Reading rank 238
The Days of Duveen: A Legendary Art Dealer and His Clients
, subject: Joseph Duveen, 1952
Behrman’s Duveen profile follows a dealer who built an enormous business around a small number of wealthy collectors.
71
Coverage Score
4
Scored evidence
About the book
The Days of Duveen first appeared as a six-part New Yorker profile in 1951. The series was collected in book form as Duveen in 1952, tracing the dealer’s career and his relationships with collectors such as Mellon, Frick, Hearst and Morgan.
Why read it
Best if you want a vivid business biography about selling scarce art, understanding wealthy clients and building relationships around a specialized trade.
Key themes
- Find the gap between supply and demand
- Serve the client beyond the transaction
Evidence and original sources
Sources: official Founders episodes — #339, #348
This record is supported by 5 public evidence rows linked to original Founders episodes.
- Joseph Duveen: Robber Baron Art Dealer — David recommends reading both parts of Behrman’s online Duveen profile at the close of the discussion, separately offering a link to The 48 Laws of Power.
- The Financial Genius Behind A Century of Wall Street Scandals: Ivar Kreuger — David returns to the Duveen profile covered in episode 339 and repeats its opening observation that Europe had art and America had money, comparing that commercial insight with Kreuger’s approach.