Melanie Gerlis is the author of ‘Art as an Investment? A Survey of Comparative Assets’ (Lund Humphries).

Max’s Grill (1974; detail), John Baeder. Waddington Custot ($35,000).
Art handlers preparing Kehinde Wiley’s Le Roi à la Chasse II (2007) to be exhibited ahead of auction at Sotheby’s New York in June 2020.
A security guard stands next to Jeff Koons‘ Rabbit (number two from an edition of three, plus one artist’s proof; 1986) at Christie’s New York in May 2019, ahead of its record-breaking sale at auction for $91.1m.
Conjunction of Opposites: Woman of War and Lady of the Wild Things (1983–86), Liliane Lijn. Rodeo (price on application).
Photo: Matt Cardy/Getty Images
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
River Form (BH 568), Barbara Hepworth
Tiger, Tiger, Tiger (2015), Ai Weiwei. Lisson Gallery and neugerriemschneider, price on request.
Le phare de l'hospice à Honfleur, Monet
Inscribed Apis Bull, Late Period, 26th–30th Dynasty, c. 664–343 BC, Egyptian. Ariadne Galleries