• Join Puck

    Directly Supporting Authors

    A new economic model in which writers are also partners in the business.

    Personalized Subscriptions

    Customize your settings to receive the newsletters you want from the authors you follow.

    Stay in the Know

    Connect directly with Puck talent through email and exclusive events.

  • What is puck? Newsletters Authors Podcasts Events Gift Puck Careers

Art’s $14B Goldilocks Year

In the space of a few short months, we’ve seen the public art market return not only to viability, but vibrancy—even if we’re only just returning to a baseline level of sales.

Phillips Art Auction
Together, the Big Three global auction houses sold nearly $14.2 billion worth of art this year. And while that number is about 20 percent off the peak year of 2022, when the auction houses sold $17.7 billion worth of art and luxury collectibles, no one thinks returning to an overheated apex is the solution to the art market’s structural constraints. Photo: Courtesy of Phillips
Marion Maneker
December 19, 2025

Join Puck to listen to this article

As recently as this spring, many people in the art world harbored major doubts about the long-term health of the market. But in the space of a few months, we’ve watched the public art market not only return to viability, but perhaps even vibrancy—even if we’re only just returning to what was previously a baseline level of sales. Together, the Big Three global auction houses sold nearly $14.2 billion worth of art this year. And while that number is about 20 percent off the peak year of 2022, when the auction houses sold $17.7 billion worth of art and luxury collectibles, no one thinks returning to an overheated apex is the solution to the art market’s structural constraints.