Art and Antiques - the New Investment Option of Choice

The results of a new survey published today reveal that savvy investors are shunning the stock market in favour of more secure ventures, with collectables being the investment option of choice.

According to the first ever arts and antiques survey carried out by RICS (the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors), while consumers are tightening their belts elsewhere this sector is thriving as those with income to spare look to more traditional investments for a safer guarantee on their returns.

What’s more, this influx of new interest is pushing prices up with 20% more surveyors reporting rises than falls in lot prices, and 50% more Chartered surveyors reporting rises in the £5,000+ price bracket, suggesting that while other sectors are flagging, the art and antique industry is being kept buoyant by those with money to burn.

Spokesman for RICS, Christopher Ewbank commented: "The arts and antiques market remains a viable investment option during this period of financial uncertainty. Many investors are using their disposable incomes to buy in at the high end with the hope that value will continue to stay firm while stocks and bonds ebb and flow."

He continued: "High salaries and large bonuses in many employment sectors have led to a high volume of new buyers entering the arts and antiques market, which has helped to push up the prices of lots."

Antique furniture has regained its popularity with 37% more surveyors reporting increases in the lot prices of items categorized in the £5,000+ band, suggesting that investors are choosing to move away from the contemporary designs recently favoured and instead looking to purchase pieces with more widespread appeal and longevity.