The client wished to acquire a specific tier of Modernist works that rarely appear at public auction. They required anonymity and assurance that the assets would hold intrinsic value as part of a generational transfer, without the exposure of a public bidding war.

Leveraging our relationships with major auction houses and private sellers, we identified an off-market opportunity to acquire a seminal piece from a private estate. We conducted forensic provenance research and negotiated the purchase below market valuation. Following the acquisition, we arranged for secure, climate-controlled storage and insurance, integrating the art into their broader asset schedule as a capital-preservation tool.

Our experience with multi-jurisdictional lineages allowed us to assume the role of central architect. Working closely with their tax advisers, we steered the portfolio away from inefficient offshore structures that would trigger punitive inheritance tax liabilities. Instead, we constructed a bespoke allocation of direct equities and collective funds to ensure liquidity and compliance. We further alleviated the administrative pressure by aggregating data from all external managers into a single quarterly performance analysis. Finally, we facilitated their philanthropic ambitions, coordinating a significant endowment from the family holding company to their charitable trust.