The effectiveness of the 'blue chip' approach in shaping the Anchorage Art Fund's strategy and its medium-term prospects

In the realm of financial terminology, the term 'blue chip' refers to the most robust and structurally resilient companies. When applied to the art market, it describes artists who have achieved established international museum and institutional recognition, supported by a persistent and global demand. These artists are part of major public and private collections, are the focus of museum retrospectives, included in catalogues raisonnés, and regularly appear in international auction circuits

Roma, 01/04/2026 (informazione.news - comunicati stampa - arte e cultura)

This segment is limited in scope. The Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report (2019) states that about 1% of works sold at auction account for nearly 50% of the overall transaction value. In essence, it can be argued that the market tends to recognise works that demonstrate a rigorous combination of historical significance, curatorial relevance, and high demand. Within this context, the strategy of Anchorage Art Fund is positioned to prioritise acquisitions with a medium-term horizon — typically between five and six years — based on the expectation of sustainable appreciation rather than short-term speculative activity.

The initial selection criterion is provenance. The provenance of a work of art, meaning its history of ownership, including its presence in notable private collections, institutional collections, and significant previous sales, is a key indicator of quality and legitimacy. For the Anchorage Art Fund, a strong provenance not only provides historical assurance but also directly increases the work's value over time, thereby boosting its appeal for sale.

The second criterion is the quality of documentation. The work's critical standing is determined by various factors, including, but not limited to, catalogues raisonnés, official archives, publications, museum exhibitions, and bibliographical references. A work that is fully integrated into the artist's recognised body of work poses a lower risk and is more appealing to both institutional and private collectors. From an investment point of view, over a five-year timeframe, strong documentation is essential to support revaluation and ensure liquidity upon exit.

An additional factor relates to the coherence of the work within the artist's overall body of work. It is crucial to recognise that not all works by a historically renowned artist contribute equally to value generation. Elements such as the creation period, formal quality, technique, size, and inclusion in recognised series significantly influence demand depth. The Anchorage Art Fund's strategy focuses on works associated with key periods in the artist's career or particularly sought-after cycles. This approach enables a more accurate comparison with previous auction results and improves the predictability of market trends.

Another important factor is the relative liquidity of the secondary market. Despite the inherent illiquidity of art, some segments demonstrate a higher transaction frequency and have geographically diverse demand. The artist's consistent presence in major international auction houses, stable results, and the depth of the collector base are key indicators for devising an exit strategy within the timeframe planned by the fund.

Based on this, the Anchorage Art Fund focuses its acquisitions on post-war, and 20th-century works by artists who are already recognised by museums and have an active secondary market. The goal is not to exploit emerging trends or speculation, but to find works that have already been endorsed by the international art system and are in robust demand segments.

From this perspective, the five- to six-year investment horizon plays a crucial role. This period supports the ongoing development of the work through critical consolidation, exhibitions, publications, and increased market comparability. It is expected that the asset will not see a sudden surge in value; instead, it will likely appreciate gradually. This steady growth is anticipated to be driven by two main factors: firstly, the artist's institutional progress; and secondly, sustained international demand.

The Anchorage Art Fund regards the artwork as a valuable cultural asset, part of a complex network of museum, curatorial, and market relationships. The selection process is based on a thorough analysis of the most important series, a comparison with similar transactions, and an evaluation of the work's position within the artist's career development. In an environment marked by increasing selectivity, the integration of provenance, documentary quality, historical consistency, and relative liquidity becomes a crucial factor in creating value over the medium term and developing an effective exit strategy.

The Anchorage Art Fund operates based on the following principles: acquiring blue-chip artworks with strong fundamentals, supporting their appreciation over time, and reintroducing these works to the market once demand has matured, in line with the established investment horizon.

CEO ANCHORAGE GROUP

Roberto Pucciano

Roberto.Pucciano@anchoragegroup.org