Dunno about the others, but I reckon Nigel is a pretty smart fella.
Absolutely Ray, He is very smart. Understands people and how they tick. He started off in the arts and collectables. Now just does valuations for friends and associates to help them determine if they might be valuable and worthwhile going to auction or to a private collection.
I originally met him in the lounge at SFO when traveling for work. This was in the days when the internet was starting. You'd drive down 101 in California and every advert on the radio was saying click on me. Anyway, he was starting an internet art business and asked me a few things about how to take advantage of it. We spend some time together talking about how he may make it work. One thing he always said was how oddities and collectables were always more valuable outside their home country. So, he used this as his lever into making money. People want to sell for lots. And buyers are willing to pay for uniqueness. He would just help set it all up and arrange the deal.
Once he was fishing on his big motor yacht off Monterey Bay and made the biggest deal of his life. Russian and German I think.
His business slowly morphed into a people/art network where he would connect sellers to O/S collectors. Because he deals with international wealthy clients, he doesn't have a website per se and deals though relationships.
We stay in touch and he's always asking me to send him images of curios and things. After the initial emails, I just step aside and let them progress. Then he brokers the payment etc. Smart fellow as you say.
He knows I'm interested in the weather, so one of his contacts who he's helped with Japanese artwork, works across international weather organizations. He likes to send me advance weather alerts. He's always hassling me for small items. Quirky, colonial stuff is very popular now.
This is something I sent though, a 100 year old Cigarette case. Nigel mentioned between $25000 and $40000 US. Not bad. He'll take 30% All because of the providence. Otherwise a lot less. Cigarette stuff is getting harder and harder to find. And with so much history. I think this is going to a US buyer.
ciggy.jpg
Anyway, I think your Nigel might be different from mine.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.