The combined Deutscher & Hackett and Mossgreen auction initiative, announced at the end of January this year, signalled a tilt by the partners to capture and develop the mid to lower value, higher volume end of the art market.
Chris Deutscher cites the Naval and Military auction, held in July, as an example of an Artemis sale, which enabled D&H to move beyond the realm of fine art, into broader territory and Mossgreen was able to bring its multi-discilplinary experience to the fore.
However despite the success of this sale, overall, the business model proved to be unviable, according to Deutscher.
Paul Sumner confirms that Mossgreen have sold their equity to their former partner, leading the Artemis brand name, to belong solely to Deutscher & Hackett.
Richard Ennis, Artemis’ Head of Art has also joined the D & H team. Visitors to the Artemis Auctions website are redirected to the D & H web site.
While D&H reformulate their plans for a revitalised Artemis model in 2010, the stock that was collected for the forthcoming Artemis auction will now be offered as Part 2 D & H’s final auction sale for 2009, on Thursday 26th November.
Both parties agree that they will continue to collaborate in the future, but it seems certain that it will be under their own banners.
