Q&A: The Art of Buying Art Worldwide

Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

Barbara Gladstone, traveler and gallery owner.

"THE art world, really more than any other world I can think of, is a global village," said Barbara Gladstone, owner of the Gladstone Gallery.

She should know. With two galleries in New York and one in Brussels that represent artists in London, Germany and Italy, she is constantly traveling.

But her trips aren't just about selling art. While she is abroad, she buys art, too, whether from a gallery or a street market.

Below are edited excerpts from a conversation with Ms. Gladstone on buying art around the world.

Q. Say you're going to London, and you're interested in buying artwork there. What should you keep in mind?

A. Before you go, bone up on what interests you and contact the gallery that represents the artists you're interested in and make an appointment. Once you're there, whoever's helping will show you those artists and perhaps a few others they think you might like. Get all the information and then go home. If you still want a piece, contact the gallery and buy it. Impulse shopping, I don't do or advocate. You can be in a location and fall in love with something, buy it, and then realize when you get home that it has no relevance in your life. If you're buying a souvenir, something small, then it doesn't really matter because you're just having fun. But it's not the same as making a serious purchase.

Q. Is there ever an occasion when you should buy art on the spot?

A. At art fairs, because if you don't, it will be gone; the dealers are going to sell it. It's not a bad idea to arrive knowing which artists you're interested in, but also be open to discovering something new. Art Basel in Switzerland every June is the mother of all art fairs, and its Miami Beach branch in December has gotten better and better. European Fine Art Fair in Maastricht, in the Netherlands in March, has so many different kinds of things — objects, paintings, furniture, textiles, from prehistoric to contemporary. The benefit of Maastricht is that everything is vetted by a committee with expertise in that particular area. So if someone tells you that this table is 15th century, then you're absolutely assured that it is. It's a very safe place to shop. It's also a great fair to look and learn. Don't be afraid to ask questions.

Q. Any recommendations for antiques hunting?

A. The market at Place du Grand Sablon in Brussels is quite nice. I bought a set of silver plates there that came in an upholstered cabinet with millions of serving pieces, which I really love. In Tuscany, you can go to the antiques market in Arezzo, which is vast and a lot of fun. I bought some really good 1950s Marcello Fantoni ceramics there. Portobello in London. The Marché aux Puces outside Paris. The souks in Morocco — there you have to know the good from the bad, because some antiques were made yesterday.

Q: And if you do buy something abroad, how do you get it home?

A: Most artwork is shipped by plane, but with heavy pieces like furniture or ceramics, you're better off shipping by boat. It may take two weeks longer, but the cost is much more reasonable. All of the tax forms and protocols are different in each country. For instance, the U.S. doesn't have a duty on art, but many European countries do. It's complicated, so you have to put yourself in the dealer's hands and use the shipper they recommend, so long as you're not at some fly-by-night operation. But then you shouldn't be buying from them anyway.

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