When I worked in the publishing sector I became very much involved in the world of fine art and antiques. It was a delightful way in which to earn a living. Much of my time would be spent in art galleries and exhibitions in the UK, Italy, France and the USA. Subsequently I accumulated a good understanding of what made the market tick not just nationally but internationally.
I made a small joint investment with a colleague of mine, in a Russian painting located in a provincial auction house. We hit the jackpot. It sold at a Sotheby’s Russian art auction for a world record price. That began the germs of a writing idea based on the life of the artist concerned.