I Bought Andy Warhol (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

So what was it like to be an art dealer in the go-go ‘80s? California-based private dealer Richard Polsky drops some juicy anecdotes into an account of his quest to add a Warhol painting to his personal collection. The title of his book, I Bought Andy Warhol, is a wink-wink reference to a film about a disgruntled Factory member who shot the artist in 1968. Polsky’s attitude is wryly bemused as he recounts tales of practical jokes, petty grudges, peculiar dining experiences, and other indignities that befall a little guy in a world of sharks. The cast of characters includes heavyweight New York dealers Ivan Karp, Jim Corcoran, and Larry Gagosian as well as mid-range collectors and artists better known in California than in Manhattan. Warhol himself makes no personal appearances, though Polsky assiduously tracks fluctuations in the superstar’s market value. Along the way, there are useful nuggets ranging from questions a potential art buyer should ask a dealer to typical auction house pricing strategies. The author is a likeable character who demonstrates surprising candor about trying to make a living in the early ‘90s, when art prices plummeted. While some readers may be taken aback by Polsky’s relentless stress on the monetary worth of a work of art as opposed to its aesthetic value, his book is a gossipy account of running a unique kind of business, selling one-of-a-kind products in a highly volatile market. —Cathy Curtis

Review

"Often biting, always amusing behind-the-scenes glimpse of the heady world of art collecting." -- Kirkus

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams; First Printing edition (June 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810942712
• ISBN-13: 978-0810942714
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #594,042 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars In Pursuit Of Pop., June 16, 2003

By	F. Gentile (Lake Worth, Florida, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Though I found this a pretty entertaining and amusing book, I don't know how interesting it would be to someone who hasn't been a "dealer" of some sort. Having myself been a dealer/collector on a comparatively modest scale for many years, I found many of the traits of the author to be homourously recognizable. Having heard numerous times from people "who cares if it holds it's value or increases, do you LIKE it??", only someone who has been there knows that the pursuit of a deal or hopeful investment is as important (sometimes more so) than any admiration you may have for the object of your pursuit. Most dealers start out as collectors, and they (at least many of the one's I've been exposed to) are a bizarre group of people, and suspicions and competitions run high. When you're dealing with someone in the league of Warhol,(which is way out of my league)you're going to be confronted by some snobby people. Author Polsky's look into this insular world is pretty accurate, and I did find his candor comical, such as his admission that he wanted to sit on Jackson Pollock's toilet. That's the kind of star-worship many feel but few would have the guts to admit to. A pretty down -to earth guy in a world of snoots. And though he is a big admirer of Warhol, this book has little to say about The Father Of Pop. But, if you're curious about the inner workings of the art world, I think you'll find this an interesting read.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful lnsight into the Art World, August 5, 2004

By	clwinter - See all my reviews

I'm not a huge fan of non-fiction because I find at times the text to be dry and boring but I was so pleasantly surprised when I read this book! As a student of art history, I knew very little about the actual dealings that go on behind closed doors in galleries and auction houses, so this book was a wonderful eye-opener. This is not just a book about Polsky's quest to purchase his own Warhol but it is about the crazy personalities and deals that go on in the art world.

This is a great book that gives a lot of information on Warhol himself and the kind of struggle one might face if thinking of buying a contemporary art piece. A must read for any art enthusiast!

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Profit Speaks, June 13, 2003

By	John Seed (Temecula, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In the Dark Ages, pilgrims wearing the cockleshell of St. James roamed Europe hoping to glance the true relics of Saints. Richard Polsky, an art dealer/collector who opened his first art gallery in the roaring 1980's makes his twentieth century pilgrimage in $300.00 Belgian shoes, burning up cash and frequent flier miles in his quest to purchase a Warhol Self-Portrait, a prize equivalent to a skull of St. John the Baptist. Along the way, he visits the toilet stall where St. Jackson Pollock once did pennance, is baptized in the Pacific by art dealer James Corcoran, and even scores a brief audience with Pope Andy. Polsky, whose art market guides rate artists like blue chip stocks (buy, sell, hold) is a shrewd observer of capitalist systems, and a nice guy: a rarity in the often cut throat world of art dealing. This entertaining book chronicles and lovingly caricatures the author's quest for the seemingly contradictory goals of wealth and transcendence in a material world.