on one simple idea, that “Europe has a great deal of art, and America has a great deal of money.” His art firm’s business was to buy great European masters from declining aristocracies and sell them to America’s wealthiest tycoons (Mellon, Frick, Morgan etc.).

A ticket to the elite

Duveen provides his clients with more than simply art but instead provided a channel for America’s newly minted millionaires to establish themselves in high society.

“Duveen provided entree to the great country homes of the nobility; the coincidence that their noble owners often had ancestral portraits to sell did not deter Duveen…he got his clients houses and the saw to it that the architects planned the interiors wth wall space that demanded plenty of pictures.”

Competition

Duveen had little integrity when competing against his rivals. He strategy was simple — to solidify himself as the only dealer from which you could acquire truly great works.

The Cherubs

“On one occasion, an extremely respectable High Church duke was considering a religious painting by an Old Master (sold by another firm)…he asked Duveen to look at it. ‘Very nice, my dear fellow, very nice’ said Duveen. ‘But I suppose that you are aware that those cherubs are homosexual’…when, presently, through the tortuous channels of picture-dealing it came into Duveen’s possession, the cherubs, by some miraculous Duveen therapy were restored to sexual normalcy.”

Teaching Frick a lesson

Which at Frick’s Duveen noticed that something was off with his client. After much prying, Duveen gathered that Frick was on the trail “of a really great picture”, however, Frick would not say which painting it was.

“To allow Frick to buy a great picture from anyone else was unthinkable.”

Through the underground Duveen found out that the painting was Gainsborough’s “Mall in St. James Park” and was being sold to Knoedler’s by Sir Audley. Duveen immediately sent his runner to Sir Audley and told him that he would pay whatever it cost to get the picture eventually settling for £300,000.

“The next time he dined with Frick, he found his host depressed. ‘I’ve lost that picture,’ Frick told Duveen. ‘I was on the trail of a very great painting’. ‘Why, Mr Frick’ Duveen said,’ I bought that picture. When you want a great picture, you must come to me, because, you know, I get the first chance at all of them. You shall have the Gainsborough. Moreover, you shall have it for exactly what I paid for it.’”

Sales Technique

When selling to “the American monarchs”, Duveen’s sales technique followed a very careful Economic formula.

Persuasion 1

“Do you realise that the only thing you can spend a hundred thousand dollars on without incurring an obligation to spend a great deal more for its upkeep is a picture”.

Persuasion 2:

“You cab always make more money, but if you miss this picture, you’ll never get another like it, for it is unique.”

Persuasion 3

Duveen gave the impression of simply not wanting to sell anything as describes by Mrs Heart whose husband was one of Duveen’s largest clients.

She stated that “Duveen didn’t want to sell his stuff, but they always badgered the old fellow until he gave it”.

She went on to describe how her husband and his friend’s had an odd fondness for catalogues. Once one of Duveen’s clients had amassed a respectable collection he would bestow on them an honour of their own catalogue. The catalogues were “works of art themselves” are could easily run to over $50,000. On one occasion, Duveeen gave Kress a sumptuous book called The Collection of Paintings, Sculptures etc., of Samual H. Kress. However, the book entirely ignored the vast swaths of Kress’s collection which were not purchased from Duveen.

Duveen cornered the market to such a degree that other art dealers were unable to purchase large collections as the only client’s rich enough to buy the items were Duveen clients.

Persuasion 4

Duveen would not allow paintings he sold to be re-sold at a loss to his client in the process buying back many pictures himself. His client’s could die with the knowledge that “as long as Duveen was alive his collection would never depreciate in value”.

The story of John R. Thompson

John R. Thompson was a Chicago based business man who owned a chain of restaurants. Thompson had been building a collection with a Chicago art dealer. However, the dealer soon realised that his client’s appetite extended beyond the dealer’s reach and so he struck a deal with Duveen to bring him a new client in exchange for a commission. Duveen warned him not to be surprised by his tactics.

When the dealer and Thompson arrived at Duveen’s New York gallery he left them waiting for an hour. Duveen went on to talk to Thompson about the restaurant business, staff, refrigeration etc. When he could take it no longer Thompson broke out — “I did’nt make this trip to New York to talk to you about the restaurant business. I cam to see you because I am interested in paintings”.

“Oh paintings” Duveen said “Of course, painting! Oh, well, now, if you’re interested in pictures come upstairs with me and I’ll show you some’.

Duveen led the dealer through a beautiful room with 6 old masters. As they were briskly leaving the room the Chicago dealer shouted “Here are some pictures, what about these”. Duveen turned and told him that there is nothing in this room that would be of interested to him with the paintings being on-hold for one of his best clients. After much badgering from Thompson Duveen finally said that he believed the paintings to be over Thompson’s head both aesthetically and economically. “How much for the six?” Thompson asked. Duveen said that they were $1,000,000. “I’ll take them” said Thompson.

Meeting Mellon

However, Duveen was confident that he would be able to acquire Melon and do it which not working on a commission.

Duveen’s friendships extended beyond his clients with Duveen making a point to befriend his client’s butlers, drivers, maid etc. allowing him to keep track of what was happening at their households and at what time rival dealers were arriving in order to schedule an equal visit.

Duveen’s friendships extended beyond his clients with Duveen making a point to befriend his client’s butlers, drivers, maid etc. allowing him to keep track of what was happening at their households and at what time rival dealers were arriving in order to schedule an equal visit.

On a trip to London in 1921, Duveen got himself a room beneath Mellon’s at Claridge’s hotel, then contacted Mellon’s personal valet, requesting that he inform Duveen of all of Mellon’s comings and goings. When Duveen was told that Mellon was getting ready to take a walk, he positioned himself so that the two would find themselves in the elevator at the same time. Duveen, feigning surprise, is said to have remarked: “Mr. Mellon, I presume? What a delightful surprise!” The dealer said he was about to visit London’s National Gallery, and would Mellon care to join him?

Mellon’s Apartment

Duveen said to Mellon one day — “You and I are getting on. We don’t want to run around. I have some beautiful things for you. You don’t want to keep running to New York to see them; I haven’t the energy to keep running to Washington. I shall arrange matters t that you can see these things at your convince and at your leisure.”

And so Duveen purchased the apartment below Mellon’s, gave him the key and left for New York.

Melon started to host parties in Duveen’s apartment as opposed to his and began to feel that the paintings were his own. He sent for Duveen and bought the contents of his apartment, lock, stock and Barrel.

“This was the largest transaction ever consummated in the art world.”