Art is the safest investment on long term basis

With volatile markets being the trend and interest rates low on return, art seems to have come back as the safest investment option for many, says leading art curators and investment analysts. "Art is the only commodity other than gold which is constant in giving steady returns from the very beginning. Art can make its own money over a period of time," says Neville Tuli of Osian, one of the largest art auction houses in the country.

"This means, art should not be taken as a short investment of just few months. Give it some time and this does not mean lifetime but at least around three years. It will give you good returns," he adds.

While paintings were earlier bought because of interest in such forms of art, experts say that many are now coming forward for just pure investment purposes.

"If you pick out good paintings and study their progress in the last few years, you will find out that they have given very good returns. In some cases, certain pieces of art has given 100 per cent returns and more," says Minal Vazirani of Saffronart, an auction house cum gallery.

Agrees, S Kalra, a leather exporter who regularly invests in art. "I had a Rameshwar Broota's painting with me which I had bought for a very small amount in 2000. I sold the painting in 2004 and it gave me a return of around 75 per cent," he says.

Though Kalra did make a decent profit, he ruefully adds, "I should have waited a little longer. The same painting would have given me more than 100 per cent return now."

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