Knowledge base
Single-Owner Collection
A single-owner collection is a group of works currently associated with one collector or ownership source. It describes the collection’s present source, not the full ownership history of each object.
Definition
A single-owner collection is a group of works currently associated with one collector or ownership source. It describes the collection’s present source, not the full ownership history of each object.
Where a collector encounters it
The phrase may be used in collection catalogues, museum exhibitions, private-sale presentations, and auction marketing. A single-owner collection can be sold intact, divided, retained, donated, or dispersed through several channels.
What it does not establish
Do not confuse collection provenance with a single-owner sale format. A work can come from a single-owner collection but appear in a mixed sale, and a dedicated sale can contain objects with very different earlier provenances.
Related reading
Sources
- Unique CollectionsSotheby’s
- The Emily Fisher Landau Collection: An Era DefinedSotheby’s