Westover Fine Arts

Since its 1983 founding by Directors from Sotheby's, Westover Fine Arts has provided curatorial expertise to numerous private, corporate, and institutional art collectors in the acquisition and divestment of more than $150 million of fine and decorative works of art, ranging from Impressionist to Modern and Contemporary Art to 19th Century Modern and Contemporary Photography.

Westover's client retention rate of 100% is a very significant measure of its success, a number of which we are very proud. It is also a real testament to the fact that we not only meet but exceed our clients' expectations.

Fulfilling Art Collectors’ Needs

Collecting art can be an enthralling prospect, but succeeding at it requires more than desire. In its 30 years of helping art collectors, Westover has refined every aspect of the process for both the seasoned and the aspiring art collector. Key ingredients: knowledge of art and the business of art markets, critical access to often difficult to reach sources, valuable time, and comprehensive supplementary services.

Westover's clients understand the value of time and expertise. They also understand that they can benefit from the time we have spent acquiring profound knowledge of art and art markets, and from the time that we dedicate to each client's particular needs.

The importance of access to the market cannot be underestimated. Years of acquisition and divestment have helped Westover develop substantial business relationships with important art galleries and major auction houses. In a unique position to leverage these relationships, Westover helps clients get access to otherwise inaccessible works of art.

Lastly, Westover has established business relationships with many resources and experts critical to any art collector – from framing to archiving.

Intensive Consultation, Defining and Meeting Goals

Art collecting is also a very personal business. In our years of experience, we've learned that each client comes to the endeavor with different motivations and desires. So a significant aspect of our services is to understand not simply what clients want to acquire or divest, but also why.

After extensive consultation, we help clients establish their goals and a framework for execution in order to create an integrated aesthetic outcome. We then work closely with the clients themselves, as well as with key members of their team, such as architects, interior designers, and builders. Our discovery process always proves to be an invaluable tool for focusing the collecting process and facilitating decision making.

For corporate clients, typical goals include using art to: reflect corporate culture and values, provide a stimulating environment for employees, achieve public relations and marketing objectives, or complement the architectural and interior design of a corporate headquarters building. Our corporate clients definitely come to understand that an astutely curated art collection provides tremendous public relations value as well as special opportunities to underline and amplify branding and public relations objectives.

Private collectors are often seeking to deepen their personal knowledge of art, support the arts, build an important collection to donate to a museum or pass on to heirs, or to enhance the architectural and interior design integrity of their residences.

Comprehensive Services

For both corporate and private collectors whose time is already fully subscribed in other activities, the details of collecting require a level of knowledge and time best met by relevant professionals. Westover's network connects to comprehensive services that address every collector's needs, from framing and installation to inventory management, appraisal, insurance, and more.

Westover also maintains relationships with and can introduce clients to sometimes difficult to reach experts in diverse related fields such as corporate branding, public relations, events management, lighting, and design.

The Westover Fine Arts name is derived from the place name of William Byrd II's estate, Westover. Built in 1730 on the banks of the James River, near Richmond, Virginia, Westover is considered one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in the United States. Byrd was a major collector of art and books and his father was known as "The Black Swan of Westover."