The 3D rule (death, debt, divorce)

What is the 3D rule?

The 3D rule is a trio of circumstances in life that set otherwise immovable collections in motion. The three Ds stand for death, debt and divorce. It is because of them that great, long-hidden works most often reach the market.

How does it work?

When someone in a family dies, falls into debt or divorces, a collection often has to be divided or turned into money. A work that hung for years in a private drawing room suddenly heads for the auction room or the dealer. The 3D rule in fact describes what tends to be the real trigger of a sale, even though the catalogue will never say so.

Why does it matter?

For a collector, 3D is a guide to when to look for rare opportunities. It explains why a work that was out of sight for decades appears, and why it happens at that particular moment. Anyone who understands this logic reads more clearly where the market's truly exceptional pieces come from.

What should you watch out for?

The 3D rule is an observation about where sales come from, not a recipe for making money. The fact that a work is coming to market because of a death or a divorce says nothing in itself about its quality or its price. It always pays to check the provenance and condition of a work rather than assuming a forced sale automatically means a bargain.

— Anna Pulkertová, founder of Art Part Club