Form 1-A Issuer Information |
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 1-A REGULATION A OFFERING STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 | OMB APPROVAL |
FORM 1-A | OMB Number: 3235-0286 Estimated average burden hours per response: 608.0 |
Issuer CIK | 0001979634 |
Issuer CCC | XXXXXXXX |
DOS File Number | |
Offering File Number | 024-12271 |
Is this a LIVE or TEST Filing? | ☒ LIVE ☐ TEST |
Would you like a Return Copy? | ☒ |
Notify via Filing Website only? | ☐ |
Since Last Filing? | ☐ |
Name | |
Phone | |
E-Mail Address |
Exact name of issuer as specified in the issuer's charter | Masterworks Vault 2, LLC |
Jurisdiction of Incorporation / Organization |
DELAWARE
|
Year of Incorporation | 2023 |
CIK | 0001979634 |
Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code | SERVICES-MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS SERVICES |
I.R.S. Employer Identification Number | 93-1570482 |
Total number of full-time employees | 0 |
Total number of part-time employees | 0 |
Address 1 | 225 LIBERTY STREET |
Address 2 | 29TH FLOOR |
City | NEW YORK |
State/Country |
NEW YORK
|
Mailing Zip/ Postal Code | 10281 |
Phone | 203-518-5172 |
Name | JOSH GOLDSTEIN |
Address 1 | |
Address 2 | |
City | |
State/Country | |
Mailing Zip/ Postal Code | |
Phone |
Industry Group (select one) | ☐ Banking ☐ Insurance ☒ Other |
Cash and Cash Equivalents |
$
2300.00 |
Investment Securities |
$
0.00 |
Total Investments |
$
|
Accounts and Notes Receivable |
$
0.00 |
Loans |
$
|
Property, Plant and Equipment (PP&E): |
$
0.00 |
Property and Equipment |
$
|
Total Assets |
$
2300.00 |
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities |
$
0.00 |
Policy Liabilities and Accruals |
$
|
Deposits |
$
|
Long Term Debt |
$
0.00 |
Total Liabilities |
$
0.00 |
Total Stockholders' Equity |
$
2300.00 |
Total Liabilities and Equity |
$
2300.00 |
Total Revenues |
$
0.00 |
Total Interest Income |
$
|
Costs and Expenses Applicable to Revenues |
$
0.00 |
Total Interest Expenses |
$
|
Depreciation and Amortization |
$
0.00 |
Net Income |
$
0.00 |
Earnings Per Share - Basic |
$
0.00 |
Earnings Per Share - Diluted |
$
0.00 |
Name of Auditor (if any) | AGD Legal, S. C. |
Name of Class (if any) Common Equity | Series Membership Interests |
Common Equity Units Outstanding | 381452 |
Common Equity CUSIP (if any): | 000000000 |
Common Equity Units Name of Trading Center or Quotation Medium (if any) | NONE |
Preferred Equity Name of Class (if any) | Series Membership Interests |
Preferred Equity Units Outstanding | 0 |
Preferred Equity CUSIP (if any) | 000000000 |
Preferred Equity Name of Trading Center or Quotation Medium (if any) | NONE |
Debt Securities Name of Class (if any) | None |
Debt Securities Units Outstanding | 0 |
Debt Securities CUSIP (if any): | 000000000 |
Debt Securities Name of Trading Center or Quotation Medium (if any) | NONE |
Check this box to certify that all of the following statements are true for the issuer(s)
☒
Check this box to certify that, as of the time of this filing, each person described in Rule 262 of Regulation A is either not disqualified under that rule or is disqualified but has received a waiver of such disqualification.
☒
Check this box if "bad actor" disclosure under Rule 262(d) is provided in Part II of the offering statement.
☐
Check the appropriate box to indicate whether you are conducting a Tier 1 or Tier 2 offering | ☐ Tier1 ☒ Tier2 |
Check the appropriate box to indicate whether the financial statements have been audited | ☐ Unaudited ☒ Audited |
Types of Securities Offered in this Offering Statement (select all that apply) |
☒Equity (common or preferred stock) |
Does the issuer intend to offer the securities on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 251(d)(3)? | ☒ Yes ☐ No |
Does the issuer intend this offering to last more than one year? | ☒ Yes ☐ No |
Does the issuer intend to price this offering after qualification pursuant to Rule 253(b)? | ☐ Yes ☒ No |
Will the issuer be conducting a best efforts offering? | ☐ Yes ☒ No |
Has the issuer used solicitation of interest communications in connection with the proposed offering? | ☒ Yes ☐ No |
Does the proposed offering involve the resale of securities by affiliates of the issuer? | ☐ Yes ☒ No |
Number of securities offered | 1864200 |
Number of securities of that class outstanding | 387475 |
Price per security |
$
20.0000 |
The portion of the aggregate offering price attributable to securities being offered on behalf of the issuer |
$
37284000.00 |
The portion of the aggregate offering price attributable to securities being offered on behalf of selling securityholders |
$
0.00 |
The portion of the aggregate offering price attributable to all the securities of the issuer sold pursuant to a qualified offering statement within the 12 months before the qualification of this offering statement |
$
0.00 |
The estimated portion of aggregate sales attributable to securities that may be sold pursuant to any other qualified offering statement concurrently with securities being sold under this offering statement |
$
0.00 |
Total (the sum of the aggregate offering price and aggregate sales in the four preceding paragraphs) |
$
37284000.00 |
Underwriters - Name of Service Provider | N/A | Underwriters - Fees |
$
0.00 |
Sales Commissions - Name of Service Provider | N/A | Sales Commissions - Fee |
$
0.00 |
Finders' Fees - Name of Service Provider | N/A | Finders' Fees - Fees |
$
0.00 |
Audit - Name of Service Provider | AGD Legal, S. C. | Audit - Fees |
$
43350.00 |
Legal - Name of Service Provider | N/A | Legal - Fees |
$
0.00 |
Promoters - Name of Service Provider | N/A | Promoters - Fees |
$
0.00 |
Blue Sky Compliance - Name of Service Provider | N/A | Blue Sky Compliance - Fees |
$
22665.00 |
CRD Number of any broker or dealer listed: | |
Estimated net proceeds to the issuer |
$
37284000.00 |
Clarification of responses (if necessary) | Estimated Net Proceeds Calculation (above) of $ 37,284,000.00 does not include any offering fees as all fees in connection with the offering are to be paid by Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC and affiliates. |
Selected States and Jurisdictions |
ALABAMA
ALASKA
ARIZONA
ARKANSAS
CALIFORNIA
COLORADO
CONNECTICUT
DELAWARE
FLORIDA
GEORGIA
HAWAII
IDAHO
ILLINOIS
INDIANA
IOWA
KANSAS
KENTUCKY
LOUISIANA
MAINE
MARYLAND
MASSACHUSETTS
MICHIGAN
MINNESOTA
MISSISSIPPI
MISSOURI
MONTANA
NEBRASKA
NEVADA
NEW HAMPSHIRE
NEW JERSEY
NEW MEXICO
NEW YORK
NORTH CAROLINA
NORTH DAKOTA
OHIO
OKLAHOMA
OREGON
PENNSYLVANIA
RHODE ISLAND
SOUTH CAROLINA
SOUTH DAKOTA
TENNESSEE
TEXAS
UTAH
VERMONT
VIRGINIA
WASHINGTON
WEST VIRGINIA
WISCONSIN
WYOMING
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
PUERTO RICO
ALBERTA, CANADA
BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
MANITOBA, CANADA
NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA
NEWFOUNDLAND, CANADA
NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA
ONTARIO, CANADA
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, CANADA
QUEBEC, CANADA
SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA
YUKON, CANADA
CANADA (FEDERAL LEVEL)
|
None | ☒ |
Same as the jurisdictions in which the issuer intends to offer the securities | ☐ |
Selected States and Jurisdictions |
None ☐
As to any unregistered securities issued by the issuer of any of its predecessors or affiliated issuers within one year before the filing of this Form 1-A, state:
(a)Name of such issuer | Masterworks Vault 2, LLC |
(b)(1) Title of securities issued | Series Membership Interests |
(2) Total Amount of such securities issued | 381452 |
(3) Amount of such securities sold by or for the account of any person who at the time was a director, officer, promoter or principal securityholder of the issuer of such securities, or was an underwriter of any securities of such issuer. | 0 |
(c)(1) Aggregate consideration for which the securities were issued and basis for computing the amount thereof. | 100% of the membership interests in Masterworks Vault 2, LLC were issued to Masterworks Foundry, LLC in return for a capital contribution of $100 per series. |
(2) Aggregate consideration for which the securities listed in (b)(3) of this item (if any) were issued and the basis for computing the amount thereof (if different from the basis described in (c)(1)). |
(e) Indicate the section of the Securities Act or Commission rule or regulation relied upon for exemption from the registration requirements of such Act and state briefly the facts relied upon for such exemption | The foregoing issuances were pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for transactions by an issuer not involving any public offering. |
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 2, 2023
File No. 024-12271
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 1-A
(Post-Qualification Amendment No. 3 )
REGULATION A OFFERING CIRCULAR
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
MASTERWORKS VAULT 2, LLC
(Exact name of issuer as specified in its charter)
Delaware
(State of other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
225 Liberty Street, 29th Floor
New York, New York 10281
Phone: (203) 518-5172
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
including area code of issuer’s principal executive office)
Joshua B. Goldstein
General Counsel and Secretary
Masterworks Vault 2, LLC
225 Liberty Street, 29th Floor
New York, New York 10281
Phone: (203) 518-5172
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
including area code, of agent for service)
7380 | 93-1570482 | |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This is a post qualification amendment to an offering statement on Form 1-A originally filed by Masterworks Vault 2, LLC (the “Company”) on June 2, 2023. The purpose of this post-qualification amendment is to add to the offering circular contained within the offering statement the offering of an additional series of the Company and update certain other information in the offering circular.
An offering statement pursuant to Regulation A relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Information contained in this preliminary offering circular is subject to completion or amendment. To the extent not already qualified under Regulation A, these securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted before the offering statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is qualified. This preliminary offering circular shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor may there be any sales of these securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful before registration or qualification under the laws of any such state. We may elect to satisfy our obligation to deliver a final offering circular by sending you a notice within two business days after the completion of our sale to you that contains the URL where the final offering circular or the offering statement in which such final offering circular was filed may be obtained.
MASTERWORKS VAULT 2, LLC
Preliminary Offering Circular
August 2, 2023
Subject to Completion
Offering of Series Class A ordinary shares
Representing Series Class A Limited Liability Company Interests
Masterworks Vault 2, LLC, which we refer to as “we,” “us,” “our,” “Masterworks Vault 2” or the “Company,” is a newly organized Delaware protected series limited liability company that has been formed to facilitate investment in individual works of art (“Artworks”) that will be owned by individual series of the Company. Each individual series will hold title to the specific Artwork that it acquires in a segregated portfolio of a Cayman Islands segregated portfolio company. We are offering Class A shares representing Class A limited liability company interests of each of the series of the Company in the “Series Offering Table” beginning on page 1 of this Offering Circular. There is no minimum number of Class A shares or dollar amount that needs to be sold of a series as a condition of any closing of the offering of a series. If any of the Class A shares offered by a series remain unsold as of the final closing of the offering of such series, such unsold Class A shares of such series shall be issued to Masterworks, in full satisfaction of its advance and the Expense Allocation as described in this Offering Circular. Subscriptions, once received, are irrevocable by investors.
We believe that the Class A shares of a series represent an effective means for investors to gain economic exposure to the Artwork held by that series and an investment in multiple series can provide exposure to the broader Post-War and Contemporary collecting categories of the art market. Artwork will be held for an indefinite period and may be sold at any time following the final closing of the offering of such series.
Our series offerings are conducted as a continuous offering pursuant to Rule 251(d)(3) of Regulation A, meaning that while the offering of a particular series is continuous, active sales of series Class A shares may happen sporadically over the term of the offering.
There will be a separate closing, or closings, with respect to each series offering. An initial closing and each subsequent closing of a series offering will take place on the date subscriptions for the maximum number of series Class A shares have been accepted or an earlier date or dates determined by us in our sole discretion. The offering period for any series will not exceed 24 months from the qualification date of the offering statement that includes such series. We reserve the right to terminate a series offering for any reason at any time prior to the initial closing of such series offering. No securities are being offered by existing security-holders.
Each series offering is being conducted pursuant to Regulation A of Section 3(6) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), for Tier 2 offerings.
Our affiliate Masterworks, LLC owns an online investment platform located at https://www.masterworks.com/ (the “Masterworks Platform”) that allows investors to acquire ownership of an interest in special purpose companies such as the Company that invest in distinct Artworks or a collection of Artworks. Once an investor establishes a user profile on the Masterworks Platform, they can browse and screen potential artwork investments, view details of an investment and sign contractual documents online.
There is currently no public trading market for the Class A shares of any series, there is currently no secondary trading of Class A shares of any series on an alternative trading system, and an active market for the Class A shares may not develop or be sustained. We do not intend to list the Class A shares of any series for trading on a national securities exchange, but shares of other Masterworks issuers are currently listed for trading on an alternative trading system operated by Templum Markets LLC, referred to as the “Templum ATS,” and we intend to facilitate secondary sales of Class A shares of each series on the Templum ATS commencing on or after the three-month anniversary of the date the series offering is fully subscribed, which may provide a liquidity option for U.S. investors and investors in certain non U.S. jurisdictions. No assurance can be given that the Templum ATS will provide an effective means of selling your Class A shares of a series or that the price at which any Class A shares of a series are sold through the Templum ATS is reflective of the fair value of the Class A shares of that series or the Artwork of that series.
No sales of Class A shares of any series will be made prior to the qualification of the Offering Statement by the SEC or the qualification by the SEC of any post-qualification amendment to the Offering Statement which contains a description of such series. All Class A shares will be offered in all jurisdictions at the same price that is set forth in this offering circular.
Series | Number of Class A Shares | Price to Public | Underwriter Discounts and Commissions(1) | Proceeds,
Before Expenses, to Issuer(2) | ||||||||||||
Series 326 | ||||||||||||||||
Per Class A share | 1 | $ | 20.00 | $ | 0.00 | $ | 20.00 | |||||||||
Total Minimum | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||||||||
Total Maximum | 388,500 | $ | $ | 0.00 | $ | 7,770,000 |
(1) | The Company has not engaged underwriters in connection with any series offering. The Company intends to distribute the series offerings through the Masterworks Platform. See the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” of this offering circular for additional information. |
(2) | This amount does not include estimated offering expenses, all of which will be paid by Masterworks rather than from the net proceeds of the series offerings. |
The Class A shares of each series are to be offered primarily through the Masterworks Platform. Neither Masterworks, LLC nor any other affiliated entity involved in the offer and sale of the Class A shares of a series is currently a member firm of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and no person associated with us will be deemed to be a broker solely by reason of his or her participation in the sale of the Class A shares of a series.
To invest in any series offering you must represent to us that the aggregate purchase price you pay for your investment is not more than 10% of the greater of your annual income or net worth. Different rules apply to accredited investors and non-natural persons. Before making any representation that your investment does not exceed applicable thresholds, we encourage you to review Rule 251(d)(2)(i)(C) of Regulation A. For general information on investing, we encourage you to refer to www.investor.gov. We retain complete discretion to determine that subscribers are “qualified purchasers” (as defined in Regulation A under the Securities Act) in reliance on the information and representations provided to us regarding their financial situation.
An investment in the Class A shares of a series is subject to certain risks and should be made only by persons or entities able to bear the risk of and to withstand the total loss of their investment. Prospective investors should carefully consider and review the information under the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page 13.
The SEC does not pass upon the merits of or give its approval to any securities offered or the terms of any offering, nor does it pass upon the accuracy or completeness of any offering circular or other solicitation materials. These securities are offered pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”); however, the SEC has not made an independent determination that the securities offered are exempt from registration.
Periodically, we will provide an amendment or supplement to the offering circular that may add, update or change information contained in this offering circular. Any statement that we make in this offering circular will be modified or superseded by any inconsistent statement made by us in a subsequent amendment or supplement to the offering circular. The offering statement we filed with the SEC includes exhibits that provide more detailed descriptions of the matters discussed in this offering circular. You should read this offering circular and the related exhibits filed with the SEC and any amendment or supplement to the offering circular, together with additional information contained in our annual reports, semi-annual reports and other reports and information statements that we will file periodically with the SEC. See the section entitled “Where You Can Find More Information” below for more details.
Our principal office is located at 225 Liberty Street, 29th Floor, New York, New York 10281 and our phone number is (203) 518-5172. Our corporate website address is located at www.masterworks.com. Information contained on, or accessible through, the website is not a part of, and is not incorporated by reference into, this offering circular.
This offering circular is following the offering circular format described in Part II (a)(1)(i) of Form 1-A.
The date of this offering circular is ______, 2023.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
We have not authorized anyone to provide any information other than that contained or incorporated by reference in this offering circular prepared by us or to which we have referred you. We do not take responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. This offering circular is an offer to sell only the Class A shares of each series offered hereby but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this offering circular is current only as of its date, regardless of the time of delivery of this offering circular or any sale of Class A shares of a series.
For investors outside the United States: We have not done anything that would permit each series offering or possession or distribution of this offering circular in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than the United States. You are required to inform yourselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to each series offering and the distribution of this offering circular.
i |
Certain data included in this offering circular is derived from information provided by third-parties that we believe to be reliable. The discussions contained in this offering circular relating to the Artwork, the artist, the art market and the art industry are taken from third-party sources that the Company believes to be reliable and reasonable, and that the factual information is fair and accurate. Certain data is also based on our good faith estimates which are derived from management’s knowledge of the industry and independent sources. Industry publications, surveys and forecasts generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but there can be no assurance as to the accuracy or completeness of included information. We have not independently verified such third-party information, nor have we ascertained the underlying economic assumptions relied upon therein. The statistical data relating to the art market is difficult to obtain, may be incomplete, out-of-date, or inconsistent and you should not place undue reliance on any statistical or general information related to the art market included in this offering circular. The art market data used in this offering circular involves a number of assumptions and limitations, and you are cautioned not to give undue weight to such data. While we are not aware of any material misstatements regarding any market, industry or similar data presented herein, such data was derived from third party sources and reliance on such data involves risks and uncertainties.
We own or have applied for rights to trademarks or trade names that we use in connection with the operation of our business, including our corporate names, logos and website names. In addition, we own or have the rights to copyrights, trade secrets and other proprietary rights that protect our business. We do not own the copyright to the Artwork, as such term is defined below, acquired by a series. This offering circular may also contain trademarks, service marks and trade names of other companies, which are the property of their respective owners. Our use or display of third parties’ trademarks, service marks, trade names or products in this offering circular is not intended to, and should not be read to, imply a relationship with or endorsement or sponsorship of us. Solely for convenience, some of the copyrights, trade names and trademarks referred to in this offering circular are listed without their ©, ® and ™ symbols, but we will assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights to our copyrights, trade names and trademarks. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This offering circular contains certain forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “potential,” “plan,” “intend,” “expect,” “outlook,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “approximately,” “believe,” “could,” “project,” “predict,” or other similar words or expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions, discuss future expectations, describe future plans and strategies, or state other forward-looking information. Our ability to predict future events, actions, plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, actual outcomes could differ materially from those set forth or anticipated in our forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause our forward-looking statements to differ from actual outcomes include, but are not limited to, those described under the heading “Risk Factors.” Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements, which reflect our views as of the date of this offering circular. Furthermore, except as required by law, we are under no duty to, and do not intend to, update any of our forward-looking statements after the date of this offering circular, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
ii |
STATE LAW EXEMPTION AND PURCHASE RESTRICTIONS
The Class A shares of each series are being offered and sold only to “qualified purchasers” (as defined in Regulation A under the Securities Act). As Tier 2 offerings pursuant to Regulation A under the Securities Act, the series offerings are exempt from state law “Blue Sky” review, subject to meeting certain state filing requirements and complying with certain anti-fraud provisions, to the extent that the Class A shares of each series offered hereby are offered and sold only to “qualified purchasers”. “Qualified purchasers” include: (i) “accredited investors” under Rule 501(a) of Regulation D and (ii) all other investors so long as their investment in any of the interests of the Company (in connection with any series offered under Regulation A) does not represent more than 10% of the greater of their annual income or net worth (for natural persons), or 10% of the greater of annual revenue or net assets at fiscal year-end (for non-natural persons). Accordingly, we reserve the right to reject any investor’s subscription in whole or in part for any reason, including if we determine in our sole and absolute discretion that such investor is not a “qualified purchaser” for purposes of Regulation A.
To determine whether a potential investor is an “accredited investor” for purposes of satisfying one of the tests in the “qualified purchaser” definition, the investor must be a natural person who:
1. | has a net worth, or joint net worth with the person’s spouse or spousal equivalent, that exceeds $1,000,000 at the time of the purchase, excluding the value of the primary residence of such person; or | |
2. | had earned income exceeding $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with a spouse or spousal equivalent exceeding $300,000 for those years and has a reasonable expectation of reaching the same income level in the current year; or | |
3. | is holding in good standing one or more professional certifications or designations or credentials from an accredited educational institution that the SEC has designated as qualifying an individual for accredited investor status; or | |
4. | is a “family client,” as defined by the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, of a family office meeting the requirements in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D and whose prospective investment in the issuer is directed by such family office pursuant to Rule 501(a) of Regulation D. |
For purposes of determining whether a potential investor is a “qualified purchaser,” annual income and net worth should be calculated as provided in the “accredited investor” definition under Rule 501 of Regulation D. In particular, net worth in all cases should be calculated excluding the value of an investor’s home, home furnishings and automobiles.
USE OF CERTAIN TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
In this offering circular, certain capitalized terms are used in the context of a particular series or offering and the same capitalized terms may be used in another context to refer generically to all series or offerings conducted by the Company. Accordingly, it is important to consider the context in which such capitalized terms are used. Unless the context indicates otherwise, the following terms have the following meaning:
● | “Artwork” or “Artworks” refers to any painting, sculpture or other artistic object owned by a series or generically to all such artistic objects owned by the Company. | |
● | “Board of Managers” refers to the board of managers of the Company. | |
● | “Class A share” or “Class A shares” refers to a Class A ordinary share or Class A ordinary shares collectively, representing membership interests of one or all series in the Company. | |
● | “Class B share” or “Class B shares” refers to a Class B ordinary share or Class B ordinary shares collectively, representing profits interests in one or all series of the Company. | |
● | “Class C share” refers to a Class C ordinary share, representing a special class of membership interests of one or all series in the Company, which have no economic rights or obligations and have no voting rights, but solely represents so-called “kick-out” rights, which means that the holder of a Class C share has the right to reconstitute, remove and or replace the Board of Managers of the Company pursuant to the Company’s operating agreement. | |
● | “Company” refers to Masterworks Vault 2, LLC, a Delaware series limited liability company. | |
● | “Masterworks” refers to Masterworks, LLC, and or its wholly owned subsidiaries, but does not include Masterworks Vault 2, LLC or Masterworks Advisers, LLC (“Masterworks Advisers”). | |
● | “Masterworks Cayman” refers to a Cayman Islands segregated portfolio company that will hold title to the Artwork acquired by each series in a segregated portfolio. | |
● | “Masterworks Platform” refers to the first online art investment platform located at https://www.masterworks.com/. The Masterworks Platform gives eligible investors the ability to: |
○ | Browse art investment offerings of each series in the Company; | |
○ | Transact entirely online, including review and execution of legal documentation, funds transfer and ownership recordation; | |
○ | Execute trades in shares issued by Masterworks issuers via the Templum ATS; and | |
○ | Manage and track investments easily through an online portfolio management tool. |
● | “offering” or “offerings” refers to the offering of Class A shares of one or more series of the Company. | |
● | “series” refers to the series of the Company, individually and collectively. | |
● | “Shares” refers generically to the Class A shares and Class B shares of a series or all series collectively, of the Company. | |
● | “SPC Ordinary share” or “SPC Ordinary shares” refers to an ordinary share or ordinary shares collectively, representing ordinary equity interests in each segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman, which are issued by each segregated portfolio to each series upon acquisition of the Artwork. | |
● | “SPC Preferred share” or “SPC Preferred shares” refers to a preferred share or preferred shares collectively, representing preferred equity interests in each segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman, which are issued by each segregated portfolio to Masterworks in respect of management and administration services. | |
● | “SPC shares” refers generically to SPC Ordinary shares and SPC Preferred shares, collectively. | |
● | “we,” “our,” “ours,” or “us,” refer to Masterworks Vault 2, LLC, a Delaware series limited liability company, all series of the Company and the segregated portfolios of Masterworks Cayman that will hold title to the Artwork of each series, individually or collectively, as the context requires. |
Dollar amounts throughout this offering circular have been rounded to the nearest whole dollar and information such as auction sale prices, that were originally denominated in a currency other than the U.S. dollar have been converted into U.S. dollars at the prevailing exchange rate on the applicable date of such sale transaction per publicly available data.
iii |
SERIES OFFERING TABLE
The table below shows key information related to the offering of each series that is either “Not Yet Open”, “Open” or “Closed”. When an offering has the status “Not Yet Open” the offering circular that describes the offering has not yet been qualified by the SEC. When an offering has the status “Open”, the offering circular that describes the offering has been qualified by the SEC and Class A shares in respect of such offering are available for investment. When an offering has the status “Closed”, all funds have been received by investors, all subscriptions have been accepted and all Class A shares offered have been issued. The offering price per Class A share of each series will be $20.00.
Series Name | Artist | Artwork | Offering Size | Class A shares | Opening Date | Status | ||||||||||||
Series 301 | Kenny Scharf | xExvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xRxexvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xIx | $ | 702,000 | 35,100 | 6/9/23 | Open | |||||||||||
Series 302 | Kenny Scharf | xExvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xRxexvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xIxIx | $ | 555,000 | 27,750 | 6/9/23 | Open | |||||||||||
Series 303 | Kenny Scharf | xExvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xRxexvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xIxIxIx | $ | 194,000 | 9,700 | 6/9/23 | Closed | |||||||||||
Series 304 | Kenny Scharf | xExvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xRxexvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xIxVx | $ | 702,000 | 35,100 | 6/9/23 | Open | |||||||||||
Series 305 | Kenny Scharf | xExvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xRxexvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xVx | $ | 278,000 | 13,900 | 6/9/23 | Closed | |||||||||||
Series 306 | Loie Hollowell | xLxixnxkxexdx xLxixnxgxaxmx xixnx xbxrxoxwxnx-xyxexlxlxoxwx xaxnxdx xmxaxrxoxoxnx | $ | 338,000 | 16,900 | 6/9/23 | Closed | |||||||||||
Series 307 | Cecily Brown | LxOxL Txixnxkxlxe Bxaxtxtxlxexgxxroxuxnxd | $ | 557,000 | 27,850 | 7/28/23 |
Open | |||||||||||
Series 308 | Yayoi Kusama | xIxnxfxixnxixtxyx-xNxextxsx x[xQxFxCxDxAx]x | $ | 2,448,000 | 122,400 | 6/9/23 | Open | |||||||||||
Series 310 | Simone Leigh | xFxixgxuxrxex x(xCxoxbxaxlxtx)x | $ | 860,000 | 43,000 | 6/9/23 | Open | |||||||||||
Series 311 | Edward Ruscha | xMxaxnxuxaxlx xMxoxbxixlxixtxyx | $ | 3,552,000 | 177,600 | 6/9/23 | Open | |||||||||||
Series 312 | Robert Ryman | xFxixlxex | $ | 1,734,000 | 86,700 | 6/9/23 | Open | |||||||||||
Series 313 | Yayoi Kusama | xAxcxcxrxextxixoxnxsx xIxIx | $ | 531,000 | 26,550 | 6/9/23 | Open | |||||||||||
Series 314 | Matthew Wong | xTxhxex xJxuxnxgxlxex | $ | 1,947,000 | 97,350 | 6/9/23 | Closed | |||||||||||
Series 317 | Liu Ye | xAxnxgxexlx | $ | 1,110,000 | 55,500 | 6/29/23 | Open | |||||||||||
Series 321 | Zao Wou-Ki | x2x8x.x0x3x.x7x1x | $ | 416,000 | 20,800 | 6/29/23 | Open | |||||||||||
Series 324 | Avery Singer | xUxnxtxixtxlxexdx | $ | 2,442,000 | 122,100 | 6/29/23 | Open | |||||||||||
Series 326 |
Clyfford Still |
xP x H x - x 6 x 9 x |
$ | 7,770,000 |
388,500 |
[*/*/23] |
(1) | Not Yet Open | ||||||||||
Series 328 | Christine Ay Tjoe | Sxxexcxoxnxd Sxtxxuxdxixox | $ | 1,138,000 | 56,900 | 7/28/23 |
Open | |||||||||||
Series 331 | Cecily Brown | Wxhxexnx Yxoxux’xvxex xGxoxtx xax xLxitxtxlxex xSxpxrxixnxgxtxixmxe xixnx xYxoxuxr xHxexaxrxt | $ | 4,218,000 | 210,900 | 7/28/ 23 | Open | |||||||||||
Series 333 | Elizabeth Peyton | Axfxtxexr Gxixox\rxgxixoxnex (xPxoxrxtxrxaxixt oxf ax yxoxuxnxg mxaxn [xGxixuxsxtxixnxixaxnxix xPxoxrtxxrxaxixtx]x) | $ | 558,000 | 27,900 | 7/28/23 | Open | |||||||||||
Series 335 | Hernan Bas | Axx xBxlxuxex xPxrxexdxixcxaxmxxxenxt | $ | 477,000 | 23,850 | 7/28/23 | Open | |||||||||||
Series 341 | Christopher Wool | Uxnxtxitxxlxexd | $ | 4,440,000 | 222,000 | 7/28/23 | Open | |||||||||||
Series 347 | Kazuo Shiraga | Kxaxrxi |
$ | 317,000 | 15,850 | 7/28/23 | Open |
(1) | We expect that the approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public is promptly following qualification by the SEC of the Offering Statement which contains a description of this series, including information relating to the artist and artwork held by the series. |
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
This Offering Circular is part of the Offering Statement on Form 1-A (File No. 024-12271) that was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We hereby incorporate by reference into this Offering Circular all of the information contained in the following filings by Masterworks Vault 2, LLC with the Securities and Exchange Commission, to the extent not otherwise modified or replaced by a subsequent filing:
1. | The sections bulleted below of Post-Qualification Amendment No. 1. | ||
● | Summary | ||
● | Use of Proceeds to Issuer | ||
● | Description of Business | ||
● | Masterworks Vault 2, LLC and its Series Financial Statements for the Period May 24, 2023 (inception) through June 2, 2023 |
To the extent any financial statements are incorporated by reference, we will provide an electronic copy of such financial statements to any holder of securities, including any beneficial owner, upon written or oral request to support@masterworks.com or (203) 518-5172 at no cost. Additionally, such financial statements can be found at masterworks.com/about/disclosure.
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This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this offering circular. This summary does not contain all of the information you should consider before investing in the Class A shares of a series. You should read this entire offering circular carefully, especially the risks of investing in the Class A shares of a series discussed under “Risk Factors,” before making an investment decision.
Overview
We were formed as a Delaware series limited liability company on May 24, 2023, to facilitate investment in one or multiple distinct Artworks. Masterworks will act as our agent to source Artworks and will manage all maintenance and entity-level administrative services relating to the Artwork of each series and the Company. We will not conduct any business activities except for activities relating to an investment in, maintenance, promotion and the eventual sale of the Artworks. Our strategy will be to hold Artworks for capital appreciation. We may display and promote the Artworks to enhance their value and broaden their exposure to the art-viewing public.
Masterworks seeks to acquire Artwork for each series of the Company at public auction or in a privately negotiated transaction from a gallery, private collector, private sales division of an auction house or through an art advisor acting as agent on behalf of a private collector. No closing of any series offering will occur prior to the acquisition by such series of the relevant Artwork.
We do not expect to generate any material amount of revenues or cash flow from the Artwork held by any series unless and until the Artwork of such series is sold and no profits will be realized by investors unless they are able to sell their Class A shares of the series or the Artwork of the series is sold. We will be totally reliant on Masterworks for administrative and asset management services and the payment of all ordinary and routine operating costs, including those relating to each series, our Company as a whole and the Artwork of each series.
Our Series LLC Structure
Each Artwork that we acquire will be owned by a separate series of the Company. Each series will hold title to the specific Artwork that it acquires in a segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman SPC, or “Masterworks Cayman”, a Cayman Islands segregated portfolio company. We expect that each series will be regarded as a separate partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
As a Delaware series limited liability company, the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred, contracted for or otherwise existing with respect to a particular series of the Company are segregated and enforceable only against the assets of such series under Delaware law. Similarly, as a Cayman Islands segregated portfolio company, the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred, contracted for or otherwise existing of a particular segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman are segregated and enforceable only against the assets of such segregated portfolio under Cayman Islands law. This means that a creditor of the Company or Masterworks Cayman would only be entitled to recover against assets attributed and credited to the specific series of the Company or segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman, as applicable, to which the obligation is attributed.
The Class A shares represent an investment solely in a particular series and, thus, indirectly in the Artwork beneficially owned by that series. The Class A shares do not represent a general investment in our Company or in Masterworks. We do not anticipate that any series of the Company or any segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman will beneficially own any material assets other than the single Artwork associated with such series or have any indebtedness or commercial obligations following the final closing of a series offering other than obligations arising pursuant to a management services agreement with Masterworks and potential contractual obligations associated with an eventual sale of the Artwork.
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The Art Market
The global art market is comprised of a network of auction houses, dealers, galleries, advisors, agents, individual collectors, museums, public institutions, and various experts and service providers engaged in the purchase and sale of unique and collectible works of art. Over the past decade, total estimated annual art sales have ranged from $50.1 billion to $68.2 billion.
In general, the global art market is influenced by the overall strength and stability of the global economy, geopolitical conditions, capital markets and world events, all of which may affect the willingness of potential buyers and sellers to purchase and sell art. While the global art market is large, its exact size is unknown and statistical data is inconsistent. Much of the uncertainty stems from differing estimates of the size of the private dealer and gallery market, which is based on survey data, but disparities also exist in reported auction sales.
The following are general observations based on a repeat-sales index of historical art market prices computed based on a value weighted-basis and focused on the Post-War & Contemporary Art category, as developed by Masterworks:
● | The Post-War & Contemporary Art category showed price appreciation at an estimated annualized rate of 12.6% from the year ended December 31, 1995 to December 31, 2022, versus 9.0% for the S&P 500 Index (includes dividends reinvested) for the same period. | |
● | Correlation factor of 0.08 between Post-War & Contemporary Art and the S&P 500 Index based on annual price performance from the year ended December 31, 1995 to December 31, 2022. | |
● | Resilience of art market transaction volume through periods of financial stress (e.g., 2001-2, 2008-9, 2020). | |
● | We believe these above characteristics present the investment case for art as a possible risk diversifier. |
Artwork and Artist Metrics
Masterworks compiles historical data from public auctions to produce metrics that we believe can be helpful in measuring and analyzing historical trends in artist markets and the historical price appreciation of specific artworks. Metrics we present in our discussion of the Artwork for a particular series may include some or all of the following:
● | History of Selected Similar Sales - provides an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the specific artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. |
● | “Sharpe Ratio” - indicates how well the artist’s market has performed historically in comparison to the rate of return on a risk-free investment, such as U.S. government treasury bonds or bills, by measuring the volatility of appreciation over time. |
● | Record Price Appreciation - reflects the frequency at which a new record hammer price is achieved by the artist which indicates the artist’s market momentum and growth rate. |
● | Median Repeat Sale Pair Appreciation - reflects the median annualized price appreciation rate of all artworks by an artist that have sold at least twice at public auction, known as “repeat sales,” which indicates the progression of prices in a particular artist’s market over time. |
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Series 301
The Artwork held by Series 301, entitled “xExvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xRxexvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xIx” (2023), is a single work of art by Kenny Scharf. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures approximately 96 inches by 236 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private gallery for $632,500 on May 5, 2023.
Series 302
The Artwork held by Series 302, entitled “xExvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xRxexvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xIxIx” (2023), is a single work of art by Kenny Scharf. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures approximately 96 inches by 134 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private gallery for $500,000 on May 5, 2023.
Series 304
The Artwork held by Series 304, entitled “xExvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xRxexvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xIxVx” (2023), is a single work of art by Kenny Scharf. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 96 inches by 236 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private gallery for $632,500 on May 5, 2023.
Series 307
The Artwork held by Series 307, entitled “LxOxL Txixnxkxlxe Bxaxtxtxlxexgxxroxuxnxd” (2010-2014), is a single work of art by Cecily Brown. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 13 inches by 17 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from an auction house for $501,500 on July 7, 2023.
Series 308
The Artwork held by Series 308, entitled “xIxnxfxixnxixtxyx-xNxextxsx x[xQxFxCxDxAx]x” (2017), is a single work of art by Yayoi Kusama. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 57 inches by 44 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private collector for $2,205,000 on May 22, 2023.
Series 310
The Artwork held by Series 310, entitled “xFxixgxuxrxex x(xCxoxbxaxlxtx)x” (2021), is a single work of art by Simone Leigh. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 26 inches by 15 inches, at Phillips 20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York for $775,000 on May 17, 2023.
3 |
Series 311
The Artwork held by Series 311, entitled “xMxaxnxuxaxlx xMxoxbxixlxixtxyx” (1994), is a single work of art by Ed Ruscha. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 60 inches by 84 inches, at Phillips 20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York for $3,200,000 on May 17, 2023.
Series 312
The Artwork held by Series 312, entitled “xFxixlxex” (1997), is a single work of art by Robert Ryman. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 28 inches by 21 inches, at Christie’s A Century Of Art: The Gerald Fineberg Collection Part I in New York for $1,562,500 on May 17, 2023.
Series 313
The Artwork held by Series 313, entitled “xAxcxcxrxextxixoxnxsx xIxIx” (1967), is a single work of art by Yayoi Kusama. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 18 inches by 22 inches, at Christie’s A Century of Art: The Gerald Fineberg Collection Part II in New York for $478,800 on May 18, 2023.
Series 317
The Artwork held by Series 317, entitled “xAxnxgxexlx” (2002), is a single work of art by Liu Ye. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 16 inches by 12 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private advisor for $1,000,000 on June 19, 2023.
Series 321
The Artwork held by Series 321, entitled “x2x8x.x0x3x.x7x1x” (1971), is a single work of art by Zao Wou-Ki. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at which measures at 18 inches by 22 inches, at Artcurial Contemporary Art Sale in Paris on June 7, 2023 for €340,200 or $374,696 based on the effective exchange rate provided by JPMorgan Chase.
Series 324
The Artwork held by Series 324, entitled “xUxnxtxixtxlxexdx” (2016), is a single work of art by Avery Singer. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Painting, which measures at 80 inches by 90 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private gallery for $2,200,000 on June 16, 2023.
Series 326
The Artwork held by Series 326, entitled “xPxHx-x6x9x” (1947), is a single work of art by Clyfford Still. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 62 inches by 43 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from an auction house for $7,000,000 on July 14, 2023.
Series 328
The Artwork held by Series 328, entitled “Sxxexcxoxnxd Sxtxxuxdxixox” (2013), is a single work of art by Christine Ay Tjoe. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 67 inches by 67 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private gallery for $1,025,000 on July 7, 2023.
Series 331
The Artwork held by Series 331, entitled “Wxhxexnx Yxoxux’xvxex xGxoxtx xax xLxitxtxlxex xSxpxrxixnxgxtxixmxe xixnx xYxoxuxr xHxexaxrxt” (2018-2019), is a single work of art by Cecily Brown. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 47 inches by 51 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private gallery for $3,800,000 on June 26, 2023.
Series 333
The Artwork held by Series 333, entitled “Axfxtxexr Gxixox\rxgxixoxnex (xPxoxrxtxrxaxixt oxf ax yxoxuxnxg mxaxn [xGxixuxsxtxixnxixaxnxix xPxoxrtxxrxaxixtx]x)” (2011), is a single work of art by Elizabeth Peyton. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 12 inches by 9 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private gallery for $502,500 on June 22, 2023.
Series 335
The Artwork held by Series 335, entitled “Axx xBxlxuxex xPxrxexdxixcxaxmxxxenxt” (2018), is a single work of art by Hernan Bas. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 50 inches by 40 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from an auction house for $430,000 on June 28, 2023.
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Series 341
The Artwork held by Series 341 entitled “Uxnxtxitxxlxexd”, 1990, is a single work of art by Christopher Wool. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 92 inches by 72 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from an auction house for $4,000,000 on July 14, 2023.
Series 347
The Artwork held by Series 347, entitled “Kxaxrxi” (1991), is a single work of art by Kazuo Shiraga. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 24 inches by 29 inches, at Sotheby’s in Singapore on July 2, 2023 for SGD 381,000 or $285,929 based on the effective exchange rate provided by JPMorgan Chase.
Management Services
Management services are provided pursuant to a management services agreement among us and Masterworks, to be entered into prior to the initial closing of the initial series offerings, which incorporates a “unitary” fee structure. This means that unlike a typical investment entity in which, in addition to paying management fees, investors indirectly bear all operating costs and expenses which are charged to the investment entity, in our structure, the Administrator will pay all of our ordinary ongoing operating costs and expenses and manage all management services relating to our business, each series and the Artwork of each series in exchange for preferred equity interests in Masterworks Cayman issued at a rate of 1.5% of the total equity interests of each segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman outstanding, per annum, commencing on the earliest closing date on which the applicable series offering is fully subscribed and at least 95% of the subscription proceeds for such offering have been received by the Company and continuing until the sale of the Artwork of a series. These issuances by Masterworks Cayman will effectively dilute the ownership interest of Class A shareholders in the Artwork at a rate of 1.5% per annum. Moreover, the fact that Masterworks will receive preferred equity interests means that Masterworks management and administrative fees and costs will be paid in preference to distributions to holders of Class A shares. There is no overall limit to the amount of preferred equity interests in Masterworks Cayman that may be issued to pay these fees and costs. Each series of the Company or segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman, as applicable, will remain obligated to reimburse the Administrator for any extraordinary or non-routine costs, payments and expenses, if any, in cash from the proceeds of a sale of the Artwork of such series, and Masterworks may also charge additional transactional fees upon a private sale of Artwork in certain circumstances.
Acquisitions and Sales of Artwork
Artwork is sourced through Masterworks dedicated acquisitions team, composed of individuals with significant expertise in the art market, valuation and execution of art transactions. This team is supported by Masterworks research, analytics and an extensive art market database. Artwork we acquire for each series offering will be described in the section of this offering circular entitled “The Series Artwork.”
Our acquisition of title to Artwork and physical possession of Artwork for each series will occur contemporaneously with or before the initial closing of the applicable series offering. We intend to use a portion of the proceeds from the initial closing of the series offerings to acquire the Artworks, and if and to the extent such proceeds are less than the purchase price, Masterworks will advance any additional funds required to consummate the acquisitions. The remaining net proceeds of the series offerings, together with any unsold Class A shares of such series, if any, will be used to repay the Masterworks advance and pay Masterworks the Expense Allocation as described in the section “Management Compensation.” No interest will accrue on the Masterworks advance.
We determine to sell Artwork based on a number of factors, including our perception of the fair value of the Artwork relative to its proposed selling price, our perspective on the current state and future direction of the applicable artist market and the art market more generally, the absolute net returns we can deliver to shareholders, the length of our holding period and other factors. Although we expect our holding period will typically be for three- to ten-years, we may elect to hold the Artwork of a series for a longer period or sell the Artwork of a series at any time due to certain circumstances.
5 |
Organizational and Capital Structure
The following diagram reflects Masterworks organizational structure and the material commercial relationships between us and Masterworks that will exist following a series offering:
*All entities are Delaware limited liability companies, except the Company, which is a Delaware series limited liability company and Masterworks Cayman, SPC, which is a Cayman Islands segregated portfolio company.
(1) | “Masterworks” refers to the Masterworks parent company which owns the Masterworks Platform. Scott W. Lynn, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Masterworks, LLC, has effective control over Masterworks. |
(2) | “Masterworks Foundry” forms Masterworks issuer entities, including the Company, and performs services relating to the formation of series and the securitization of Artwork for each series. Masterworks Foundry owns 100% of the membership interests, represented by Class B shares, of each series prior to giving effect to the series offerings. Masterworks Foundry may also advance us funds to acquire Artwork, though it has no obligation to do so. |
(3) | “Masterworks Investor Services” conducts investor relations services and pays all fees and expenses of any registered investment adviser dedicated to advising with respect to Masterworks financial products. Masterworks Investor Services is not a registered investment advisor under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, a registered broker-dealer under the Exchange Act, or licensed under any state securities laws. Masterworks Investor Services acts as an agent of Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC and all services performed by Masterworks Investor Services and costs associated therewith are covered by the management services agreement. Masterworks Investor Services receives no compensation or reimbursement from the Company or investors. Masterworks Advisers, LLC is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and investment advisor representatives of Masterworks Advisers, LLC provide advisory services in connection with offerings sponsored by Masterworks, including the series offerings. See the section entitled “Advisory Services” of this Offering Circular for additional information. |
(4) | “Masterworks Administrative Services” or the “Administrator” will operate the Masterworks Platform and will perform administrative and management services for us pursuant to the management services agreement. |
(5) | “Masterworks Gallery” and its subsidiaries perform gallery services, including Artwork acquisitions, sales and museum loans. Masterworks Gallery and its subsidiaries act as agents for each series of the Company in connection with Artwork transactions and provide financial guarantees to counterparties.
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(6) | The Company intends to facilitate investment in Artwork by creating separate series, each of which will issue Class A shares in a series offering to facilitate investment in a single Artwork.
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(7) | Masterworks Cayman SPC is a Cayman Islands segregated portfolio company (“Masterworks Cayman”). The Artwork beneficially owned by each series will be the only asset of a segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman. A segregated portfolio company registered under the Cayman Islands Companies Law is a single legal entity which may establish internal segregated portfolios. Each portfolio’s assets and liabilities are legally separated from the assets and liabilities of the Masterworks Cayman ordinary account and are also separate from assets and liabilities attributed to Masterworks Cayman’s other segregated portfolios. This means that a creditor of Masterworks Cayman will only be entitled to recover against assets attributed and credited to the specific segregated portfolio to which the contract is also attributed. The segregated portfolios of Masterworks Cayman holding title to the Artwork of each series do not intend to enter into any contracts or incur any liabilities, except for the management services agreement and as may be necessary in connection with a sale of Artworks. |
6 |
The following diagram reflects the capital structure that will exist following a series offering:
(1) | Each series will issue Class A shares representing ordinary membership interests in such series upon each closing of the series offering. Immediately following the consummation of the series offering, investors participating in such series offering will own 100% of the outstanding Class A shares issued by such series. |
(2) | Upon formation of a series, Masterworks will be issued 1,000 Class B shares, which represent the right to receive 20% of the positive difference, if any, between the amount available for distribution to Class A shareholders in connection with a liquidation after a sale of the Artwork and $20.00. Class B shares can be converted into Class A shares based on the relative fair market values of the Class B shares and the Class A shares. Masterworks has also agreed to lock-up provisions in our operating agreement, that will prohibit it from selling any Class B shares prior to the one-year anniversary of the relevant offering, though it is permitted to pledge all of its shares to unaffiliated third-party lenders and such lenders shall not be subject to the lock-up if they obtain ownership of the profits interest in connection with a default by Masterworks on its indebtedness.
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(3) | Class C shares have no economic or voting rights, other than so-called “kick-out” rights, meaning the holder has the right to remove, replace or reconstitute the Company’s Board of Managers. The Class C shares can only be issued to, transferred to, or, held by, a Masterworks affiliate and there can only be one holder of Class C shares of all series of the Company at any point in time. |
(4) | When a segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman acquires title to an Artwork, the segregated portfolio will issue the applicable series the same number of SPC Ordinary shares in the segregated portfolio as the number of Class A shares offered to investors in the series offering, and such SPC Ordinary shares shall initially represent 100% of the outstanding equity interests in such segregated portfolio. In the event any additional Class A shares are issued following the closing of a series offering upon a conversion of Class B shares or exchange of SPC Preferred shares, additional SPC Ordinary shares will be issued to the applicable series, such that at all relevant times the number of outstanding SPC Ordinary shares held by a series shall equal the number of outstanding Class A shares for such series. |
(5) | Masterworks will earn SPC Preferred shares of each applicable segregated portfolio pursuant to the management services agreement at a rate of 1.5% of the total SPC Shares (i.e. SPC Ordinary shares and SPC Preferred shares) offered, after giving effect to such issuance, per annum, commencing on the earliest closing date on which the applicable series offering is fully subscribed and at least 95% of the subscription proceeds for such offering have been received by the Company. These SPC Preferred shares will be subject to vesting provisions set forth in the management services agreement. There is no overall limit to the number of SPC Preferred shares that may be issued to pay these fees. SPC Preferred shares have no voting rights, but have a $20.00 per share liquidation preference over SPC Ordinary shares which are held by each series. This preference means that Masterworks management fees will be paid in priority to any payments made to Class A shareholders. Once vested, SPC Preferred shares can be exchanged for Class A shares of the applicable series. SPC Preferred shares can only be issued to, transferred to, or, held by, a Masterworks affiliate. |
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The following table further describes the economic rights of each share class of a series and segregated portfolio company following the completion of each series offering:
Share Class | Summary of Economic Rights | |
Series of the Company | ||
Class A shares | The Class A shares of each series being offered in each series offering will represent in the aggregate 100% of our members’ capital accounts of each such series and an 80% interest in the profits we recognize upon any sale of the Artwork of such series, after deduction of all management fees and other expenses. | |
Class B shares | The Class B shares of each series initially held by Masterworks Foundry are profits interests that will represent 0% of our members’ capital accounts in such series and a 20% interest in the profits we recognize upon any sale of the Artwork of such series, after deduction of all management fees and other expenses. | |
Class C share | The Class C share of each series represents a special class of membership interests, which has no economic rights or obligations. | |
Cayman Segregated Portfolio | ||
SPC Ordinary shares | 100% of the SPC Ordinary shares are held by the applicable series and at all relevant times the number of outstanding SPC Ordinary shares held by a series shall equal the number of outstanding Class A shares for such series. The SPC Ordinary shares represent a 100% residual economic ownership interest in the applicable segregated portfolio that owns the Artwork, after deduction of amounts payable in respect of the SPC Preferred shares, if any.
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SPC Preferred shares | The SPC Preferred shares have $20.00 per share liquidation preference over SPC Ordinary shares and are “non-participating”, meaning they do not entitle the holder to receive more than $20 per SPC Preferred share. The SPC Preferred shares entitle the holder to receive cash upon any sale of the Artwork held by the issuing segregated portfolio in an amount up to $20 per share before any payment is made in respect of the SPC Ordinary shares. The SPC Preferred shares, after vesting, are exchangeable into Class A shares of the series of which the segregated portfolio holds the Artwork at an exchange rate of 1 for 1. If there is a sale of Artwork resulting in a net loss (i.e. holders of Class A shares in a series on a fully-diluted basis would receive a liquidating distribution of less than $20 per Class A share), Masterworks, as the holder of the SPC Preferred shares, would effectively receive up to $20 per SPC Preferred share in preference to any distribution made to Class A shareholders. If the Artwork sale results in a net profit (i.e. holders of Class A shares in a series on a fully-diluted basis would receive a liquidating distribution of more than $20 per Class A share), Masterworks would convert its SPC Preferred shares into Class A shares prior to the liquidating distribution and would receive the same economics per Class A share as other Class A shareholders. |
Summary of Risks
An investment in the Class A shares of any series includes a number of risks and uncertainties which are described in the “Risk Factors” section of this offering circular, including the following:
● | Risks Related to Our Business Model. We do not plan to generate any material amount of revenues. Our expectation is for a series to own the Artwork for an indefinite period of time and sell it at a profit, but no assurance can be given that we will be able to sell the Artwork of any series at a profit or as to the timing of any such sale. Our business is highly dependent on conditions prevailing in the art market and the market for specific artists and therefore our ability to execute a profitable sale will hinge, to a large extent, on factors that are beyond our control. |
● | Risks Associated with an Investment in Art. Artwork may decline in value or may not appreciate sufficiently to exceed management fees and expenses. Artists often go through periods of rising and shrinking popularity, which can result in material changes in the value and marketability of their work. There are a variety of other risks to art investing, including, without limitation, the risk of claims that the artwork is not authentic, physical damage and market risks for any particular artist or work. |
● | Risks Relating to Our Relationship with Masterworks. We are totally reliant on Masterworks to administer our Company and the Artwork held by each series. If Masterworks were to cease operations for any reason we would likely be required to sell the Artwork of each series and dissolve the Company. In addition, Masterworks may have economic interests that diverge from your interests. Representatives of an affiliate of Masterworks provide investment advisory services to persons interested in investing in the series offerings and therefore such representatives have inherent conflicts of interest. Also, since Masterworks has significant discretion to operate our business and sell Artwork, a majority of our Board of Managers are Masterworks officers and Masterworks has the right to remove and replace our Board of Managers, conflicts of interest may not be resolved in favor of our Class A investors. |
● | Risks Related to Illiquidity. Artwork can be highly illiquid and there is no set time period within which Masterworks is obligated to sell the Artwork. Although we intend to facilitate secondary sales of Class A shares of each series on the Templum ATS, the Templum ATS will have significant limitations, including that it may be unavailable to investors from certain countries and trading volume may be insufficient to sell your shares at a reasonable price or at all. For these reasons, investors must be prepared to hold their investment for an extended period of time and an investment in Class A shares is not appropriate for investors who may need a liquidity event in a prescribed time frame. |
Company Information
We are a manager-managed series limited liability company, managed by the Board of Managers. Our principal office is located at 225 Liberty Street, 29th Floor, New York, New York 10281 and our phone number is (203) 518-5172. Our corporate website address is the website address of Masterworks at www.masterworks.com. Information contained on, or accessible through, the website is not a part of, and is not incorporated by reference into, this offering circular.
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Securities being Offered: | We are offering the maximum number of Class A shares of each series referenced in the “Series Offering Table” at a price per Class A share of each series of $20.00.
Each series is intended to be a separate series of the Company for purposes of accounting for assets and liabilities and tax reporting. See “Description of Shares” for further details. The Class A shares of each series will be non-voting except with respect to certain matters set forth in our operating agreement. The purchase of Class A shares in a particular series is an investment only in that series and not an investment in the Company as a whole or Masterworks. | |
Offering Price per Class A Share of a series: | $20.00. | |
Number of Shares Outstanding Before the Offering | Prior to giving effect to each series offering, 100% of the membership interests of each series are held by Masterworks in the form of 1,000 Class B shares of such series. | |
Amended and Restated Operating Agreement | Our amended and restated operating agreement, referred to herein as the “operating agreement,” created three classes of membership interests for each series in the form of Class A shares of a series, Class B shares of a series, as well as a Class C share of a series. By participating in the series offerings, investors will become party to the operating agreement. | |
Number of Shares Outstanding After the Series Offerings | The number of Class A shares of each series is set forth in the “Series Offering Table” section in the forepart of this Offering Circular, excluding Class A shares of series that have been previously offered and such offerings are either closed or fully subscribed. No additional Class A shares will be outstanding immediately after the closing of the series offering, but Masterworks will earn preferred equity interests in each segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman at the rate of 1.5% per annum in respect of management and administrative services and costs and, subject to vesting, such preferred equity interests will be exchangeable by Masterworks for Class A shares of the applicable series at an exchange rate of 1 for 1.
1,000 Class B shares of each series (100% held by Masterworks) that will entitle Masterworks to a 20% profits interest upon a sale of the Artwork of each series and will be convertible into Class A shares of each respective series based on a formula that will result in the issuance of a number of Class A shares of each series to Masterworks equal to the quotient of (a) 20% of the aggregate increase in value of the issued and outstanding Class A and Class B shares of each series, divided by (b) the value of the Class A shares of each series at the time of conversion. For a detailed description of the Class B share conversion formula and an example of how it operates, see “Dilution” and “Description of Shares.”
One Class C share of each series that has no economic rights or obligations and has no voting rights, but has so-called “kick-out” rights, which represents the right to remove and or replace all or any members of the Board of Managers of the Company and reconstitute the Board without “cause” for any reason. The Class C shares can only be issued to, transferred to, or, held by, a Masterworks affiliate and there can only be one holder of Class C shares of all series of the Company at any point in time. | |
Minimum and Maximum Investment Amount | The maximum investment amount per investor in any series is $250,000 (12,500 Class A shares) and the minimum investment amount per investor in any series is $15,000 (750 Class A shares) for investors that have not previously invested in offerings via the Masterworks Platform and $500 (25 Class A shares) for investors that have previously invested in other offerings on the Masterworks Platform. We reserve the right to reject any subscription, waive or increase the maximum purchase restriction or waive or decrease the minimum purchase restriction in our sole and absolute discretion and we routinely grant such waivers, increases or reductions for categories of investors or on a case-by-case basis. Accordingly, investors should not assume that the stated minimum investment restriction will be applied uniformly to all investors. Subscriptions, once received, are irrevocable by the investors. Further, pursuant to the terms of the Company’s operating agreement, an investor, other than an affiliate of Masterworks, generally cannot own, or be deemed to beneficially own, as “beneficial ownership” is determined pursuant to Section 13(d) and 13(g) of the Securities Act, more than 24.99% of the total number of Class A shares of a series outstanding, provided that we may waive such limit on a case-by-case basis in our sole discretion. |
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Subscribing Online | Investors can subscribe for Class A shares via the Masterworks Platform located at https://www.masterworks.com/, as well as browse and screen potential artwork investments, view details of an investment and sign contractual documents online. After the qualification by the SEC of the offering statement of which this Offering Circular is a part or a post-qualification amendment to such Offering Statement, the relevant series offerings will be conducted through the Masterworks Platform, whereby investors will receive, review, execute and deliver subscription agreements electronically. For additional information, see “Plan of Distribution – Procedures for Subscribing.” |
Payment for Class A Shares of a series | After the qualification by the SEC of the Offering Statement of which this Offering Circular is a part, investors can make payment of the purchase price in the form of ACH debit transfer or wire transfer into a non-interest bearing segregated sub-account of the applicable series of the Company with Goldman Sachs Bank USA, or a similar institution, until the applicable closing date. We may also permit payment to be made by credit cards. Investors contemplating using their credit card to invest are urged to carefully review “Risk Factors – Risks of investing using a credit card.” Credit card subscription shall not exceed the lesser of $30,000 or the amount permitted by applicable law, per subscriber, per series offering.
On each closing date, the funds in the series sub account will be released and used in accordance with the use of proceeds set forth below and the Class A shares will be issued to investors. If there is no closing of such series offering, the funds deposited in the segregated sub-account will be returned to subscribers in U.S. dollars, without interest. | |
Investment Amount Restrictions | To invest in any series offering, you must represent to us that the aggregate purchase price you pay for your investment is not more than 10% of the greater of your annual income or net worth. Different rules apply to accredited investors and non-natural persons. Before making any representation that your investment does not exceed applicable thresholds, you are encouraged to review Rule 251(d)(2)(i)(c) of Regulation A. For general information on investing, you are encouraged to refer to www.investor.gov. | |
Worldwide | Class A shares of each series will be offered worldwide at the same U.S. dollar price that is set forth in this offering circular, provided that we may elect not to sell shares in particular jurisdictions for regulatory or other reasons. No sales of Class A shares of a series will be made anywhere in the world prior to the qualification of the offering circular by the SEC in the United States. | |
Voting Rights |
The Class A shares of each series have no voting rights other than to vote together as a single class on certain matters that disproportionately and adversely affect such series in relation to any other series and to vote together with holders of all voting Class A shares outstanding of all series together as a single class to remove and replace the Administrator, to remove a member of the Board of Managers for “cause” and to approve certain acts as described in our operating agreement, including certain proposed amendments to the operating agreement or the management services agreement.
The Class C share of each series, which will only be issued or transferred to a Masterworks affiliate, if any, will have the right to remove and or replace all or any members of the Board of Managers and reconstitute the Board without “cause” for any reason.
Any member that beneficially owns 5% or more of the Class A shares of a series (excluding shares beneficially owned by Masterworks) may irrevocably limit or eliminate its voting rights pursuant to our operating agreement. Class A shares held by Masterworks, if any, are non-voting. |
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Risk Factors | Investing in the Class A shares of any series involves risks. See the section entitled “Risk Factors” for a discussion of factors you should carefully consider before deciding to invest in the Class A shares of any series. | |
Use of Proceeds | We expect to receive gross proceeds from each series offering as set forth in the “Use of Proceeds to Issuer” section of this Offering Circular. Masterworks will pay all expenses of the series offerings, including fees and expenses associated with qualification of the series offerings under Regulation A. Therefore, the gross proceeds from the series offerings will equal the net proceeds from the series offerings. We intend to use a portion of the proceeds from the initial closing of the series offerings to contribute to segregated portfolios of Masterworks Cayman to acquire the Artworks, and if and to the extent such proceeds are less than the purchase price, Masterworks will advance to the segregated portfolios of Masterworks Cayman that will acquire the Artworks any additional funds required to consummate the acquisitions. The remaining net proceeds of the series offerings, together with any unsold Class A shares of the series, if any, will be contributed to the segregated portfolios of Masterworks Cayman that will acquire the Artworks and will be used to repay the Masterworks advance and pay Masterworks the Expense Allocation as described in the section entitled “Management Compensation.” |
Offering Period | The series offerings are being conducted as a continuous offering pursuant to Rule 251(d)(3) of Regulation A, meaning that while the offering of a particular series is continuous, active sales of series interests may take place sporadically over the term of the series offering.
There will be a separate closing, or closings, with respect to each series offering. An initial closing and each subsequent closing of a series offering will take place on the date subscriptions for the maximum number of series Class A shares have been accepted or an earlier date or dates determined by us in our sole discretion. The offering period for any series will not exceed 24 months from the qualification date of the offering statement that includes such series. We reserve the right to terminate a series offering for any reason at any time prior to the initial closing of such series offering. | |
Closings | The Company may close an entire series offering at one time or may have multiple closings. Throughout this Offering Circular, we have assumed multiple closings and refer to the “initial closing” as the first such closing and the “final closing” as the last such closing. The Artwork held by a series will be acquired by the Company on or prior to the initial closing of the respective series offering. Subscriptions will be accepted on a rolling basis. If any of the Class A shares offered for such series remain unsold as of the final closing, such Class A shares shall be issued to Masterworks in full satisfaction of its advance and the Expense Allocation as described under the caption “Management Compensation.” | |
Termination of the Offering | We reserve the right to terminate any series offering for any reason at any time prior to the initial closing. |
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Transfer Restrictions | The Class A shares of a series may only be transferred by operation of law or with the consent of the Company: |
● | To an immediate family member or an affiliate of the owner of the Class A shares of a series, | |
● | To a trust or other entity for estate or tax planning purposes, | |
● | As a charitable gift, | |
● | On a trading platform approved by Masterworks, such as the Templum ATS, or | |
● | In a transaction otherwise approved by Masterworks. |
Transfer Agent and Registrar |
The transfer agent and registrar for the Class A shares of any series is Equity Stock Transfer, LLC. The transfer agent’s address is 237 West 37th Street, Suite 602, New York, New York 10018. The transfer agent’s telephone number is (212) 575-5757. | |
Distributions | None, unless and until there is a sale of the Artwork of a series, at which point we plan to pay a distribution to the shareholders of such series. There can be no assurance as to the timing of a distribution or that we will pay a distribution at all. |
DETERMINATION OF OFFERING PRICE
The offering size of a series equals the sum of (a) the estimated purchase price that Masterworks anticipates paying for the Artwork plus (b) approximately 11% of such amount (approximately 10% of the maximum aggregate offering amount), as an upfront payment, or “Expense Allocation” payable to Masterworks. The initial offering price of $20.00 per Class A share of each series was randomly determined by Masterworks.
We believe that based on the arms-length ultimate purchase price of each Artwork of a series, historical appreciation rates of similar artworks by the same artist of such Artwork and other factors, the per share offering price of each series will constitute a reasonable estimate at or below the fair value of the Class A shares of such series as of the date such series is added to the Offering Circular.
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As of August 2, 2023, no series has made distributions on the Class A shares of such series since our formation and we do not anticipate making distributions in the foreseeable future on any Class A shares, unless and until the Artwork held by such series is sold, at which point we will pay any expenses for which we are responsible and make a distribution to the holders of the Class A shares of such series in accordance with our operating agreement. There can be no assurance as to the timing of a distribution or that we will pay a distribution at all. There are no contractual restrictions on the ability of a series to make distributions.
The purchase of the Class A shares of a series offered hereby involves risk. Each prospective investor should consult his, her or its own counsel, accountant and other advisors as to legal, tax, business, financial and related aspects of an investment in the securities offered hereby. Prospective investors should carefully consider the following specific risk factors, in addition to the other information set forth in this offering circular, before purchasing the securities offered hereby.
Risks Related to our Business Model
Each series will invest in a unique artwork and whether or not a series will deliver capital appreciation to investors is largely dependent on the art market, which we cannot control.
We cannot make any assurance that our business model will be successful. Our operations will be dedicated to acquiring and maintaining Artworks held by our series and facilitating the ultimate sale of Artworks. The ability of any series to deliver capital appreciation will depend to a large extent on economic conditions, the art market in general and the market for works produced by the specific artist, which are factors that are beyond our control. The value of an Artwork may decline after a series purchases it.
An investment in a series offering constitutes only an investment in that series and not in our Company or directly in any Artwork.
An investor in a series offering will acquire an ownership interest in the series related to that offering and not, for the avoidance of doubt, in (i) our Company, (ii) any other series, (iii) Masterworks, or (iv) directly in an Artwork associated with the series or any Artwork owned by any other series. This results in limited voting rights of the investor, including rights solely related to a particular series, and are further limited by the operating agreement, described further herein. Investors will have voting rights only with respect to certain matters, primarily relating to amendments to the operating agreement that would adversely change the rights of the interest holders and removal of a member of the Board of Managers of the Company for “cause.” Masterworks thus retains significant control over the management of the Company, each series and the Artworks. Furthermore, because the interests in a series do not constitute an investment in the Company as a whole, holders of the interests in a series are not expected to receive any economic benefit from the assets of any other series. In addition, the economic interest of a holder of Class A shares in a series reflects an investment in an Artwork, but also an interest in our corporate and governance structure and our management arrangement with Masterworks. Accordingly, ownership of Class A shares is not identical to owning a direct undivided interest in an Artwork.
Each of our company’s series will hold an interest in a single Artwork, a non-diversified investment.
Each of our series will own a single Artwork and not invest in any other artwork or assets or conduct any other operations that could generate income. Such lack of diversification creates a concentration risk that may make an investment in the Class A shares of a single series riskier than an investment in the Class A shares of multiple series or a diversified pool of assets or a business with more varied operations. Aggregate returns realized by investors are expected to correlate to the change in value of the Artwork, which may not correlate to changes in the overall art market or any segment of the art market.
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We do not expect any series to generate any material amount of revenues and rely on the Administrator to fund our operations.
We do not expect any series to generate any material amount of revenues or cash flow unless and until an Artwork held by a series is sold. No profits can be realized by the series’ investors unless the Artwork is sold for more than the series acquires it and there are sufficient funds to effectuate a distribution to the shareholders of such series after paying the applicable costs, fees and expenses, or the investors are able to sell their Class A shares of the series. Accordingly, we will be completely reliant on Masterworks to fund our operations.
The Artwork of a series may be sold at a loss or at a price that results in a distribution that is below the purchase price of the Class A shares of such series, or no distribution at all.
Any sale of the Artwork of a series could be effected at an inopportune time, at a loss and or at a price that would result in a distribution of cash that is less than the price paid by investors to purchase the Class A shares of such series. We intend to hold the Artwork of each series for an extended period of time and may choose to sell the Artwork of a series opportunistically if market conditions are favorable, which we believe is necessary to achieve optimal returns. In the future, we may sell an Artwork at a loss if we believe that such a transaction would reduce future losses or if it would be necessary to satisfy our fiduciary obligations to our shareholders. Lastly, circumstances may arise that may compel us to sell the Artwork of a series at an inopportune time and potentially at a loss, such as if we face litigation, regulatory challenges or if Masterworks ceases to exist. There can be no assurance that the Class A shares of such series can ever be resold or that the Artwork of a series can ever be sold or that any sale would occur at a price that would result in a distribution of more than $20.00 per Class A share of a series.
The timing and potential price of a sale of the Artwork of a series are impossible to predict, so investors need to be prepared to own the Class A shares of such series for an uncertain or even indefinite period of time.
We intend to hold the Artwork of a series for an indefinite period, although the Artwork of such series will be perpetually available for sale following the series offering and we will evaluate any reasonable third party offers to acquire the Artwork of such series. In addition, the occurrence of certain events may compel us to sell the Artwork of a series. Accordingly, a risk of investing in the Class A shares of a series is the unpredictability of the timing of a sale of the Artwork of such series and the unpredictability of funds being available for cash distribution and investors should be prepared for both the possibility that they will not receive a cash distribution for many years, if ever, and the contrary possibility that they may receive a cash distribution at any time following the completion of the series offering. An investment in the Class A shares of a series is unsuitable for investors that are not prepared to hold their Class A shares of such series for an indefinite period of time, as there can be no assurance that the Class A shares of such series can ever be resold or that the Artwork of such series can be sold within any specific timeframe or at all.
Our business model involves certain costs, some of which are to be paid for through the issuance of equity which will have a dilutive effect on the holders of the Class A shares.
There are various services required to administer our business and maintain the Artwork of a series. Pursuant to a management services agreement among us, Masterworks Cayman and the Administrator to be entered into prior to the initial closing of the initial series offerings, the Administrator will manage all entity-level and asset management services relating to our business and the maintenance of the Artwork of each series. The Administrator will pay all ordinary and necessary costs and expenses associated with the administration of our business and maintenance of the Artwork of each series. Because we do not expect to maintain cash reserves or generate any cash flow, we will be completely reliant on the Administrator to fund our operations. In exchange for these services and incurring these costs and expenses, the Administrator will receive SPC Preferred shares of a segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman issued at a rate of 1.5% of the total SPC shares of such segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman outstanding which holds the Artwork of an applicable series, after giving effect to such issuance, per annum. These SPC Preferred shares will be subject to vesting provisions set forth in the management services agreement and have no voting rights, but have a $20.00 per share liquidation preference over SPC Ordinary shares which are held by each series, which means Masterworks’ management fees will be paid in priority to distributions to Class A shareholders. This preference means that Masterworks management fees will be paid in priority to any payments made to Class A shareholders. There is no overall limit to the number of SPC Preferred shares that may be issued to pay these fees. In the Administrator’s sole discretion, each vested Masterworks SPC Preferred share may be exchanged for one Class A share of the series of which the segregated portfolio holds the Artwork. Accordingly, Masterworks management fees will dilute your economic interest in the Artwork at a rate of 1.5% per annum.
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In the event we are able to sell the Artwork of a series, your potential investment returns will be lower than the actual appreciation in value of the Artwork of such series due to applicable management fees and expenses.
In the event the Artwork of a series is sold, your distribution of cash proceeds will be reduced by commissions, fees and expenses incurred as a result of administering, marketing and selling the Artwork of such series, as well as dilution resulting from management fees paid to Masterworks in the form of SPC Preferred shares. Transaction costs incurred as part of the sale of the Artwork of a series will differ depending on whether we choose or are able to sell the Artwork of a series privately or through a public auction. In a public auction, the principal transaction costs are a seller’s commission and buyer’s premium (a form of selling commission, based on a graduated scale set by each auction house), both of which reduce the net proceeds received by a seller from what a buyer ultimately pays. The final reported sales price includes the hammer price (i.e. the price at which the auctioneer declared the winning bid), and the buyer’s premium. The buyer may also separately incur additional fees or royalties. A seller typically receives the hammer price less the seller’s commission, if any. The economic terms negotiated between the seller and the auction house can vary widely depending on a number of factors, including the value and importance of the specific work, whether the work is sold as an individual piece or part of a larger collection, anticipated demand levels, and other factors. In addition, the proceeds receivable by a seller are less favorable if the work is subject to a pre-auction guarantee. If we sell the Artwork of a series in a private transaction, there may be costs or expenses incurred by the series in connection with such sale and Masterworks shall be entitled to recoup its costs of marketing and selling the Artwork by seeking reimbursement from the applicable series or by charging the buyer a sales commission in connection with such sale. While we believe we may be able to substantially reduce the transaction costs of selling the Artwork of a series, they will not be entirely eliminated.
In addition, in connection with a distribution following a sale of an Artwork, Masterworks will be entitled to its 20% profits interest in respect of its ownership of Class B shares of such series, plus payments in respect of its SPC Preferred shares in an amount equal to the greater of (i) $20.00 per share or (ii) the amount payable per Class A share for each SPC Preferred share earned by it pursuant to the management services agreement. Accordingly, your investment returns upon a sale of the Artwork of a series, if such a sale can occur and if such sale can generate sufficient funds for a distribution after accounting for applicable fees and expenses, may be significantly lower than the actual rate of appreciation of the Artwork of such series.
Risks Associated with an Investment in the Artwork
There is no assurance of appreciation of the Artwork of a series or sufficient cash distributions resulting from the ultimate sale of the Artwork of a series.
There is no assurance that the Artwork of a series will appreciate, maintain its present value, or be sold at a profit. The marketability and value of the Artwork of a series will depend upon many factors beyond our control. There can be no assurance that there will be a ready market for the Artwork of a series, since investment in artwork is generally illiquid, nor is there any assurance that sufficient cash will be generated from the sale of the Artwork of a series to compensate investors for their investment. Even if the Artwork of a series does appreciate in value, the rate of appreciation may be insufficient to cover our management costs and expenses.
The value of the Artwork is subjective.
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For non-cash generating assets, such as art, valuation is heavily reliant on an analysis of sales history of similar artwork. Experts often differ on which historical sales are comparable and the degree of comparability. The attempt to discern value from historical sales data is extremely challenging for a variety of reasons, including, without limitation:
● | Qualitative Factors. Differences in perceived quality or condition between the subject work and the so-called “comparable” sale. Perceived differences in the physical quality and condition of the respective works require subjective judgements as to the valuation impact attributable to such differences. |
● | Lack of Reliable Data. Data may be stale or unavailable and sale prices may be incorrectly reported due to credits for guarantees entered into with buyers (though under current rules in certain jurisdictions, these are required to be deducted from the reported sale price), or other credits provided to potential buyers. | |
● | Timing Differences. Historical transactions must be viewed in light of market conditions at the time compared to current conditions. Overall market conditions are difficult to track in recent periods and extremely difficult to discern for historical periods. Harder still, is the ability to track the relative popularity of specific works, artists and genres over historical periods. | |
● | Market Depth. Sale prices only reflect the price a single buyer was willing to pay for a work, so it is very difficult to determine the depth of demand, as defined by the number of potential buyers that are ready, willing and able to purchase an artwork at or below a given price level. |
Accordingly, due to the inherent challenges involved in estimating the realizable value of the Artwork, any appraisal or estimate of realizable value may prove, with the benefit of hindsight, to be different than the amount ultimately realized upon sale.
Since the valuation of high-end artwork relies in large part on an analysis of historical auction sales, it is more difficult to accurately determine fair value of artwork by artists that have fewer auction sales.
Certain artists such as Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso have a relatively large global collector base and a well-established track record of auction sales over a lengthy period. These artists were also extremely prolific during their careers, so their artwork is frequently bought and sold at auction. This relatively large volume of data makes estimates of historical pricing trends and fair value ranges for artwork produced by these artists more reliable. By contrast, valuation of works by other artists who have a smaller collector base and or a shorter track record of auction sales is comparatively more difficult and such assessments are generally prone to wider margins of error. When assessing the historical auction performance of artwork by a particular artist, investors are urged to consider the volume of public auction data available. As a general matter, historical pricing trends and fair value estimates are more likely to be more meaningful and predictive for artists with higher volumes of prior auction sales than pricing trends and estimates for artists that have fewer historical auction sales. Accordingly, there is a higher risk that we may overpay for, or misprice, artwork by artists with fewer auction sales than those with higher volumes of prior auction sales.
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Our appraisal of the fair value of the Artwork of a series may not be reflective of the value of the Class A shares of such series or the realizable value of the Artwork.
We, together with Masterworks, will estimate the fair value of the Artwork of a series on a quarterly basis, including for purposes of preparing our annual and semi-annual financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. For the reasons set forth elsewhere in this “Risk Factors” section, any such valuation is inherently subjective and may not represent the actual realizable value of the Artwork. In addition, because an investment in the Company represents not just the physical Artwork, but also our administrative, cost, tax and governance structure, coupled with the fact that the timing of a sale of the Artwork of a series is unknown, the value of the Class A shares of such series will be significantly different than the proportionate indirect ownership of the Artwork that they represent. In addition, our Board of Managers will consider a variety of factors in making any determination to sell the Artwork of a series and the appraised value of the Artwork of a series may not be indicative of the price at which our Board of Managers would determine to sell the Artwork of a series.
An investment in the Artwork of a series is subject to various risks, any of which could materially impair the value of the Artwork and the market value of the Class A shares of such series.
Investing in the Artwork of a series is subject to the following risks:
● | Authenticity. Claims with respect to the authenticity of a work may result from incorrect attribution, uncertain attribution, lack of certification proving the authenticity of the artwork, forgery of a work of art, or falsification of the artist’s signature. We generally obtain representations of authenticity from sellers, but these representations may not effectively eliminate the risk. |
● | Provenance. Claims related to provenance, or history of ownership, are relatively common and allege that an artwork has an uncertain or false origin. Buyers may also negatively perceive some elements of the prior ownership history, or whether the work is considered to have sold too often in the past. With respect to the Artwork, buyers may negatively perceive our ownership in the Artwork when considering a purchase. |
● | Condition. The physical condition of an artwork over time is dependent on technical aspects of artistic workmanship, including the materials used, the manner and skill of application, handling and storage and other factors. | |
● | Physical Risks. Artwork is subject to potential damage, destruction, devastation, vandalism or loss as a result of natural disasters (flood, fire, hurricane), crime, theft, illegal exportation abroad, etc. | |
● | Legal and Title Risks. Artwork ownership is prone to a variety of legal challenges, including challenges to title, nationalization, purchase of work of art from an unauthorized person, risk of cheating, money laundering, violation of legal regulations and restitution issues. Purchasing from major auction houses and reputable galleries can reduce, but not eliminate, these risks. | |
● | Market Risks. The art market is prone to change due to a variety of factors, including changes in transaction costs, substantial changes in fees, tax law changes, export licenses etc., changes in legal regulations, changes in attitudes toward art as an investment, changes in tastes, trends (fashion) and changes in supply, such as the liquidation of a major collection. These risks can be specific to certain geographies. | |
● | Economic Risks. Art values and demand are affected by economic confidence among ultra-high-net-worth individuals. | |
● | Informational Risk. The art market is unregulated, opaque and available information is often limited to transactions that occur in public auctions, which excludes private transactions that represent a majority of the overall market. |
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Although, acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks seeks to acquire the Artwork of each series and will conduct due diligence in connection with its purchase of the Artwork, no amount of due diligence can completely insulate a buyer against these risks and if any of these risks materialize, the value of the Artwork of such series may decline, and the value of the Class A shares of such series would be adversely affected.
If the Artwork is eventually exhibited publicly, it could be damaged, and insurance may not cover all of the damages, or even if insurance does cover the damages, it may cause the Artwork to be unsaleable.
It is planned that the Artwork will be permanently stored and displayed in the United States, though it might be displayed internationally. We plan to obtain and maintain insurance coverage for the Artwork. However, the Artwork may be damaged while being displayed and our insurance may not be able to cover all of the damages resulting therefrom, and even if insurance does cover such damages, the damages may result in the Artwork being unsaleable. Accordingly, damage or destruction of the Artwork of a series will have a material adverse impact on the value of the Artwork and, consequently, the value of the Class A shares of such series.
We may not be able to find a buyer for the Artwork at a reasonable price.
Art is a highly illiquid asset and a significant percentage of objects go unsold when sent to auction. Even in the event that we attempt to sell the Artwork of a series, we cannot guarantee that there will be a buyer at any reasonable price.
Temporary popularity of some artworks or categories of art may result in short-term value increases that prove unsustainable as collector tastes shift.
Temporary consumer popularity or “fads” among collectors may lead to short-term or temporary price increases, followed by decreases in value. The demand for specific categories of art and artists is influenced by changing trends in the art market as to which collecting categories and artists are most sought after and by the collecting preferences of individual collectors. These conditions and trends are difficult to predict and may adversely impact our ability to sell the Artwork of a series for a profit. These risks of changes in popularity may be greater for a living or emerging artist, as compared to other categories which may have a proven valuation track record over a longer period of time. These trends could result in reduced profitability or a loss upon the sale of the Artwork of a series.
We could be exposed to losses in the event of title or authenticity claims.
The buying and selling of artwork can involve potential claims regarding title, provenance and or authenticity of the artwork. Authenticity risk related to works of art may result from incorrect attribution, uncertain attribution, lack of certificate proving the authenticity of the artwork, purchase of a non-authentic artwork, or forgery. In the event of a title or authenticity claim against us by a buyer of the Artwork of a series from us, we would seek recourse against the seller of the Artwork of such series pursuant to authenticity and title representations obtained at the time of purchase, but a claim could nevertheless expose us to losses. Further, although we maintain authenticity and title insurance coverage, such coverage may not be sufficient against potential claims. In addition, we do not maintain liquid assets to defend or settle any such legal claims and would be reliant on the Administrator to outlay the cost of such defense or settlement.
The Artwork of a series could be subject to damage, theft or deterioration in condition, which could have a material adverse effect on the value of the Artwork of a series.
We plan to store the Artwork of a series in a protected environment with security measures, but no amount of security can fully protect an artwork from damage or theft. The damage or theft of valuable property, despite these security measures, could have a material adverse impact on the value of the Artwork and, consequently, the value of the Class A shares of such series. The Company maintains insurance, but there is no guarantee that such coverage would be adequate to mitigate all of such losses.
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Changes in opinions by experts in the artwork regarding authenticity could damage or eliminate the value of the Artwork.
Authenticity is often completed by art world experts, and opinions often matter more than scientific data. If a well-respected art expert were to opine negatively on the authenticity of the Artwork of a series, it could reduce or eliminate the value of the Artwork of a series.
Insurance coverage for the Artwork of a series may not cover all possible contingencies, exposing us to losses resulting from the damage or loss of the Artwork.
We plan to maintain insurance coverage for the Artwork of a series against damage or loss of the Artwork, although it may expressly exclude damage caused by war, losses caused by chemical or biological contamination and certain other potential loss scenarios. Our insurance coverage does cover title and authenticity claims, subject to certain limitations and conditions, although such coverage may not be sufficient to cover losses. In addition, in the event of a successful claim that we do not have valid title and ownership to the Artwork or that the Artwork is not authentic, representations obtained from the seller to compensate us for such losses may prove to be inadequate. In addition, uncovered damage or destruction of the Artwork that is not fully covered by insurance could have a material adverse impact on the value of Class A shares of a series.
Risks Related to our Reliance on Masterworks
We are totally reliant on the Administrator to maintain and sell Artwork and manage our administrative services.
We do not plan to have employees or intend to maintain or generate any cash flow prior to the sale of the Artwork of a series. Accordingly, we are totally reliant on the performance of the Administrator under the management services agreement to effectuate the decisions of our Board of Managers. We plan to rely on the Administrator to perform or administer all necessary services to maintain the Artwork of each series, including obtaining insurance and ensuring appropriate storage. The Administrator is also responsible for all management services required to maintain our Company, including professional services, regulatory filings, SEC reporting, tax filings and other matters. If the Administrator were to default on its obligations under the management services agreement, it would be extremely difficult for us to replace the Administrator or internally manage these functions given our lack of cash flow and lack of employees. Accordingly, in the event of a material default by the Administrator under the management services agreement, we would likely be forced to sell the Artwork of each series. We cannot provide assurance that the timing and or terms of any such sale would be favorable. Further, Masterworks can withdraw for any reason from its position as our Administrator, subject to certain conditions.
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We are totally reliant on the Administrator to maintain sufficient capital resources to pay our fees, costs and expenses.
Although we believe the Administrator has sufficient capital resources and sources of liquidity to perform its obligations under the management services agreement for the foreseeable future, there can be no assurance that the Administrator will be able to maintain sufficient capital to satisfy its obligations in future periods. The Administrator’s capital resources and sources of liquidity will be relied upon by our auditors in determining our likely ability to continue as a going concern. Pursuant to and in accordance with the management services agreement, the Administrator is required to maintain cash reserves on hand for so long as the Class A shares of any series remain outstanding sufficient to pay at least one year of estimated expenses to satisfy its obligations under the management services agreement. However, there can be no assurance that the Administrator will be able to maintain such cash reserves. If the Administrator’s liquid capital resources and sources of liquidity are insufficient to satisfy its operational requirements, including the management of our Company, for at least one year, our Company may receive qualified audit reports that would likely have a material adverse effect on the value of the Class A shares of a series.
The Board of Managers will have complete authority to administer our business consistent with the terms and conditions of our operating agreement, other than certain amendments to the operating agreement and the management services agreement.
The Board of Managers will have sole voting power over all matters, including: mergers, consolidations, acquisitions, winding up and dissolution; except, the Board of Managers shall not have the authority to do any of the following without first obtaining the prior approval or consent of the holders of a majority of the voting shares of any series affected, except as otherwise set forth therein:
● | Amend, waive or fail to comply with any material provision of the operating agreement that disproportionately and adversely affects the Class A shareholders of such series; | |
● | Acquire additional material assets other than the Artwork of each series, incur debt for borrowed money or engage in business activities that are unrelated to the ownership, maintenance, promotion and sale of the Artwork of a series; or | |
● | Issue additional shares other than pursuant to the agreements and instruments described herein. |
Additionally, we, in our sole and absolute discretion, may decide to sell the Artwork of a series at any time and in any manner.
The series will own the Artwork for an indefinite period and may sell the Artwork at any time following the final closing of the series offering. There is no guarantee that any sale of the Artwork of a series will be successful, or if successful, that the net proceeds realized by shareholders from such transaction will be reflective of the estimated fair market value of the shares at such time.
This concentration of control in the Board of Managers may delay, deter or prevent acts that would be favored by holders of the Class A shares of a series. The interests of the Board of Managers or the Administrator may not always coincide with our interests or the interests of the holders of the Class A shares of a series. As a result, the market price of the Class A shares of a series could decline, or holders of the Class A shares of a series might not receive a premium over the then-current market price of the Class A shares of a series upon a change in control.
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Holders of the Class A shares of a series do not elect or vote on the Board of Managers and have limited ability to influence decisions regarding our business.
Our operating agreement provides that our assets, affairs and business will be managed under the direction of the Board of Managers. Holders of the Class A shares of a series do not elect or vote on the Board of Managers and, except for kick-out rights granted to Masterworks, members of the Board of Managers can only be removed by (i) a majority of the existing Board of Managers, or (ii) by the affirmative vote of holders of two-thirds (2/3) of the voting Class A shares outstanding of all series together as a single class and only for “cause”, as defined in the operating agreement. Accordingly, unlike the holders of common stock in a corporation, holders of Class A shares of a series have only limited voting rights on matters affecting our business, and therefore limited ability to influence decisions regarding our business.
As a non-listed company conducting an exempt offering pursuant to Regulation A, we are not subject to a number of corporate governance requirements, including the requirements for a board of directors or independent board committees.
We do not intend to list the Class A shares of any series on a national securities exchange. As a non-listed company conducting an exempt offering pursuant to Regulation A, we are not subject to a number of corporate governance requirements that an issuer listing on a national stock exchange would be. The Board of Managers is made up of Nigel Glenday, Joshua B. Goldstein, and Eli D. Broverman. One of the members of the Board of Managers, Eli D. Broverman, serves as the Independent Manager on the Board of Managers (the “Independent Manager”). The Independent Manager serves to protect the interests of the holders of the Class A shares of all series and is tasked with reviewing and approving all related party transactions of our Company with our affiliates and address all conflicts of interest that may arise between us and the holders of the Class A shares of any series and our affiliates. If the Independent Manager resigns from such position on the Board of Managers at any time, the remaining members of the Board of Managers shall appoint a replacement that meets the standards of an independent director pursuant to the standards set forth in NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 4200(a)(15). Accordingly, we do not have, nor are we required to have (i) a board of directors of which a majority consists of “independent” directors under the listing standards of a national stock exchange, (ii) an audit committee composed entirely of independent directors and a written audit committee charter meeting a national stock exchange’s requirements, (iii) a nominating/corporate governance committee composed entirely of independent directors and a written nominating/corporate governance committee charter meeting a national stock exchange’s requirements, (iv) a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors and a written compensation committee charter meeting the requirements of a national stock exchange, and (v) independent audits of our internal controls. Accordingly, you may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of a company listed on a national stock exchange.
Risk of non-compliance with regulations, including a risk of Masterworks being deemed to be operating as an unregistered broker-dealer.
The Company has not engaged underwriters in connection with any series offering, but Masterworks will have an arrangement with Masterworks Advisers whereby investment adviser representatives of Masterworks Advisers will be dedicated to providing advisory services to persons who have expressed an interest in investing in Masterworks offerings, including each series offering. In light of Masterworks’ arrangement with Masterworks Advisers, if the SEC were to determine that Masterworks, which is not a registered broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any state securities laws, has engaged in brokerage activities that require registration, including initial sale of the Class A shares of each series on the Masterworks Platform and permitting a registered broker-dealer to facilitate resales or other liquidity of the Class A shares, Masterworks may need to discontinue or suspend certain operations, which would likely be harmful to its business and reputation. In addition, if Masterworks is found to have operated as a ‘broker-dealer’ without being properly registered, there is a risk that Class A shares offered and sold while Masterworks was not registered may be subject to a right of rescission, which may result in the early termination of the offerings. An unregistered broker-dealer may also face sanctions, penalties and enforcement actions by regulatory authorities. Since the Company is reliant on Masterworks to administer its operations and the Artworks, any regulatory development that is damaging to Masterworks may have a material adverse effect on the Company and Class A shareholders.
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Further, if Masterworks Investor Services or another Masterworks affiliated entity were required to register as a broker and/or dealer, Masterworks would be subject to higher compliance costs and periodic examinations and, as a result, Masterworks would likely be required to change aspects of its business processes, fee structure and communications.
Our operating agreement designates the federal district courts of the United States of America as the exclusive forum for disputes between us and our shareholders involving claims under the Securities Act, which, if enforced by the courts, will restrict our shareholders’ ability to choose the judicial forum for Securities Act disputes.
Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all Securities Act actions. Accordingly, both state and federal courts have jurisdiction to entertain such claims. To prevent having to litigate claims in multiple jurisdictions and the threat of inconsistent or contrary rulings by different courts, among other considerations, our operating agreement provides that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. There is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provision, and the enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ constitutive documents has been challenged in legal proceedings. While the Delaware courts have determined that such choice of forum provisions are facially valid, a shareholder may nevertheless seek to bring a claim in a venue other than those designated in the exclusive forum provisions. In such instance, we would expect to vigorously assert the validity and enforceability of the exclusive forum provisions of our operating agreement. This may require significant additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions and there can be no assurance that the provisions will be enforced by a court in those other jurisdictions.
This choice of forum provision may limit a shareholder’s ability to bring a Securities Act claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or other employees. If a court were to find the exclusive-forum provision in our operating agreement to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving the dispute in other jurisdictions, which could seriously harm our financial condition.
Risks Relating to Potential Conflicts of Interest
Masterworks financial arrangements may result in misalignment between its interests and the interests of Class A shareholders of a series.
Masterworks and its affiliates will have substantially complete discretion to determine when and if to sell the Artwork of a series. Since Masterworks earns its management fees in equity, it is aligned with investors to maximize the price per share over time. However, Masterworks may have cash requirements or other economic incentives or disincentives relating to when to sell the Artwork of a series that are misaligned with the interests of shareholders of such series. Accordingly, there is a risk that Masterworks and its affiliates will have conflicts of interest and no assurance can be given that any such conflicts will be resolved in a manner that is in the best interests of shareholders of a series.
Although Masterworks will own 1,000 Class B shares of each series representing a 20% profits interest in such series, and will beneficially own Class A shares of each series following the offering of such series, Masterworks may eventually sell its shares.
Masterworks currently owns and will own 1,000 Class B shares of each series representing a 20% profits interest in such series following the offering of such series and will own Class A shares of such series if and to the extent the offering of such series is undersubscribed, as well as SPC Preferred shares of a segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman issuable to Masterworks pursuant to the management services agreement which, after vesting, will be exchangeable for Class A shares of the series of which the segregated portfolio holds the Artwork at an exchange rate of 1 for 1. Masterworks has also agreed to lock-up provisions in our operating agreement, that will prohibit it from selling any Class B shares prior to the one-year anniversary of the offering, though it is permitted to pledge all of its shares to unaffiliated third-party lenders and such lenders shall not be subject to the lock-up if they obtain ownership of the profits interest in connection with a default by Masterworks on its indebtedness. Masterworks will have no restrictions on the disposition of any of its Class B shares after the one-year anniversary of the offering and no restrictions on the disposition of its Class A shares it would receive by exchanging the SPC Preferred shares of a segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman or otherwise acquired, other than restrictions imposed by the management services agreement and applicable securities laws. Accordingly, the alignment that will exist upon the final closing of a series offering between Masterworks and our other shareholders of such series offering may not exist in the future. If Masterworks were to sell a significant portion of its shares, the interests of Masterworks may differ significantly from those of investors in the series offering and subsequent holders of the Class A shares of such series. As a result, we cannot assure investors that Masterworks will execute a discretionary sale of the Artwork of a series at a time that is in the best interests of holders of the Class A shares of such series.
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Masterworks or another holder of a large block of shares of a particular series may seek to sell its shares on the Templum ATS which could result in downward pressure on the share price.
In the event any person or entity, which may include an affiliate of Masterworks, acquires a significant percentage of the Class A shares of a series, such shareholder may elect to sell its interest in the Class A shares on the Templum ATS or other trading platform which could result in downward pressure on the share price and depress the price you would realize upon sale.
Masterworks and Members of the Board of Managers and executive officers will have other business interests and obligations to other entities, including interests and obligations relating to the art industry.
Masterworks expects to engage in other business activities, including other activities relating to the art industry. Masterworks may buy and sell other works of art, enter into pre-auction guarantees, operate a gallery (for viewing purposes), establish other entities similar to us and other activities. In addition, neither the Administrator nor its executive officers nor the Board of Managers will be required to manage us as their sole and exclusive function and they will have other business interests and will engage in other activities in addition to those relating to us. We are dependent on the Administrator and its officers and employees to successfully operate us. Their other business interests and activities could divert time and attention from operating our business.
We are party to agreements that exculpate the Board of Managers, the Administrator and its affiliates, and certain other persons engaged on behalf of the Administrator from liabilities with respect to certain actions taken, even if such actions are negligent, which also reduces the remedies available to investors for certain acts by such persons.
Our operating agreement limits the liability of the Board of Managers, any of our members, any person who is an officer of ours and any person who serves at the request of the Board of Managers on behalf of us as an officer, director, members of the Board of Managers, Independent Manager, partner, member, stockholder or employee of such person. The management services agreement limits the liability of the Administrator, its affiliates, managers, officers and members. None of the foregoing persons shall be liable to us or the Administrator or any other member of us for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it or by other person with respect to us, including any negligent act or failure to act, except in the case of a liability resulting from any of the foregoing person’s own actual fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith, breach of fiduciary duties that have not been waived, reckless disregard of duty or any intentional and material breach of the operating agreement or conduct that is subject of a criminal proceeding (where such person has reasonable cause to believe that such conduct was unlawful). With the prior consent of the Board of Managers, any of the foregoing persons may consult with legal counsel and accountants with respect to our affairs (including interpretations of the operating agreement) and shall be fully protected and justified in any action or inaction which is taken or omitted in good faith, in reliance upon and in accordance with the opinion or advice of such counsel or accountants. In determining whether any of the foregoing persons acted with the requisite degree of care, such person shall be entitled to rely on written or oral reports, opinions, certificates and other statements of the members of the Board of Managers, officers, employees, consultants, attorneys, accountants and professional advisors of us selected with reasonable care; provided, that no such person may rely upon such statements if it believed that such statements were materially false. The foregoing limitations on liability reduce the remedies available to the holders of the Class A shares of any series for actions taken which may negatively affect us.
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Representatives of registered investment advisers introduced to you through the Masterworks website are dedicated to advising on Masterworks securities and have conflicts of interest.
Certain investment adviser representatives of Masterworks Advisers, LLC, or “Masterworks Advisers,” are exclusively dedicated to providing advisory services with respect to Masterworks financial products. Masterworks, directly or indirectly, pays the compensation of these individuals and Masterworks Advisers is a wholly owned subsidiary of Masterworks so the representatives have conflicts of interest and lack the independence of other investment professionals who may provide more generalized investment advice. While these individuals have regulatory duties to investors, including fiduciary duties, such individuals are exclusively dedicated to the provision of advisory services of Masterworks financial products. Accordingly, such individuals will not provide you with recommendations or advice on investing in other traditional or alternative asset classes.
Risks Relating to Ownership of the Class A shares of a series and the Offering of a series
The Class A shareholders of a series will have very limited voting rights and we will have the ability to sell the Artwork of a series without shareholder approval.
Our operating agreement provides that the assets, affairs and business of our Company will be managed under the direction of our Board of Managers. Our Board of Managers, in their sole and absolute discretion, will have the ability to sell the Artwork of a series at any time and in any manner. Our shareholders do not elect or vote on our Board of Managers. The Class A shares of each series have no voting rights other than to vote together a single class on certain matters that disproportionately and adversely affect such series in relation to any other series and to vote together with holders of all voting Class A shares outstanding of all series together as a single class to remove and replace the Administrator, to remove a member of the Board of Managers for “cause” and to approve certain acts as described in our operating agreement, including certain proposed amendments to the operating agreement or the management services agreement.
Each outstanding Class A share of a series entitles the holder to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders of such series, provided, that Class A shares of a series beneficially owned by Masterworks, if any, and shares of a series held by certain shareholders of such series that irrevocably elect to limit or eliminate their voting rights, if any, shall not vote. Generally, matters to be voted on by our shareholders must be approved by a majority of the votes cast by all Class A shares of an affected series or of all the series of our Company as one group, as applicable, present in person or represented by proxy, although the vote to remove a member of the Board of Managers for “cause” or to remove and replace the Administrator requires a two-thirds vote of the voting shares of all of the series then existing as a single class. If any vote occurs, you will be bound by the majority or supermajority vote, as applicable, even if you did not vote with the majority or supermajority.
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Selling your Class A shares may be difficult, or even impossible.
We do not plan to list the Class A shares of any series for trading on a national securities exchange, but we intend to facilitate secondary sales of Class A shares of each series on an alternative trading system operated by Templum Markets LLC, referred to as the “Templum ATS,” commencing on or after the three-month anniversary of the date the series offering is fully subscribed. No assurance can be given that the Templum ATS will provide an effective means of selling your Class A shares of a series or that the price at which any Class A shares of a series are sold through the Templum ATS is reflective of the fair value of the Class A shares of that series or the Artwork of that series. We do not know the extent to which investor interest will lead to the development and maintenance of a liquid market. In light of a variety of factors, including, without limitation, the relatively small market capitalization of each series of the Company, we cannot guarantee the Templum ATS will provide a reliable or effective means of price discovery. Any posted offer prices or historical transaction information reflected on the Templum ATS should not be construed as being representative of the fair value of the Class A shares of such series or of the Artwork of such series. The Templum ATS will not be available to, or provide only limited functionality to, certain non-U.S. citizens. For a list of countries that are enabled on the Templum ATS, see the trading section of the Masterworks Platform. Investors should be prepared to hold their Class A shares of such series for an indefinite period of time, as there can be no assurance that the Class A shares of such series will ever be saleable through the Templum ATS or an alternative platform.
You may not be able to sell your Class A shares of a series at or above the offering price or at all.
The initial public offering price for the Class A shares of a series is above their net tangible asset value due to the payment of the Expense Allocation to Masterworks. In addition, Masterworks will own 1,000 Class B shares of a series representing a 20% profits interest in such series. Prior to these series offerings, no public market exists for the Class A shares of such series. You may not be able to sell your Class A shares of a series at or above the initial offering price, or ever. Investors should be prepared to hold their Class A shares of such series for an indefinite period, as there can be no assurance that the Class A shares of such series can ever be tradable or sold.
We will be required to publicly report on an ongoing basis under the reporting rules set forth in Regulation A for Tier 2 issuers. Therefore, we will be subject to ongoing public reporting requirements that are less rigorous than Exchange Act rules for companies that are not “emerging growth companies,” and our investors could receive less information than they might expect to receive from exchange traded public companies.
We will be required to publicly report on an ongoing basis under the reporting rules set forth in Regulation A for Tier 2 issuers. The ongoing reporting requirements under Regulation A are more relaxed than for “emerging growth companies” under the Exchange Act. The differences include, but are not limited to, being required to file only annual and semiannual reports, rather than annual and quarterly reports. Annual reports are due within 120 calendar days after the end of the issuer’s fiscal year, and semiannual reports are due within 90 calendar days after the end of the first six months of the issuer’s fiscal year. Therefore, our investors could receive less information than they might expect to receive from exchange traded public companies.
Foreign Holders of the Class A shares of a series may face significant restrictions on the resale of the Class A shares of a series due to rules restricting participation by foreign citizens.
The Templum ATS or certain features of the Templum ATS will not be available to residents of certain foreign countries. For a list of countries that are enabled on the Templum ATS, see the trading section of the Masterworks Platform. Accordingly, if you reside outside of the United States you should consider the resale market for the Class A shares of a series to be limited, as you may be unable to resell your Class A shares of such series on the Templum ATS, or at all.
A Concentration of ownership of the Class A shares of a series may reduce liquidity or adversely affect the price of the Class A shares of such series on the Templum ATS or any other trading venue on which the Class A shares of such series may be traded.
Our operating agreement contains a 24.99% beneficial ownership limit, but we can waive such limit in our discretion on a case-by-case basis. Certain Class A shareholders of a series may beneficially own a large percentage of the outstanding Class A shares of such series. A concentration of ownership in one or a small group of shareholders may diminish liquidity on the Templum ATS, particularly if any such shareholder is deemed to be an “affiliate” of the Company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, which would include any affiliate of Masterworks and would make it more difficult for such shareholder to sell its shares pursuant to applicable Federal securities laws. Conversely, concentrated ownership could also create an “overhang” risk, which is a risk that such shareholder or shareholders seek to liquidate their positions in a short time frame, which could significantly increase the supply of Class A shares of a series available for sale without a corresponding increase in demand, thereby driving the trading price of the Class A shares of such series downward.
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Our capital structure may create situations in which the interests of Masterworks are not completely aligned with the interests of other shareholders.
The Class B shares of a series have the right to 20% of the profits upon a sale of the Artwork of such series and can be converted into Class A shares of such series pursuant to a formula in our operating agreement. The Class C share of a series can be issued or transferred to an affiliate of Masterworks and would provide such Masterworks affiliate with the exclusive right to remove, replace or reconstitute our Board of Managers without “cause” for any reason, which may adversely affect the interests of another series of the Company. The SPC Preferred Shares contain a $20 per share liquidation preference. Accordingly, there could be situations in which the interests of Masterworks are not completely aligned with the interests of our Class A shareholders. The ability of a Masterworks affiliate to replace our Board increases the chances that those situations might not be resolved in favor of the Class A shareholders. We and Masterworks intend to take reasonable steps to address potential situations in which Masterworks may have differing economic interests from those of other shareholders, such as in connection with an eventual sale of the Artwork of a series, including by forming a special committee comprised solely of Managers that are independent of management and Masterworks to approve any such sale, but there can be no assurance that these steps will adequately protect the interests of Class A shareholders of a series.
If we face litigation related to a series offering, we may elect to auction the Artwork of such series and the proceeds of any sale at such auction may be insufficient to provide an adequate remedy. Further, if investors successfully seek rescission, we would face severe financial demands that we may not be able to meet.
The Class A shares of a series have not been registered under the Securities Act and are being offered in reliance upon the exemption provided by Section 3(b) of the Securities Act, including Regulation A promulgated thereunder. We represent that this Offering Circular does not contain any untrue statements of material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of all the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. However, if this representation is inaccurate with respect to a material fact, if a series offering fails to qualify for exemption from registration under the federal securities laws pursuant to Regulation A, or if we fail to register the Class A shares of the series or find an exemption under the securities laws of each state in which we offer the Class A shares of such series, each investor may have the right to rescind his, her or its purchase of the Class A shares of such series and to receive back from us his, her or its purchase price with interest. Such investors, however, may be unable to collect on any judgment, and the cost of obtaining such judgment may outweigh the benefits. If investors successfully seek rescission, we may elect to sell the Artwork of a series and there can be no assurance that the proceeds of any such sale would be an adequate remedy for our investors and we would face severe financial demands we may not be able to meet and it may adversely affect any non-rescinding investors.
If we face litigation, unless such litigation is proven to involve fraud or intentional misconduct on the part of the Administrator or our other affiliates, we may seek to sell the Artwork of a series and the Administrator will be entitled to recoup its expenses in connection with defending and or settling such litigation.
Our operating agreement indemnifies the Board of Managers and the management services agreement indemnifies the Administrator in all instances not involving fraud or intentional misconduct. In addition, while the Administrator is responsible for all ordinary and necessary expenses incurred in connection with maintaining the Artwork of a series and managing our Company, there is an exception for costs incurred in connection with litigation. Accordingly, if there is any litigation involving our Company which does not involve fraud or intentional misconduct, the costs relating to such litigation will be deducted from the funds to be disbursed to holders of Class A shares of such series upon our sale of the Artwork of such series.
Because we do not have an audit committee, holders of the Class A shares of a series will have to rely on our Board of Managers and the Independent Manager to perform these functions.
We do not have an audit committee. The Board of Managers, made up of Nigel Glenday, Joshua B. Goldstein and Eli D. Broverman will perform the duties normally performed by an audit committee for an entity such as ours. One of the members of the Board of Managers, Eli D. Broverman, serves as the Independent Manager on the Board of Managers. The Independent Manager serves to protect the interests of the holders of the Class A shares of each series and is tasked with reviewing and approving all related party transactions between us and our affiliates and address all conflicts of interest that may arise between us and the holders of the Class A shares of each series and our affiliates. If the Independent Manager resigns from such position on the Board of Managers at any time, the remaining members of the Board of Managers shall appoint a replacement that meets the standards of an independent director pursuant to the standards set forth on NASDAQ pursuant to NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 4200(a)(15).
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Purchasers in the series offerings and in the aftermarket will experience dilution in the book value of their investment over time.
The initial offering price per Class A share of each series will be approximately $1.98 above the pro forma net tangible book value per Class A share of such series immediately following the series offerings as a result of the Expense Allocation amount payable to Masterworks. The Administrator will earn a management fee in the form of SPC Preferred shares of a segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman, which after vesting, will be exchangeable for Class A shares of the series of which the segregated portfolio holds the Artwork. If exchanged, these fees will, when issued, effectively further reduce the tangible book value per Class A share of the series over time. Additionally, if the value of the Class A shares of a series increases over time, the number of Class A shares of such series to be issued upon conversion of the Class B shares of such series will also increase over time resulting in additional dilution to holders of the Class A shares of such series.
Risks of investing using a credit card.
We may accept credit cards for subscriptions, provided that any such credit card subscription shall not exceed the lesser of $30,000 or the amount permitted by applicable law, per subscriber, per series offering. An investment in the Class A shares of any series is a long-term and highly illiquid investment. Payment by credit card may be appropriate for some investors as a temporary funding convenience, but should not be used as a long term means to finance an investment in the Class A shares of any series. Investors contemplating using their credit card to invest are urged to review the SEC’s Investor Alert dated February 14, 2018 entitled: Credit Cards and Investments – A Risky Combination, which is available at https://www.sec.gov/oiea/investor-alerts-and-bulletins/ia_riskycombination. Credit card investment will result in incurrence of third-party fees and charges (often ranging from 1.5% - 3.0%), interest obligations which will lower your expected investment returns, and could exceed your actual returns. In addition, if you cannot meet your minimum payment obligation, you may damage your credit profile which would make it more difficult and more expensive to borrow in the future.
Provisions of our Certificate of Formation and our Operating Agreement may delay or prevent a take-over which may not be in the best interests of holders of the Class A shares of a series.
Provisions of our Certificate of Formation and the operating agreement may be deemed to have anti-takeover effects, which include, among others, the Board of Managers having sole and exclusive control of the operations of us with the exclusion of the holders of the Class A shares of a series being able to vote upon certain limited circumstances, and may delay, defer or prevent a takeover attempt.
We do not intend to pay distributions in the foreseeable future and may only make a distribution to the holders of the Class A shares of a series if the Artwork of such series can be sold at a profit to the price we paid and after the costs and expenses associated with the sale there are sufficient funds to effect a distribution.
We do not maintain any cash balances and do not intend to pay any distributions in the foreseeable future and may only make a distribution to the holders of the Class A shares of a series if the Artwork of such series can be sold at a profit to the price paid by us and other costs and expenses associated with the sale there are sufficient funds to effect a distribution. Investors should be prepared to never receive a distribution in connection with their ownership of the Class A shares of such series.
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The tax treatment of an investment in the series of the Company is uncertain and subject to change.
We currently expect each series to be taxed as a partnership, which means we do not expect to pay entity-level Federal income taxes and we expect each Cayman segregated portfolio to be treated for tax as a passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) and/or a controlled foreign corporation (“CFC”). Any income or loss arising from a sale of the Artwork of a series by Masterworks Cayman would be allocated to our shareholders and result in PFIC/Subpart F income for our shareholders. We expect each series to elect protectively to treat each PFIC as a qualified electing fund (“QEF”). In the event our Board of Managers determines that there is a material risk that our partnership status may not be respected by the IRS due to the potential existence of secondary market liquidity for the Class A shares of a series or for other reasons, our Board of Managers may restructure our operations to avoid or minimize entity-level Federal income taxes. Any such restructuring could, among other consequences, cause any gain resulting from a sale of the Artwork of a series being taxed at higher rates applicable to capital gains on collectibles. Shareholders are urged to consult their advisors with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the Company in light of their particular circumstances. In addition, the Board of Managers has sole discretion to change the tax election such that the Company and each series would be taxed as a corporation for U.S. Federal income purposes, which would mean that the Company and each series would be required to pay entity level U.S. Federal income taxes on gains, if any, from the sale of the Artwork of a series. Any such change could adversely impact the net amount of funds you receive, after taxes, from a sale of the Artwork of a series.
Tax risk to investors seeking to invest using their individual retirement accounts, including traditional and self-directed IRAs and 401(k)s.
Section 408(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States treats the acquisition of any collectible, including any work of art, as a distribution from the retirement account. Distributions are taxable to the holder of the account and may be subject to early withdrawal penalties of 10% of such amount if the investor is not at least 59-1/2 years of age. The Internal Revenue Service could take the position that an investment in the Class A shares of a series is tantamount to the acquisition of artwork and therefore should be treated as a taxable distribution. We urge those investors seeking to use their individual retirement accounts to invest in Class A shares of a series to consult with a competent professional tax professional prior to making an investment decision.
By purchasing shares in the series offerings, you are bound by the provisions contained in our subscription agreement which provide for mandatory arbitration and a waiver of rights to a jury trial which limits your ability to bring class action lawsuits, seek remedies on a class basis or have a jury decide the factual merits of your claim.
By purchasing shares in the series offerings, investors agree to be bound by the arbitration provisions contained in our subscription agreement which provide that arbitration is the exclusive means for resolving disputes relating to or arising out of the subscription agreement, the shares, the Masterworks Platform, and/or the activities or relationships that involve, lead to, or result from any of the foregoing. In addition, by signing the subscription agreement, you waive your rights to a jury trial in any such dispute. Please note that neither the mandatory arbitration provision nor the waiver of your rights to a jury trial apply to claims made under the federal securities laws or any dispute you may have with Masterworks Advisers. Arbitration awards are generally final and binding. A party’s ability to have a court reverse or modify an arbitration award is very limited. Purchasers of shares in a secondary transaction would also be subject to the same arbitration provisions and jury waiver that are currently in our subscription agreement. Such arbitration provision limits the ability of investors to bring class action lawsuits or similarly seek remedies on a class basis for claims subject to the provision. If invoked, the arbitration is required to be conducted in New York, NY in accordance with New York law. The subscription agreement allows for either the Company or an investor to elect to enter into binding arbitration in the event of any covered claim in which the Company and the investor are adverse parties. While not mandatory, in the event that the Company were to invoke the arbitration clause, the rights of the adverse shareholder to seek redress in court would be severely limited. These restrictions on the ability to bring a class action lawsuit and the waiver of a jury trial may result in increased costs and/or reduced remedies, to individual investors who wish to pursue claims against the Company, except in the case of claims made under the federal securities laws.
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Prior to giving effect to each series offering, 100% of the membership interests of each series of the Company for which we are conducting a series offering are held by Masterworks.
Investors in the series offerings will suffer immediate dilution in the net tangible book value per share $1.98 as a result of the Expense Allocation to be paid to Masterworks as part of our cost of utilizing the Masterworks Platform and acquiring the Artwork of each series. We estimate that the net tangible book value per share upon the final closing of a series offering after giving effect to the intended use of proceeds from such offering will be $18.02.
The Class B shares of a series may also have a dilutive effect following the final closing of the offering of a series. The formula for the conversion of the Class B shares of a series into the Class A shares of a series is as follows:
Class A shares of a series issuable upon conversion | = | (A) Value Increase, multiplied by | |
(B) Conversion Percentage, multiplied by | |||
(C) 20%, divided by | |||
(D) Class A share Value of a series. |
Definitions for conversion calculation:
“Value Increase” | means, the aggregate value of Class A shares of the applicable series outstanding at such time on a fully diluted basis (including any shares issuable upon exchange of SPC Preferred shares, whether or not such SPC Preferred shares are vested (“Exchange Shares”)), minus the product of (i) the number of Class A shares of such series outstanding at such time on a fully diluted basis (including Exchange Shares) and (ii) $20.00, if such difference is positive. | |
“Conversion Percentage” | means, (A) the number of Class B shares of a series being converted, divided by (B) the number of Class B shares of a series outstanding. | |
“Class A share Value” | means, as of the close of business on the day preceding the conversion date, the volume weighted average trading price (“VWAP”) of the Class A shares of a series on all trading platforms or trading systems on which the Class A shares of a series are being traded over the forty-five (45) trading days then ended, provided, that if the total aggregate trading volume over such 45-trading-day period is less than 5% of the public float, such period shall be extended to the ninety (90) trading days then ended, provided, further, if the total aggregate trading volume over such 90-trading-day period is less than 5% of the public float, the holder of the Class B shares of a series shall request that the Administrator obtain an appraisal of the Class A share Value of a series from one or more independent nationally-recognized third party appraisal companies and such appraisal shall constitute the Class A share Value of a series.* |
* The hypothetical Class A share values of a series represent the assumed VWAP, or in the absence of a trading market, the appraised fair value of the Class A shares of a series, which, in either case, is assumed to be the amount that a Class A share of a series would receive upon sale of the Artwork of such series (i.e. the appraised value of the Artwork of such series divided by the fully diluted number of Class A shares of such series outstanding).
Examples of conversion calculation
The following table illustrates the number and percentage of Class A shares of a series (rounded to nearest whole share) that would be issued to Masterworks upon conversion of all of its Class B shares of a series based on hypothetical changes in the trading price or value of the Class A shares of a series, assuming that 83,250 Class A shares are sold in such series offering:
Hypothetical Class A share Value of a series | $ | 20.00 | $ | 30.00 | $ | 40.00 | $ | 50.00 | $ | 60.00 | ||||||||||
No. of Class A shares of a series Masterworks would receive upon conversion of 100% of its Class B shares of a series | 0 | 6,938 | 10,406 | 12,488 | 13,875 | |||||||||||||||
Percentage of total outstanding Class A shares of a series Masterworks would receive upon conversion of 100% of its Class B shares of a series | 0 | % | 7.69 | % | 11.11 | % | 13.04 | % | 14.29 | % |
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Pursuant to the foregoing formula, Class A shares of a series will only be issuable upon a conversion of Class B shares of a series if the value of the Class A shares of a series is higher than $20.00 per share. Upon the final closing of each series offering, the value of the Class A shares of a series will be $20.00 per share based on the offering price and therefore, no shares will be issuable upon a conversion of Class B shares of a series into Class A shares of a series at such time.
Nominal consideration was paid for the membership interests represented by Class B shares of a series. The aggregate cash cost to Masterworks for the Class B shares of a series will be $100.00 (representing the cash payment made in consideration of the issuance of membership interests represented by Class B shares of a series) or less than $0.01 per share. If in the future the value of the Class A shares of a series increases to where there is a gain in value, based on the above formula, there will be additional dilution.
For example, if the value of the Class A shares of a series is $30 per share, based on the foregoing conversion formula, the Class B shares of a series will be convertible into 6,938 Class A shares of a series if Masterworks decides to convert all of the Class B shares of a series they hold. The new investors ownership interest would be diluted as follows assuming that 83,250 Class A shares of a series are sold in such series offering:
In addition, as additional SPC Preferred shares are issued to the Administrator as payment for its entity-level and asset management services, the corresponding series will suffer dilution.
Further, after and subject to vesting, the SPC Preferred shares will be exchangeable for Class A shares of the series of which the segregated portfolio holds the Artwork at an exchange rate of 1 for 1. Once SPC Preferred shares are exchanged for Class A shares of a series, there will be dilution to the holders of the Class A shares of such series.
The Company is selling the Class A shares through the Masterworks Platform and is not selling the Class A shares or soliciting investors through commissioned sales agents or underwriters. Representatives of an SEC registered investment adviser may provide advisory services to prospective investors. For additional information about these advisory services, please see “Advisory Services.” Subscriptions will be made only through the Masterworks Platform and payment will be made directly to a series of the Company. The subscription funds paid by investors as part of the subscription process will be held in a noninterest-bearing sub account of the Company with Goldman Sachs Bank USA, or a similar institution, and will not be commingled with the account of any other series or the Company, until, if and when there is a closing with respect to that series. All fees and expenses of the offerings will be paid by Masterworks and the Company shall have no responsibility for any such amounts payable. Accordingly, the gross proceeds from each series offering shall be the same as the net proceeds from such series offering. Each series offering will not exceed 24 months from the date of commencement in accordance with Rule 251(d)(3) of Regulation A.
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Online Subscriptions
Our affiliate Masterworks, LLC and its principals own and operate the Masterworks Platform located at https://www.masterworks.com/ that allows investors to acquire interests in special purpose companies that invest in artworks. Through the Masterworks Platform, investors can, once they establish a profile, browse and screen potential artwork investments, view details of an investment and sign contractual documents online.
After the qualification by the SEC of the offering statement of which this Offering Circular is a part, the series offerings will be conducted through the Masterworks Platform, whereby investors will receive, review, execute and deliver subscription agreements electronically as well as make payment of the purchase price in the form of ACH debit, credit card, or wire transfer into non-interest bearing segregated sub account of the Company with Goldman Sachs Bank USA, or a similar institution and will not be commingled with the account of any other series or the Company, until, if and when there is a closing with respect to that series. Credit card subscription shall not exceed the lesser of $30,000 or the amount permitted by applicable law, per series offering, per subscriber. Investors contemplating using their credit card to invest are urged to carefully review “Risk Factors – Risks of investing using a credit card.” Credit card investment will result in incurrence of third-party fees and charges, interest obligations which will lower your expected investment returns and could exceed your actual returns. In addition, if you cannot meet your minimum payment obligation, you may damage your credit profile which would make it more difficult and more expensive to borrow in the future. On any relevant closing date, the funds in the account will be released to the applicable series and the associated Class A shares of a series will be issued to the investors in the offering of a series. If there are no closings of the offering of a series, the funds deposited in the segregated sub account will be promptly returned to subscribers, without deduction and generally without interest.
Upon each closing of a series offering under the terms as set out in this offering circular, funds will be immediately transferred to us (where the funds will be available for use in the operations of the Company’s business in a manner consistent with the “Use of Proceeds” in this offering circular).
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for the Class A shares of each series is Equity Stock Transfer, LLC. The transfer agent’s address is 237 West 37th Street, Suite 602, New York, New York 10018. The transfer agent’s telephone number is 212-575-5757. We intend to avoid registration of the Class A shares of each series under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and may avail ourselves of the conditional limitation on shares “held of record” contained in Rule 12g5-1(a)(7) of the Exchange Act. In connection with any shareholder distributions upon a sale of an Artwork of a series, we may also engage Equity Stock Transfer, LLP as paying agent in accordance with the terms of our operating agreement.
Book-Entry Records of Class A shares
Ownership of the Class A shares of a series will be represented in “book-entry” only form directly in the name of the respective owner of the Class A shares of a series and shall be recorded by the Company and that no physical certificates shall be issued, nor received, by the Company or any other person. The Company or Masterworks shall send out email confirmations of positions and notifications of changes “from” us upon each and every event affecting any person’s ownership interest.
Investment Amount Limitations
The maximum investment amount per investor in any series is $250,000 (12,500 Class A shares) and the minimum investment amount per investor in any series is $15,000 (750 Class A shares) for investors that have not previously invested in offerings via the Masterworks Platform and $500 (25 Class A shares) for investors that have previously invested in other offerings on the Masterworks Platform. We reserve the right to reject any subscription, waive or increase the maximum purchase restriction or waive or decrease the minimum purchase restriction in our sole and absolute discretion and we routinely grant such waivers, increases or reductions for categories of investors or on a case-by-case basis. Accordingly, investors should not assume that the stated minimum investment restriction will be applied uniformly to all investors.
Subscriptions, once received, are irrevocable by the investors. Further, pursuant to the terms of the Company’s operating agreement, an investor, other than an affiliate of Masterworks, generally cannot own, or be deemed to beneficially own, as “beneficial ownership” is determined pursuant to Section 13(d) and 13(g) of the Securities Act, more than 24.99% of the total number of Class A shares of a series outstanding. We may waive such limit on a case-by-case basis in our sole discretion.
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Generally, no sale may be made to you in the offering of a series if the aggregate purchase price you pay for your investment in any of the interests of our company (in connection with any series offered under Regulation A) is more than 10% of the greater of your annual income or net worth. Different rules apply to accredited investors and non-natural persons. Before making any representation that your investment does not exceed applicable thresholds, we encourage you to review Rule 251(d)(2)(i)(C) of Regulation A. For general information on investing, you are encouraged to refer to www.investor.gov.
As a Tier 2, Regulation A offering, investors must comply with the 10% limitation to investment. The only investor in the offering of a series exempt from this limitation is an accredited investor, an “Accredited Investor,” as defined under Rule 501 of Regulation D. If you meet one of the following tests you should qualify as an Accredited Investor:
(i) | You are a natural person who has had individual income in excess of $200,000 in each of the two most recent years, or joint income with your spouse or spousal equivalent in excess of $300,000 in each of these years, and have a reasonable expectation of reaching the same income level in the current year; |
(ii) | You are a natural person and your individual net worth, or joint net worth with your spouse or spousal equivalent, exceeds $1,000,000 at the time you purchase Class A shares (please see below on how to calculate your net worth); |
(iii) | You are a director, executive officer or general partner of the issuer or a director, executive officer, or general partner of the general partner of the issuer; |
(iv) | You are an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, a corporation, a Massachusetts or similar business trust or a partnership, or limited liability company, not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the Class A shares, with total assets in excess of $5,000,000; |
(v) | You are a bank or a savings and loan association or other institution as defined in the Securities Act, a broker or dealer registered pursuant to Section 15 of the Exchange Act, an investment advisor registered pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 or registered pursuant to the laws of a state, an investment advisor relying on the exemption of registering with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, an insurance company as defined by the Securities Act, an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, or a business development company as defined in that act, any Small Business Investment Company licensed by the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, or a Rural Business Investment Company as defined in the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, or a private business development company as defined in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; |
(vi) | You are an entity (including an Individual Retirement Account trust) in which each equity owner is an accredited investor; |
(vii) | You are a trust with total assets in excess of $5,000,000, your purchase of Class A shares is directed by a person who either alone or with his purchaser representative(s) (as defined in Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act) has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that he is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment, and you were not formed for the specific purpose of investing in the Class A shares; or |
(viii) | You are a plan established and maintained by a state, its political subdivisions, or any agency or instrumentality of a state or its political subdivisions, for the benefit of its employees, if such plan has assets in excess of $5,000,000; an employee benefit plan within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 if the investment decision is made by a plan fiduciary, as defined in such act, which is either a bank, savings and loan association, insurance company, or registered investment adviser, or if the employee benefit plan has total assets in excess of $5,000,000 or, if a self-directed plan, with investment decisions made solely by persons that are accredited investors; |
(ix) | You are an entity, of a type not listed in the above paragraphs (iv), (v), (vi), (vii), or (viii), not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the Class A shares, owning investments in excess of $5,000,000; |
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(x) | You are a natural person holding in good standing one or more professional certifications or designations or credentials from an accredited educational institution that the SEC has designated as qualifying an individual for accredited investor status; |
(xi) | You are a “family office,” as defined by the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, with assets under management in excess of $5,000,000, and is not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the Class A shares, and your prospective investment is directed by a person who has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that such family office is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment; |
(xii) | You are a “family client,” as defined under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, of a family office meeting the requirements in the above paragraph (xi), and your prospective investment in the issuer is directed by such family office pursuant to the above paragraph (xi). |
Offering Period and Expiration Date
The series offerings are being conducted as a continuous offering pursuant to Rule 251(d)(3) of Regulation A, meaning that while the offering of a particular series is continuous, active sales of series interests may take place sporadically over the term of the series offering. There will be a separate closing, or multiple closings, with respect to each series offering. An initial closing of a series offering will take place on the earliest to occur of (i) the date subscriptions for the maximum number of series Class A shares have been accepted, (ii) a date determined by us in our sole discretion and (iii) the date that is 24 months following the qualification date of the offering statement. Notwithstanding, we reserve the right to terminate a series offering for any reason at any time prior to the initial closing of such series offering. Additionally, any subsequent series closing following such initial closing will take place on the earliest to occur of (i) the date subscriptions for the maximum number of series Class A shares have been accepted, (ii) a date determined by us in our sole discretion and (iii) the date that is 24 months following the qualification date of the offering statement. If an initial closing has not occurred, a series offering will be terminated upon the earliest to occur of (i) the date that is 24 months following the qualification date of the offering statement and (ii) any date on which we elect to terminate the offering for a particular series in our sole discretion. No securities are being offered by existing security-holders.
Masterworks Platform
We plan to use the Masterworks Platform website at https://www.masterworks.com/ to provide notification of the anticipated series offerings. Prior to the qualification of a series offering by the SEC, we may post information about the anticipated series offering on the Masterworks Platform website, including prior auction sales of art created by the artist. This offering circular as well as amendments to this offering circular after it has been publicly filed and prior to qualification by the SEC will be furnished to prospective investors for their review via download 24 hours per day, 7 days per week on the website as well.
Procedures for Subscribing
After the qualification by the SEC of the offering statement of which this offering circular is a part, if you decide to subscribe for any Class A shares in any series offering, you should visit the Masterworks Platform website at https://www.masterworks.com/, and follow the links and procedures described on the website. The website will direct you to receive (upon your acknowledgement that you have had the opportunity to review this offering circular), review, execute and deliver the subscription agreement electronically. The Masterworks Platform provides a secure portal to enable you to subscribe as follows:
1. | You will be required to provide basic identifying information, including your name, email address, phone number, and to establish a password, after which you will be prompted to continue to the next screen. After that, Masterworks sends you an email requesting you to click a link that verifies your email address and confirms that you created your profile with Masterworks. |
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2. | If applicable, based on your identifying information, you may be prompted to schedule a call with a Masterworks Advisers adviser representative, at which time you will also review and sign an Investment Advisory Agreement, a form of which is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to the offering statement of which this offering circular is an integral part. | |
3. | Once you complete a call with a Masterworks Advisers adviser representative, if applicable, and once a series offering has been qualified by the SEC, you can initiate the subscription process by clicking a “Invest Now” link adjacent to a reference to the particular offering. | |
4. | You will then be presented with a link to the Offering Circular (and any post qualification supplements or amendments, if applicable) and basic information about the series offering, including an image of the relevant artwork, the maximum aggregate offering amount and the minimum investment amount. | |
5. | You will be requested to input and confirm the dollar amount of your proposed subscription. | |
6. | You will then be prompted to select whether you are investing yourself or through an entity, trust or joint account. | |
7. | After a prompt to continue, you will be requested to select a payment method, including: (i) linking a bank account to facilitate payment through the Automated Clearing House, or ACH, (ii) federal funds wire transfer, (iii) credit card, (iv) transfer from an IRA account, or (v) your Masterworks wallet as follows:
(a) ACH. If you choose to link your bank account, you will be requested to select your bank among a directory of banks and you will be prompted to provide your bank user name and password and to select the particular account. You may also confirm your bank account by confirming micro deposits in lieu of using your user name and password. |
(b) Wire Transfer. If you choose to pay by wire transfer, you will be provided with the issuer’s bank account number, routing number and bank address, along with a unique identifying code that will enable us to match the incoming wire transfer with your subscription.
(c) Credit Card. If you choose to pay by credit card, you will be prompted to provide your credit card information and will be presented with a screen that reflects the amount of your subscription, the amount of fees that would be charged by the credit card issuer for the transaction and the total amount payable. | ||
8. | After payment is complete, you will be directed to review and execute a copy of the subscription agreement, which contains an active hyper-link to the operating agreement for the issuer and is self-populated with your name, address, telephone number, subscription amount and method of payment. | |
9. | Next, you will be requested to complete certain special reporting obligations questions. Then, you must verify your identity and you will be presented with an active hyperlink to a Customer ID Program Notice which describes the identification information you need to provide. You will be prompted to provide us with your address, date of birth and your social security or tax identification number. You will also be asked: (i) whether you are an accredited investor (with appropriate definitions provided) and if not, you will be asked to confirm that your investment will be less than 10% of your net worth or annual gross income, (ii) whether you or anyone in your household are associated with a FINRA member, securities exchange, self-regulatory organization or the SEC and (iii) whether you or anyone in your household or immediate family is a 10% shareholder, officer, or member of the board of directors of a publicly traded company. | |
10. | After your identity is cleared against certain governmental terrorist watch lists and lists designed to prevent or deter money-laundering, you will be presented with a confirmation of your accepted subscription. Investors selecting ACH or wire transfer will receive an email that payment has been initiated and a follow-up email indicating that the payment has been received by the issuer. | |
11. | You will receive an email confirmation indicating the amount of your subscription, along with a fully executed copy of the subscription agreement, which will be time and date stamped, for your records. |
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12. | You will then be presented with a screen requesting certain tax exemption status information that will be used, along with other information previously provided, to populate a Form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification) or W-8 (International), as applicable. | |
13. | Lastly, you will be directed to a “My Account” screen that summarizes the status of your subscription, order history, whether or not shares have been issued, profile information, tax documents and active hyperlinks to the subscription agreement and operating agreement. |
Any potential investor will have ample time to review the Subscription Agreement, along with their counsel, prior to making any final investment decision. We will not accept any money until the SEC declares this offering circular qualified.
The subscription funds advanced by prospective investors as part of the subscription process will be held in a non-interest bearing segregated sub account of the Company with Goldman Sachs Bank USA, or a similar institution and will not be commingled with the account of any other series or the Company, until, if and when there is a closing with respect to that series. The funds in the account will be released to us on each closing date. We intend to complete multiple closings of each series offering and, until a closing date of a series offering, the proceeds for the series offering will be kept in the segregated bank account. At the closing of each series offering, the proceeds will be distributed to us and the associated Class A shares of the applicable series will be issued to the investors in this series offering. If any series offering is terminated without a closing, or if a prospective investor’s subscription is not accepted or is cut back due to oversubscription or otherwise, such amounts placed into a segregated account will be returned promptly without interest. Any costs and expenses associated with a terminated series offering will be borne by Masterworks.
You will be required to represent and warrant in your subscription agreement that you are an accredited investor as defined under Rule 501 of Regulation D or that your investment in any of the interests of the Company (in connection with any series offered under Regulation A) does not exceed 10% of your net worth or annual income, whichever is greater, if you are a natural person, or 10% of your revenues or net assets, whichever is greater, calculated as of your most recent fiscal year if you are a non-natural person. By completing and executing your subscription agreement you will also acknowledge and represent that you have received a copy of this offering circular, you are purchasing the Class A shares of a series for your own account and that your rights and responsibilities regarding your Class A shares of a series will be governed by our operating agreement and Certificate of Formation, each filed as an exhibit to the offering statement of which this offering circular forms an integral part. Purchasers of the Class A shares of a series in the offering of a series and subsequent purchasers will be deemed to become party to the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC operating agreement, a form of which is filed as Exhibit 2.3 to the offering statement of which this offering circular forms an integral part.
● | Right to Reject Subscriptions. After we receive your complete, executed subscription agreement and the funds required under the subscription agreement have been transferred to the noninterest-bearing sub account, we have the right to review and accept or reject your subscription in whole or in part, for any reason or for no reason. We will return all monies from rejected subscriptions immediately to you, without interest or deduction. | |
● | Acceptance of Subscriptions. Upon our acceptance of a subscription agreement, we will countersign the subscription agreement and issue the Class A shares of the series subscribed at the applicable closing. Once you submit the subscription agreement and it is accepted, you may not revoke or change your subscription or request your subscription funds. All accepted subscription agreements are irrevocable. |
Under Rule 251 of Regulation A, non-accredited, non-natural investors are subject to the investment limitation and may only invest funds which do not exceed 10% of the greater of the purchaser’s revenue or net assets (as of the purchaser’s most recent fiscal year end). A non-accredited, natural person may only invest funds which do not exceed 10% of the greater of the purchaser’s annual income or net worth (please see below on how to calculate your net worth).
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For the purposes of calculating your Net Worth, it is defined as the difference between total assets and total liabilities. This calculation must exclude the value of your primary residence and may exclude any indebtedness secured by your primary residence (up to an amount equal to the value of your primary residence). In the case of fiduciary accounts, net worth and/or income suitability requirements may be satisfied by the beneficiary of the account or by the fiduciary, if the fiduciary directly or indirectly provides funds for the purchase of the Class A shares of a series.
In order to purchase Class A shares of a series and prior to the acceptance of any funds from an investor, an investor will be required to represent, to our satisfaction, that he or she is either an accredited investor or is in compliance with the 10% of net worth or annual income limitation on investment in the offering of the series.
Non-U.S. investors may participate in the offering of a series by depositing their funds in the non-interest-bearing segregated account. Any such funds that are received shall be held on deposit until the applicable closing under the offering of the series or returned if there is no closing.
Selling Restrictions
Notice to prospective investors in Canada
The offering of the Class A shares of a series in Canada is being made on a private placement basis in reliance on exemptions from the prospectus requirements under the securities laws of each applicable Canadian province and territory where the Class A shares of a series may be offered and sold, and therein may only be made with investors that are purchasing as principal and that qualify as both an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus and Registration Exemptions and as a “permitted client” as such term is defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligation. Any offer and sale of the Class A shares of a series in any province or territory of Canada may only be made through a dealer that is properly registered under the securities legislation of the applicable province or territory wherein the Class A shares of a series are offered and/or sold or, alternatively, by a dealer that qualifies under and is relying upon an exemption from the registration requirements therein.
Any resale of the Class A shares of a series by an investor resident in Canada must be made in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws, which may require resales to be made in accordance with prospectus and registration requirements, statutory exemptions from the prospectus and registration requirements or under a discretionary exemption from the prospectus and registration requirements granted by the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authority. These resale restrictions may under certain circumstances apply to resales of the Class A shares of a series outside of Canada.
Upon receipt of this document, each Canadian investor hereby confirms that it has expressly requested that all documents evidencing or relating in any way to the sale of the securities described herein (including for greater certainty any purchase confirmation or any notice) be drawn up in the English language only. Par la réception de ce document, chaque investisseur canadien confirme par les présentes qu’il a expressément exigé que tous les documents faisant foi ou se rapportant de quelque manière que ce soit à la vente des valeurs mobilières décrites aux présentes (incluant, pour plus de certitude, toute confirmation d’achat ou tout avis) soient rédigés en anglais seulement.
Notice to prospective investors in the European Economic Area
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area (each, a “Relevant Member State”), no offer of Class A shares of a series may be made to the public in that Relevant Member State other than:
● | To any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive; | |
● | To fewer than 100 or, if the Relevant Member State has implemented the relevant provision of the 2010 PD Amending Directive, 150, natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted under the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives; or | |
● | In any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, |
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provided that no such offer of Class A shares of a series shall require us or the representatives to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 16 of the Prospectus Directive.
Each person in a Relevant Member State who initially acquires any Class A shares of a series or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that it is a “qualified investor” within the meaning of the law in that Relevant Member State implementing Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive. In the case of any Class A shares of a series being offered to a financial intermediary as that term is used in Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, each such financial intermediary will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that the Class A shares of a series acquired by it in the offer have not been acquired on a non-discretionary basis on behalf of, nor have they been acquired with a view to their offer or resale to, persons in circumstances which may give rise to an offer of any Class A shares of a series to the public other than their offer or resale in a Relevant Member State to qualified investors as so defined or in circumstances in which the prior consent of the representatives has been obtained to each such proposed offer or resale.
We, the representatives and their affiliates will rely upon the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations, acknowledgements and agreements.
This offering circular has been prepared on the basis that any offer of Class A shares of a series in any Relevant Member State will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Directive from the requirement to publish a prospectus for offers of Class A shares of a series. Accordingly, any person making or intending to make an offer in that Relevant Member State of Class A shares of a series which are the subject of the offering contemplated in this offering circular may only do so in circumstances in which no obligation arises for us to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive in relation to such offer. We have not authorized, nor do we authorize, the making of any offer of Class A shares of a series in circumstances in which an obligation arises for us to publish a prospectus for such offer.
For the purpose of the above provisions, the expression “an offer to the public” in relation to any Class A shares of a series in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Class A shares of a series to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the Class A shares of a series, as the same may be varied in the Relevant Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in the Relevant Member State and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member States) and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State and the expression “2010 PD Amending Directive” means Directive 2010/73/EU.
Notice to prospective investors in the United Kingdom
In addition, in the United Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed only at, and any offer subsequently made may only be directed at persons who are “qualified investors” (as defined in the Prospectus Directive) (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19 (5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the “Order”) and/or (ii) who are high net worth companies (or persons to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated) falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”).
Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on the information included in this document or use it as basis for taking any action. In the United Kingdom, any investment or investment activity that this document relates to may be made or taken exclusively by relevant persons. Any person in the United Kingdom that is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.
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Notice to Prospective Investors in Switzerland
The Class A shares of a series may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, or SIX, or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the Class A shares of a series or the offering of a series may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.
Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering of a series, our Company, the Class A shares of a series have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of Class A shares of a series will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA (FINMA), and the offer of Class A shares of a series has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes, or CISA. The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of Class A shares of a series.
Notice to Prospective Investors in the Dubai International Financial Centre
This offering circular relates to an Exempt Offer in accordance with the Offered Securities Rules of the Dubai Financial Services Authority, or DFSA. This Offering circular is intended for distribution only to persons of a type specified in the Offered Securities Rules of the DFSA. It must not be delivered to, or relied on by, any other person. The DFSA has no responsibility for reviewing or verifying any documents in connection with Exempt Offers. The DFSA has not approved this offering circular nor taken steps to verify the information set forth herein and has no responsibility for the offering circular. The Class A shares of a series to which this offering circular relates may be illiquid and/or subject to restrictions on their resale. Prospective purchasers of the Class A shares of a series offered should conduct their own due diligence on the Class A shares of a series. If you do not understand the contents of this offering circular you should consult an authorized financial advisor.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Australia
No placement document, prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document has been lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, or ASIC, in relation to the offering of a series. This offering circular does not constitute a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act 2001, or the Corporations Act, and does not purport to include the information required for a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other disclosure document under the Corporations Act.
Any offer in Australia of the Class A shares of a series may only be made to persons, or the Exempt Investors, who are “sophisticated investors” (within the meaning of section 708(8) of the Corporations Act), “professional investors” (within the meaning of section 708(11) of the Corporations Act) or otherwise pursuant to one or more exemptions contained in section 708 of the Corporations Act so that it is lawful to offer the Class A shares of a series without disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act.
The Class A shares of a series applied for by Exempt Investors in Australia must not be offered for sale in Australia in the period of 12 months after the date of allotment under a series offering, except in circumstances where disclosure to investors under Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act would not be required pursuant to an exemption under section 708 of the Corporations Act or otherwise or where the offer is pursuant to a disclosure document which complies with Chapter 6D of the Corporations Act. Any person acquiring Class A shares of a series must observe such Australian on-sale restrictions.
This offering circular contains general information only and does not take account of the investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any particular person. It does not contain any securities recommendations or financial product advice. Before making an investment decision, investors need to consider whether the information in this offering circular is appropriate to their needs, objectives and circumstances, and, if necessary, seek expert advice on those matters.
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Notice to prospective investors in China
This offering circular does not constitute a public offer of the Class A shares of a series, whether by sale or subscription, in the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”). The Class A shares of a series are not being offered or sold directly or indirectly in the PRC to or for the benefit of, legal or natural persons of the PRC.
Further, no legal or natural persons of the PRC may directly or indirectly purchase any of the Class A shares of a series or any beneficial interest therein without obtaining all prior PRC’s governmental approvals that are required, whether statutorily or otherwise. Persons who come into possession of this document are required by the issuer and its representatives to observe these restrictions.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Hong Kong
The Class A shares of a series have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than (a) to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made under that Ordinance; or (b) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that Ordinance. No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the Class A shares of a series has been or may be issued or has been or may be in the possession of any person for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to Class A shares of a series which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made under that Ordinance.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Japan
The Class A shares of a series have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948, as amended) and, accordingly, will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan, or for the benefit of any Japanese Person or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to any Japanese Person, except in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines promulgated by relevant Japanese governmental or regulatory authorities in effect at the relevant time. For the purposes of this paragraph, “Japanese Person” shall mean any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan.
Notice to Prospective Investors in Singapore
This offering circular has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this offering circular and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of Class A shares of a series may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the Class A shares of a series be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore, or the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275, of the SFA, or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.
Where the Class A shares of a series are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:
(a) A corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire Class A share capital of a series of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or
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(b) A trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor, securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the Class A shares of a series pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except:
(i) To an institutional investor or to a relevant person defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or to any person arising from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA;
(ii) Where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer;
(iii) Where the transfer is by operation of law;
(iv) As specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or
(v) As specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Class A shares of a series) Regulations 2005 of Singapore.
Investment adviser representatives of Masterworks Advisers, LLC (“Masterworks Advisers”), a SEC registered investment adviser, will provide investment advisory services to persons who have indicated an interest in investing in the Class A shares of each series offered pursuant to this offering circular and other offerings sponsored by Masterworks. These advisory services will be provided by a dedicated team of investment adviser representatives who are employees of Masterworks and associated persons of Masterworks Advisers. Any investor that speaks to an adviser representative will be requested to enter into an Investment Advisory Agreement with Masterworks Advisers, a form of which is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to the offering statement of which this offering circular is an integral part. The adviser representatives receive fixed compensation from Masterworks and Masterworks Advisers, and may also receive discretionary non-transaction-based incentive compensation from Masterworks Advisers and Masterworks affiliates. All funds necessary for the services provided by Masterworks Advisers and the dedicated advisor representatives are paid by Masterworks and no separate fees will be charged to investors in the series offerings in respect of such services.
In addition, Masterworks Advisers may be deemed to be a statutory underwriter in connection with the distribution of the series offerings and or other offerings sponsored by Masterworks. The adviser representatives dedicated to providing investment advisory services to persons interested in investing in Masterworks securities offerings will not provide recommendations or advice on any alternative investments or other asset classes. In light of the exclusive nature of the arrangement between dedicated adviser representatives and Masterworks Advisers and Masterworks, coupled with the fact that Masterworks Advisers is a wholly owned subsidiary of Masterworks and all funds used to compensate the dedicated adviser representatives are paid by Masterworks, Masterworks Advisers and these adviser representatives have conflicts of interest and lack the independence of other investment professionals who may provide more generalized investment advice.
Masterworks will pay all expenses of the series offerings, including fees and expenses associated with qualification of the series offerings under Regulation A. Therefore, the gross proceeds from the series offerings will equal the net proceeds from the series offerings. We intend to use a portion of the proceeds from the initial closing of the series offerings to contribute to segregated portfolios of Masterworks Cayman to acquire the Artworks of the series, and if and to the extent such proceeds are less than the purchase price, pursuant to a financing, license and sourcing agreement, the form of which is filed as Exhibit 6.4 to the offering statement of which this Offering Circular forms an integral part, Masterworks will advance to the segregated portfolios of Masterworks Cayman that will acquire the Artworks of a series any additional funds required to consummate the acquisitions. The remaining net proceeds of the series offerings, together with any unsold Class A shares of the series, if any, will be contributed to the segregated portfolios of Masterworks Cayman that will acquire the Artworks and will be used to repay the Masterworks advance and pay Masterworks the Expense Allocation. Accordingly, in any circumstance in which an initial closing of a series offering occurs, at the time of the final closing of such series offering, all Class A shares of such series will be issued and outstanding, the purchase price of the Artwork of such series and the Expense Allocation will be fully paid, each series will own its respective Artwork and the Company will have no indebtedness.
The gross proceeds of each series offering will be used for the following:
Series 301
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 632,500 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 69,500 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 702,000 | 100 | % |
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Series 302
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 500,000 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 55,000 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 555,000 | 100 | % |
Series 304
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 632,500 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 69,500 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 702,000 | 100 | % |
Series 307
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 501,500 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 55,500 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 557,000 | 100 | % |
Series 308
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 2,205,000 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 243,000 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 2,448,000 | 100 | % |
Series 310
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 775,000 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 85,000 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 860,000 | 100 | % |
Series 311
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 3,200,000 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 352,000 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 3,552,000 | 100 | % |
Series 312
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 1,562,500 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 171,500 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 1,734,000 | 100 | % |
Series 313
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 478,800 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 52,200 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 531,000 | 100 | % |
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Series 317
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 1,000,000 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 110,000 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 1,110,000 | 100 | % |
Series 321
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 374,696 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 41,304 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 416,000 | 100 | % |
Series 324
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 2,200,000 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 242,000 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 2,442,000 | 100 | % |
Series 326
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 7,000,000 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 770,000 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 7,770,000 | 100 | % |
Series 328
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 1,025,000 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 113,000 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 1,138,000 | 100 | % |
Series 331
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 3,800,000 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 418,000 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 4,218,000 | 100 | % |
Series 333
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 502,500 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 55,500 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 558,000 | 100 | % |
Series 335
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 430,000 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 47,000 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 477,000 | 100 | % |
Series 341
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 4,000,000 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 440,000 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 4,440,000 | 100 | % |
Series 347
Uses | Amount | Percentage of Gross Proceeds | ||||||
Acquisition of Artwork | $ | 285,929 | 90.09 | % | ||||
Expense Allocation Payment(1) | $ | 31,071 | 9.91 | % | ||||
Total Proceeds | $ | 317,000 | 100 | % |
(1) | Masterworks will receive an upfront payment, or “Expense Allocation” which is intended to be a fixed non-recurring expense allocation for (i) financing commitments, (ii) Masterworks’ sourcing the Artwork of a series, (iii) all research, data analysis, condition reports, appraisal, due diligence, travel, currency conversion and legal services to acquire the Artwork of a series and (iv) the use of the Masterworks Platform and Masterworks intellectual property. No other expenses associated with the organization of the Company, any series offering or the purchase and securitization of the Artwork will be paid, directly or indirectly, by the Company, any series or investors in any series offering. |
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The discussions contained in this offering circular relating to the artist applicable to each series, the Artwork of each series and the art industry are taken from third-party sources that the Company believes to be reliable and the Company believes that the information from such sources contained herein regarding the artist applicable to each series, the Artwork of each series and the art industry is reasonable, and that the factual information therein is fair and accurate.
Overview
We were formed as a Delaware series limited liability company on May 24, 2023, by Masterworks to facilitate investment in specific Artworks. We are a manager-managed limited liability company managed by a Board of Managers. Upon our formation, Masterworks was issued membership interests of the initial series of the Company representing 100% of our membership interests of each such series and will thereafter own 100% of the membership interests of each series prior to the initial closing of the offering conducted by such series. Masterworks adopted our amended and restated operating agreement and Masterworks will hold 1,000 Class B shares of each series that offers Class A shares. On or prior to the initial closing of the initial series offerings, we will enter into the management services agreement with our Administrator pursuant to which the Administrator will agree to maintain the Artwork of each series and manage our business. Our Administrator can withdraw for any reason from its position as our Administrator, subject to certain conditions.
Masterworks, acting as agent for the Company, is seeking to acquire a specific Artwork for each series of the Company at public auction or in a privately negotiated transaction from a private seller. No closing of any series offering will occur prior to the acquisition by such series of the relevant Artwork.
We intend to use a portion of the proceeds from the initial closing of each series offering to, indirectly through a segregated portfolio company of Masterworks Cayman, acquire the Artwork of a series, and if and to the extent such proceeds are less than the purchase price, Masterworks will advance such segregated portfolio any additional funds required to consummate the acquisition. The remaining net proceeds of a series offering, together with any unsold Class A shares in a series, if any, will be contributed to the segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman that will acquire the Artwork for such series and will be used to repay the Masterworks advance and pay Masterworks the Expense Allocation. The Masterworks advance does not incur interest. Following the initial closing of a series offering, title to the Artwork of a series will be held in such segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman. The Artwork of a series will be the only asset of a segregated portfolio and neither the series nor the segregated portfolio will have any indebtedness.
We do not expect to generate any material amount of revenues or cash flow from the Artwork of any series unless and until the Artwork of such series is sold and no profits will be realized by investors unless the Artwork of such series is sold for more than we acquire it for, plus the Expense Allocation amount and we have sufficient funds after payment of all associated costs and fees in connection with the sale of the Artwork of such series, or the investors are able sell their Class A shares of such series for a price higher than they purchased them for. We will be 100% reliant on the Administrator to maintain the Artwork of each series and manage our business.
Pursuant to a management services agreement among Masterworks, Masterworks Cayman and us to be entered into prior to the initial closing of the initial series offerings, Masterworks will manage all of our Company-specific administrative services and will maintain the Artwork of each series. In exchange for these services and paying all ordinary and necessary operating costs and expenses, Masterworks will receive SPC Preferred shares of a segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman, referred to as “SPC Preferred shares,” at a rate of 1.5% of the total SPC shares of such segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman outstanding which holds the Artwork of an applicable series, after giving effect to such issuance, per annum. Such issuances shall commence on the earliest closing date on which the offering is fully subscribed and at least 95% of the subscription proceeds for such offering have been received by the Company. These SPC Preferred shares will be subject to vesting provisions set forth in the management services agreement. There is no overall limit to the number of SPC Preferred shares that may be issued to pay these fees. SPC Preferred shares of any series shall vest on the three-year anniversary of the final closing of the applicable series offering, as may be extended or shortened in accordance with the management services agreement. SPC Preferred shares have no voting rights, but have a $20.00 per share liquidation preference over SPC Ordinary shares which are held by each series. This preference means that Masterworks management fees will be paid in priority to any payments made to Class A shareholders. After vesting, the SPC Preferred shares will be exchangeable for Class A shares of the series of which the segregated portfolio holds the Artwork at an exchange rate of 1 for 1 in the Administrator’s sole discretion. Once SPC Preferred shares are exchanged for Class A shares of a series, there will be dilution to the holders of the Class A shares of such series. SPC Preferred shares can only be issued to, transferred to, or, held by, a Masterworks affiliate. The Administrator will also manage any extraordinary or non-routine services which may be required, from time-to-time, including, without limitation, litigation or services in connection with a sale of the Artwork of a series or any sale, merger, third-party tender offer or other similar transaction involving us. Any third-party costs incurred by the Administrator or payments made by the Administrator in connection with litigation or major transactions will be accrued as a liability of the applicable series and reimbursed upon the sale of the Artwork of a series or our Company, as applicable. Masterworks may determine to sell the Artwork of a series without engaging a third-party intermediary, in which event, Masterworks would be entitled to recoup its costs of marketing and selling the Artwork by seeking reimbursement from the applicable series or by charging the buyer a sales commission in connection with such sale. For more information regarding the management services agreement, see “Management.” We will not conduct any business activities except for activities relating to the ownership, maintenance, promotion and the eventual sale of the Artwork of a series. Our strategy will be to display and promote the Artwork of a series in a manner designed to enhance its provenance and increase its exposure and its value.
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Our Series LLC and Offering Structure
Each Artwork that we acquire will be owned by a separate series of the Company that we will establish to acquire that Artwork. Each series will hold title to the specific Artwork that it acquires in a segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman SPC, a Cayman Islands segregated portfolio company. At the time of the initial closing of the offering for any particular series, the series will own 100% of the segregated portfolio that owns the Artwork, but such ownership interest will be diluted over time by Masterworks’ management fees as described under “Dilution”. We expect that the Company and each series will be regarded for income tax purposes as separate partnerships.
As a Delaware series limited liability company, the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred, contracted for or otherwise existing with respect to a particular series of the Company are segregated and enforceable only against the assets of such series under Delaware law. Similarly, as a Cayman Islands segregated portfolio company, the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred, contracted for or otherwise existing of a particular segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman are segregated and enforceable only against the assets of such segregated portfolio under Cayman Islands law. This means that a creditor of the Company or Masterworks Cayman would only be entitled to recover against assets attributed and credited to the specific series of the Company or segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman, as applicable, to which the obligation is attributed.
The number of Class A shares offered in any series offering will equal the quotient of (i) the price paid to acquire the Artwork, plus the Expense Allocation payable to Masterworks, divided by (ii) $20.00, which represents the offering price per Class A share for each series offering. There is no minimum number of Class A shares or dollar amount that needs to be sold of a series as a condition of any closing of the offering of a series. If any of the Class A shares offered by a series remain unsold as of the final closing, such unsold Class A shares shall be issued to Masterworks, in full satisfaction of its advance and the Expense Allocation as described in this Offering Circular. Subscriptions, once received, are irrevocable by investors.
The Class A shares represent an investment solely in a particular series and, thus, indirectly in the Artwork owned by that series. The Class A shares do not represent an investment in any other assets of the Company or in Masterworks. We do not anticipate that any series will own anything other than the single Artwork associated with such series. We currently anticipate that the operations of the Company, including the formation of additional series and the corresponding acquisition of additional Artworks, will benefit investors by allowing investors to build a diversified portfolio of art investments.
Our series offerings are conducted as a continuous offering pursuant to Rule 251(d)(3) of Regulation A, meaning that while the offering of a particular series is continuous, active sales of series interests may take place sporadically over the term of the offering.
There will be a separate closing, or multiple closings, with respect to each series offering. An initial closing of a series offering will take place on the earliest to occur of (i) the date subscriptions for the maximum number of series Class A shares have been accepted, (ii) a date determined by us in our sole discretion and (iii) the date that is 24 months following the qualification date of the offering statement. We reserve the right to terminate a series offering for any reason at any time prior to the initial closing of such series offering.
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Each series offering is being conducted pursuant to Regulation A of Section 3(6) of the Securities Act for Tier 2 offerings. Masterworks is not registered as a broker-dealer. The subscription funds advanced by prospective investors as part of the subscription process with respect to a particular series will be held in a noninterest-bearing segregated sub account of the Company with Goldman Sachs Bank USA, or a similar institution and will not be commingled with the account of any other series or the Company, until, if and when there is a closing with respect to that investor and that series. See “Plan of Distribution” and “Description of Shares” for additional information.
Acquisitions and Sales of Artwork
Artwork is sourced through Masterworks dedicated acquisitions team, composed of individuals with significant expertise in the art market, valuation and execution of art transactions. This team is supported by Masterworks research, analytics and an extensive art market database. Artwork we acquire for each series offering will be described in the section of this offering circular entitled “The Series Artwork.” We expect that Artwork we acquire will typically meet the below-listed general criteria, though we may offer an investment in series that hold Artwork that do not satisfy all of such criteria, including for the avoidance of doubt Artwork in other collecting categories:
● | paintings, but may also include sculptures and other artistic objects; | |
● | created by artists generally considered within the Post-War and Contemporary collecting category; | |
● | created by artists with significant secondary market traction, evidenced by sales volume in excess of a minimum of $1.0 million annually at public auction; and | |
● | acquisition price of between $150,000 and $30,000,000 and that we believe is at or below the fair market value of the Artwork. |
The acquisition of the Artworks by segregated portfolios of Masterworks Cayman is planned to occur contemporaneously with or before the initial closing of each series offering. We intend to use a portion of the proceeds from the initial closings of the series offerings to contribute to segregated portfolios of Masterworks Cayman to acquire the Artworks, and if and to the extent such proceeds are less than the purchase price, Masterworks will advance such segregated portfolios of Masterworks Cayman any additional funds required to consummate the acquisitions. The remaining net proceeds of the series offerings, together with any unsold Class A shares of such series, if any, will be contributed to the segregated portfolios of Masterworks Cayman that will acquire the Artworks and will be used to repay the Masterworks advance and pay Masterworks the Expense Allocation. No interest will accrue on the Masterworks advance. Following the initial closings of each series offering, title to the Artworks will be held in such segregated portfolios of Masterworks Cayman. After completion of an offering, ownership of shares in a segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman will be the only material asset of a series and the relevant Artwork will be the only asset of the segregated portfolios, and neither the series nor the segregated portfolio will have any indebtedness.
We determine to sell Artwork based on a number of factors, including our perception of the fair value of the Artwork relative to its proposed selling price, our perspective on the current state and future direction of the applicable artist market and the art market more generally, the absolute net returns we can deliver to shareholders, the length of our holding period and other factors. Artwork may be sold through public auction or privately through galleries, art market intermediaries or directly to collectors. We may sell Artwork through a gallery or other intermediary from which we acquired the Artwork, particularly for Artwork by an artist that is associated with or represented by such gallery or intermediary. We may own the Artwork for an indefinite period of time and each series may sell its Artwork at any time following the final closing of the offering of such series. Although we expect our holding period will typically be in the range of between 3-10 years from the time of acquisition, we may own Artwork for a significantly shorter or significantly longer period. We, in our sole and absolute discretion, will be able to sell the Artwork of any series at any time and in any manner and distribute the proceeds of such sale. There is no guarantee that any sale of Artwork will be successful, or if successful, that the net proceeds realized by Class A shareholders from such transaction will be reflective of the most recent appraised value of the Artwork or the estimated net asset value of the Class A shares at such time.
Masterworks Experience Securitizing Artwork
In 2022, Masterworks affiliates acquired more than 96 distinct artworks at prices of between $400,000 and $11,000,000, making it one of the world’s most active participants in the Post-War and Contemporary art market. Masterworks has assembled a dedicated team of art market professionals focused on acquisitions, sales, valuation and transaction execution. These teams are staffed with individuals with diverse backgrounds and deep experience in the art market, including art investment, transactions, research and analysis. Masterworks has developed an extensive network of relationships with auction houses, galleries, art intermediaries, private collectors, conservators, logistics firms and other professionals in the United States, Europe and Asia, which it believes provides it with informational and transactional advantages in the artist markets in which it invests. This team is supported by an industry-leading art market research function and extensive database of public auction data.
Scott W. Lynn, the Founder of Masterworks and Chief Executive Officer of the Administrator has been an active collector of Post-War and Contemporary art for more than twenty years and has built an internationally-recognized collection of Abstract Expressionism that has included works by Clyfford Still, Barnett Newman, Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, and more.
Set forth below is a summary of Masterworks’ experience securitizing Artwork. Other than the offerings described below, Masterworks has not offered any prior Regulation A investment programs in which disclosed in the offering materials was a date and time period at which the investment program might be liquidated.
Offerings by Other Masterworks Issuers
Masterworks affiliated issuers have completed 259 Regulation A offerings as of the date of this Offering Circular, each representing an investment in a single artwork. Artists whose artworks are beneficially owned by these issuers include some of the most iconic Post-War and Contemporary artists, including Andy Warhol, Banksy, Ed Ruscha, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Yayoi Kusama, among many others.
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Additional offerings by Masterworks affiliated issuers have been qualified by the SEC and are currently in progress, which means that they have not yet had a final closing, though certain of these offerings have been fully subscribed. In addition, other Masterworks affiliated issuers have filed offering statements which have not been qualified by the SEC. Such offering statements contain preliminary offering circulars which are incomplete, many of which do not currently identify the artist or the subject artwork.
In addition, Masterworks sponsors offerings pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, including Rule 506(c) of Regulation D or Regulation S, by affiliated diversified artwork investment vehicles that will invest the proceeds of such offerings in a portfolio of artwork investments, which is expected to include an investment in the Class A shares of multiple series of the Company.
Dispositions
Set forth below is a summary of the Masterworks affiliated issuers that have consummated a transaction to sell artwork or have entered into a binding agreement to sell artwork. Except as set forth below, none of the artwork held by Masterworks affiliated Regulation A issuers has been sold as of the date hereof. Masterworks sells artwork opportunistically and therefore the actual returns achieved by investors in select issuers that have sold an artwork are not indicative of the investment performance of shares offered by the majority of other Masterworks issuers that have not yet sold an artwork and past performance is not indicative of future performance.
Issuer | Artist | Date of Sale Agreement | Date of Sale Announcement | Net Annualized Return(1) | |||||
Masterworks 003, LLC | Banksy | 11/16/2020 | 11/17/2020 (Form 1-U) | 32.00%(2) | |||||
Masterworks 016, LLC | Condo | 12/1/2021 | 12/3/2021(Form 1-U) | 39.30% (Form 1-U) | |||||
Masterworks 032, LLC | Oehlen | 2/22/2022 | 2/24/2022 (Form 1-U) | 36.20% (Form 1-U) | |||||
Masterworks 002, LLC | Monet | 6/23/2022 | 6/28/2022 (Form 1-U) | 9.20% (Form 1-U)(3) | |||||
Masterworks 022, LLC | Brown | 7/8/2022 | 7/12/2022 (Form 1-U) | 27.30% (Form 1-U) | |||||
Masterworks 010, LLC | Gilliam | 8/4/2022 | 8/9/2022 (Form 1-U) | 33.10% (Form 1-U) | |||||
Masterworks 025, LLC | Condo | 9/15/2022 | 9/16/2022 (Form 1-U) | 21.50% (Form 1-U) | |||||
Masterworks 014, LLC | Mitchell | 10/24/2022 | 10/27/2022 (Form 1-U) | 17.80% (Form 1-U) | |||||
Masterworks 011, LLC | Soulages | 11/18/2022 | 11/23/2022 (Form 1-U) | 13.9% (Form 1-U) | |||||
Masterworks 070, LLC | Warhol | 12/8/2022 | 12/12/2022 (Form 1-U) | 10.4% (Form 1-U) | |||||
Masterworks 028, LLC | Brown | 12/9/2022 | 12/12/2022 (Form 1-U) | 35.0% (Form 1-U) | |||||
Masterworks 181, LLC | Leigh |
3/3/2023 |
3/8/2023 (Form 1-U) |
325.5% (Form 1-U) | |||||
Masterworks 078, LLC | Warhol | 3/11/2023 | 3/16/2023 (Form 1-U) | 4.1% (Form 1-U) | |||||
Masterworks 012, LLC | Kusama | 4/6/2023 | 4/11/2023 (Form 1-U) | 17.6% (Form 1-U) | |||||
Masterworks 038, LLC | Kusama | 5/15/2023 | 5/18/2023 (Form 1-U) | N/A | |||||
Masterworks 151, LLC | Brown | 7/19/2023 | 7/21/2023 (Form 1-U) | 77.3% (Form 1-U) |
1. | “Net Annualized Return” refers to the annualized internal rate of return, or IRR, net of all fees and costs, to holders of Class A shares from the primary offering, calculated from the final closing date of such offering to the date the sale is consummated. A more detailed breakdown of the Net Annualized Return calculation for each issuer can be found in the respective Form 1-U linked, with the exception of Masterworks 003, LLC (See Note 2). A notation of “N/A”, if applicable, indicates that the Net Annualized Return for such issuer is not yet finalized. | |
2. | Net Annualized Return for Masterworks 003, LLC is based on an initial offering size of $1,039,000 and a sale price of $1,500,000, resulting in a distribution amount of $26.67 per Class A share (including 806 Class A shares issued in respect of Masterworks administrative service fees), after deduction of the Class B profit share equal to $87,996 and sale and liquidation expenses of $5,000, and a holding period of 378 days. | |
3. | Net Annualized Return for Masterworks 002, LLC reflects $23.28 per Class A share distributed to shareholders after the (i) forfeiture by the Administrator of unvested shares issuable to it in respect of administrative fees and (ii) redemption for nominal consideration of all of the profit sharing interests represented by Class B ordinary shares held by Masterworks Gallery, LLC. If the forfeiture and redemption referenced in clauses (i) and (ii) had not occurred, the Net Annualized Return would have been 6.30%. |
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About the Art Market
Primary Sources of Publicly Available Data
There are currently a limited number of sources of publicly available data on the art market. Below are leading sources often relied upon for information:
● | Art Basel, a promoter of art fairs and a subsidiary of MCH Group, an international marketing organization & UBS, an international banking organization, publishes the Art Market Report, which we refer to as the Art Basel Report, annually in March. Until recently, the report was published by the same art economist in collaboration with TEFAF. | |
● | Deloitte Luxembourg, a division of a global financial services company & ArtTactic, an art market research and analytics company, jointly publish the Art and Finance Report biannually in November. | |
● | Artnet, an art market website operated by Artnet Worldwide Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Artnet, AG, a German publicly traded company. | |
● | ArtPrice, an art market website operated by ArtMarket.com, a French publicly-traded company controlled by Groupe Serveur. | |
● | ArtTactic, an art market website operated by ArtTactic Limited, a London-based private art market research company. | |
● |
Major auction houses, including Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Phillips, among others, regularly publish data pertaining to upcoming and past auctions sales, both online and in paper catalogues. Masterworks reviews and compiles such data to derive additional analysis in the form of art market indices and summarized statistics on artists’ markets.
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Statistical data relating to the art market is difficult to obtain, incomplete, or inconsistent. It is a substantially unregulated industry. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any data or general information related to the art market.
Summary
The global art market is comprised of a network of auction houses, dealers, galleries, advisors, agents, individual collectors, museums, public institutions, and various experts and service providers engaged in the purchase and sale of unique and collectible works of art. Over the past decade, total estimated annual art sales have ranged from $50.1 billion to $68.2 billion.
Through the end of 2022, fine art auction sales from Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Phillips totaled $7.5 billion, up 14.7% from the end of 2021. The volume of international art sales increased 3% year-over-year reaching an estimated $67.8 billion by the end of 2022. The continued growth builds off the recovery in sales volume following 2021, which were up 31% from the art market’s low point in 2020. However, sales results did vary depending on the geographic region, price point and intermediary (auction, dealer etc.). The auction sector remained relatively constant at $26.8 billion, with the high end of the market (characterized by sales over $10 million) showing a slight increase in value. The main drivers of transaction volume growth came from the dealer sector, which grew to $37.2 billion, a 7% increase year-over-year. Fine art sales in 2022 also differed significantly by region. Bolstered by strong single owner collections, the U.S. market jumped 8% year-over-year to a record $30.2 billion. In 2022, the U.S. posted annual art auction turnover at $7.3 billion, up 26% year-over-year. In 2022, the U.S. market contributed to 45% of sales by value. The UK market climbed back to second position after increasing volumes by 5% to $11.9 billion or 18% of global sales. Art auction turnover in the UK also grew 8% year-over-year, totaling $2.1 billion. The sharpest contraction occurred in the Chinese market where lockdowns caused by strict zero-COVID policy limited events and buying activities in the country. From 2021 to 2022, art auction totals dropped significantly from $5.9 billion to $3.9 billion, a 34% decrease causing China to fall to 3rd in market share. Despite strong growth in the immediate years following COVID, 2022 also saw a reduction in e-commerce sales, which fell from their 2021 peak by 17%. This figure is still 85% higher than in 2019 suggesting that collectors are increasingly comfortable making purchases online.
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Prior to the pandemic induced slowdown, the last major recession in the art market occurred in 2009 when sales fell by 36% year-over-year to $39.5 billion. The market, led by sales in the U.S. and Chinese sectors, recovered strongly and by 2011 was up 44% to $64.6 billion. Despite the geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty that have forced restrictions on the art market in the last three years, the year-on-year decline has been notably less significant than in 2009. In contrast, the market’s recovery has not been as pronounced. Between 2009 and 2011 art sales increased by 63% in value whereas between 2020 and 2022 sales only increased by 35% in value.
In general, the global art market is influenced by the overall strength and stability of the global economy, geopolitical conditions, capital markets and world events, all of which may affect the willingness of potential buyers and sellers to purchase and sell art. While the global art market is large, its exact size is unknown and statistical data is inconsistent. Much of the uncertainty stems from differing estimates of the size of the private dealer and gallery market, which is based on survey data, but disparities also exist in reported auction sales.
Observations on the Historical Progression of Art Prices
The following are general observations based on a repeat-sales index of historical art market prices computed based on a value weighted-basis and focused on the Post-War & Contemporary Art category, as developed by Masterworks:
● | The Post-War & Contemporary Art category showed price appreciation at an estimated annualized rate of 12.6% from the year ended December 31, 1995 to December 31, 2022, versus 9.0% for the S&P 500 Index (includes dividends reinvested) for the same period. | |
● | Correlation factor of 0.08 between Post-War & Contemporary Art and the S&P 500 Index based on annual price performance from the year ended December 31, 1995 to December 31, 2022. | |
● | Resilience of art market transaction volume through periods of financial stress (e.g., 2001-2, 2008-9, 2020). | |
● | We believe these above characteristics present the investment case for art as a possible risk diversifier. |
Art Appraisals, Valuation, and Auction Estimates
The fair market value of art and other unique collectibles is generally assessed by expert appraisers using relative valuation techniques by analyzing historical comparative transactions involving similar works, characteristics of the specific work, supply and demand factors, subjective perceptions of value, among other factors. However, there is no efficient market that determines the price of an artwork and there is no standardized art valuation methodology.
There is tremendous variability in the market value of individual artwork by any given artist. These differences are influenced by the perceived quality of the work, materials, condition, color, size, subject matter, provenance and other factors.
Auction houses generally estimate the sale price of an artwork prior to conducting a sale. Such sale estimates are intended to provide general guidance to potential bidders regarding the expected price outcome of the artwork, however estimates may not be “arm’s length” and are often negotiated with the selling party. Therefore, they cannot be used as unbiased guidelines in determining the value of an artwork.
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Private and Gallery Sales
The private art market is made up of a network of galleries, dealers, art fairs and other intermediaries that sell artwork in privately negotiated transactions, in which transactions are generally not publicly reported. Galleries and other intermediaries that sell high end art have extensive relationships with artists, critics, collectors and others in the art market and are often driven by self-interested objectives, such as enhancing the reputation and market value of artists they represent or the market value of their inventory. Accordingly, galleries can be highly selective in determining which collectors are permitted to purchase from them, preferring those who are likely to hold works for a long period of time and enhance the provenance of a piece. Most private and gallery sales are confidential. Sellers generally determine pricing in private sales in which the dealer or gallery acts as an intermediary in negotiating a transaction with a buyer.
According to the 2020 Art Basel Report, auction sales accounted for an estimated 38% of total sales by dollar volume in 2019, as compared to approximately 43% in 2018 with the balance accounted for by the private market. Auction houses are also increasingly participating in the private market, brokering non-auction sales transactions. The relative size of the private dealer and gallery market as compared to the auction market tends to shift based on overall market sentiment, where market optimism tends to bolster auction sales.
Auction Sales
The auction market is made of a network of global and regional auction houses that conduct regular sales of artwork and other collectibles in a public auction format, as well as provide other art-related services. In general, the auction market is more transparent and more open than the private sales market as sale prices are determined through open competition, in which any qualified individual can participate and potentially buy the offered work. Interested buyers place sequential ascending bids in a format referred to by economists as an English Auction. Works which are offered for sale by the auction house on behalf of a potential seller, also referred to as a consignor, are often referred to as lots, which may be comprised of one or more items; most artwork is sold as individual lots. Auction sales occur at a fixed time and are a matter of public record. Bidders determine the price of a piece in an auction sale, though the consignor typically sets a reserve floor price below which they would be unwilling to sell the work. A low and high estimate of the sale price is set by the auction house, with the consignor’s input, based on a variety of factors, including the prior sales history, market factors like supply considerations and the reserve price floor. If a consignor does not agree with the estimate range proposed by the auction house, they can elect not to consign the work for sale or can withdraw a consignment. Auction houses often set estimates at levels to either entice bidders to participate or potential consignors to offer their work at auction, thus estimates should not necessarily be viewed as proxies for determining market value.
The price at which an auctioneer declares an item sold at a public auction, referred to as the “hammer price,” does not reflect either the amount realized by a consignor or the price paid by a buyer. In addition to the hammer price, the successful bidder must pay the so-called “buyer’s premium,” which is effectively a commission on the sale that ranges between 14.5% and 26% of the hammer price. The economics received by a consignor in an auction can vary widely. For works of relatively low value, consignors may also be required to pay a seller’s commission to the auction house. For higher value works, consignors often pay no commissions and may be entitled to receive a portion of the buyer’s premium, if not the full amount of the purchase price.
The public nature of auction sales can pose certain risks for consignors. A work that fails to sell at auction as a result of not attracting a bid in excess of the reserve price, will often be much harder to sell in the future. The rate at which artworks fail to sell at public auction, referred to as the “buy-in rate,” is generally around 30%, according to publicly available data. The value of an artwork is highly subjective, so a failure to sell a piece at auction is damaging to the perceived value of the work, a concept referred to in the art industry as “burning” the work.
In order to attract high-value consignments, an auction house may offer a guaranteed minimum price to a consignor. In exchange, the consignor agrees, if the final sale is in excess of the guaranteed amount, to pay the auction house a certain percentage of sale proceeds above the guaranteed amount. To offset the risk of a sale below the amount guaranteed to the consignor, an auction house may also secure a minimum guaranteed bid from a potential buyer, also known as a “third-party guarantee” or “irrevocable bid”. These guarantees effectively provide certainty that a successful sale will occur. The economic terms of guarantees and irrevocable bids are not typically disclosed and can vary widely based on negotiations between the relevant parties.
Auction houses publicly report total sale prices that reflect the hammer price (i.e. the price at which the auctioneer declared the winning bid), plus the buyer’s premium, but tend to exclude applicable taxes, fees and royalties, which are typically paid by the purchaser. The buyer’s premium schedule is published by the auction house and is updated or revised periodically. The buyer’s premium for the New York salesroom of each of the major auction houses as of the date of this offering circular is as follows (percentages and USD amounts relate to the hammer price):
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Sotheby’s (as of July 25, 2022, with 1% Overhead Premium) |
Christie’s (as of September 2, 2022) |
Phillips (as of February 28, 2023) | ||
26% up to and including $1,000,000 | 26% up to and including $1,000,000 | 27% up to and including $1.0 million | ||
21% from $1,000,001 to $4.5 million | 20% from $1,000,001 to $6.0 million | 21% from $1.0 million to $6.0 million | ||
14.9% above $4.5 million | 14.5% above $6.0 million | 14.5% above $6.0 million |
The amount of the published sale price a consignor receives is typically reduced by all or a portion of the buyer’s premium and, in some cases for high value items, a sales commission. The percentage of the buyer’s premium received by the consignor, if any, and the amount of any sales commission payable by the consignor, if any, are negotiated between the consignor and the auction house and vary widely depending on a number of factors, including the value and importance of the specific work, whether the work is sold as an individual piece or part of a larger collection, anticipated demand levels and other factors. For high value items auction houses often waive the sales commission and rebate a portion of the buyer’s premium to the consignor, which is commonly referred to in the industry as an “enhanced hammer.”
Auction houses do not publicly report the economic terms of transactions with consignors, so the Company cannot determine with any degree of confidence what percentage of a sale price would be received by the Company upon consummation of an auction sale. In addition, the economics receivable by a seller are less favorable if the work is subject to a pre-auction guaranty. Based on experience, we believe that it would be reasonable to expect that the net pre-tax cash proceeds receivable by the Company in an auction sale would be approximately 80% to 90% of the published sale price, however, the net result could fall outside of this range. The existence of any such guarantee arrangement would provide greater certainty of success at auction, but could reduce the sales proceeds received by the Company.
About Art as an Investment
Fine art, in the form of paintings, sculpture, drawings and all manner of unique collectibles, has been collected for centuries. Founded in 1744, Sotheby’s had been the oldest listed Company on the New York Stock Exchange until it was taken private in October 2019. While art collectors can enjoy the aesthetic and societal benefits of art ownership and patronage, works of art can equally be valuable assets that deliver financial, as well as emotional rewards to their owners. Art has often acted as a store of wealth, with price appreciation in excess of U.S. consumer price inflation over the long term. Many of those who collect art therefore do so with an eye upon its investment potential as well as its aesthetic appeal. Put simply, art can be considered an investable asset class.
In general, art as an investment bears the following characteristics:
● | Demand for artwork generally coincides with wealth creation among the global ultra-high-net-worth community. | |
● | Supply of artwork, particularly at the high-end of the market, is relatively fixed or otherwise scarce. | |
● | Art is an internationally marketable good that can be transacted in any locale or currency. | |
● | Art is a tangible, mobile store of value without a currency-specific denomination nor tied to a financial cash-flow. |
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Historical Art Price Indices
The historical performance of prices in the art market can be estimated using different techniques and is generally derived from publicly available auction sales results. General statistical summaries of past prices, such as historical average or median prices, can provide a broad sense of price direction across the art market or for a specific artist. However, given that the supply of art transacted in any given period is not homogenous, changes in average or median prices from period-to-period may not be reflective of changes in the underlying value of the artwork, but may reflect varying quality or other characteristics that were present in the artwork sold.
Art market indices provide an alternative means to gauge market performance. A number of techniques have been developed in this regard. A repeat-sales-based index follows a methodology similar to that used to estimate home price appreciation, most notably through the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index. The best-known repeat-sales index for the art market is the Sotheby’s Mei Moses, which was originally developed in 2002 by New York University Stern School of Business Professors Jianping Mei, PhD and Michael Moses, PhD, and was later acquired by Sotheby’s in 2016. The Sotheby’s Mei Moses indices control for differing levels of quality, size, color, maker, and aesthetics of a work of art by analyzing repeat sales. Another methodology is the hedonic price index, which estimates the historical progression of prices based on analysis of all available transactions and controlling for certain “hedonic” characteristics, such as artist name, dimension, medium, art category, among others. The use of these techniques, among others, provides insight into the behavior of art as an investment.
Artwork and Artist Metrics
Masterworks compiles historical data from public auctions to produce metrics that we believe can be helpful in measuring and analyzing historical trends in artist markets and the historical price appreciation of specific artworks. We present these metrics when we believe the sample size is meaningful for a particular metric, so we may not present all metrics for every series offering. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and other third party sources and does not include private sales, which account for a significant percentage of all sales. Any transaction conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to U.S. dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable transaction date, except with respect to “repeat sales”, in which case the conversion of a foreign currency to U.S. dollars occurs at the time of the first sale of the repeat sale. We endeavor to include all relevant works and transactions, but no definitive object-oriented database with all auction sales is known to Masterworks, and therefore, despite our best efforts the data may be incomplete or inaccurate and we may exclude sale records that do not contain images. Unless stated otherwise for a particular series, the data only include artworks reflective of the artist’s main medium, as defined by Masterworks and will exclude works on paper, prints, editions, multiples or any non-unique works of art by the relevant artist. In addition, the historical data may include transactions in which affiliates of Masterworks acted as buyer and or seller.
We cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data or metrics presented for any Artwork or artist is useful in determining the present or future value of such Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data or metrics. The Artwork and art market metrics and accompanying data are not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security.
Metrics we present may include some or all of the following:
● | Selected Similar Sales Appreciation. Selected similar sales provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the specific artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar works selected will include all works by the same artist believed to have features and characteristics that are similar to the subject artwork, which may include size, medium, color, composition elements, period of creation and other features. The applicable time period for which we calculate Selected Similar Sale Appreciation is from the earliest date that an artwork by the artist was sold at public auction until the most recent date prior to the qualification of an applicable series offering that the Masterworks public sale database has been updated. Although the artworks selected for inclusion in the set of similar works have similar characteristics to the subject Artwork, each individual Artwork is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that our estimate of the historical appreciation rate of an Artwork is correct or predictive of future value. |
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● | “Sharpe Ratio.” The Market-Risk Adjusted Appreciation, also referred to as the “Sharpe Ratio,” indicates how well the artist’s market has performed historically in comparison to the rate of return on a risk-free investment, such as U.S. government treasury bonds or bills, by measuring price appreciation relative to the volatility of that price appreciation over time. A relatively higher Sharpe Ratio reflects higher appreciation relative to volatility and generally signals a better risk adjusted return, and, conversely, a relatively lower Sharpe Ratio generally means there is more volatility relative to price appreciation, although historical volatility is not necessarily a proxy for investment risk. The Sharpe Ratio reflects (x) the average annualized artist market appreciation (depreciation) of all artworks by an artist that have sold at least twice at public auction (referred to as “repeat sales”), minus the risk-free rate of return. The risk-free rate of return is measured by the average annual risk-free rate at year end over the applicable time period, divided by (y) the volatility of the returns in an artist’s market, as measured by the standard deviation of those returns. The applicable time period for which we calculate the Sharpe Ratio begins on the later of (a) the earliest purchase price date for the artist’s first repeat sale or (b) December 31, 1989, the year end of the earliest year when other financial indices were available, and ends on the last sale date that the artist had a repeat sale Record Price Appreciation prior to the qualification of an applicable series offering that the Masterworks public sale database has been updated. | |
● | Record Price Appreciation. Record Price Appreciation reflects the frequency at which a new record hammer price at auction is achieved by the artist which can be indicative of the artist’s market momentum and growth rate. The applicable time period for which we calculate Record Price Appreciation is from the earliest date that an artwork by the artist was sold at public auction until the most recent date for which a record price exists prior to the qualification of an applicable series offering that the Masterworks public sale database has been updated. | |
● | Median Repeat Sale Pair Appreciation. Median Repeat Sale Pair Appreciation reflects the median annualized price appreciation rate of all artworks by an artist that have sold at least twice at public auction, known as “repeat sales”, which indicates the progression of prices in a particular artist’s market over time. Analysis of repeat sales can be useful because repeat sale data reflects price changes for the same works, which reduces the selection bias inherent in looking at a select set of similar works. The applicable time period for which we calculate Repeat Sale Pair Appreciation is from the earliest date that an artwork by the artist was sold at public auction until the most recent date for which a repeat sale occurred prior to the qualification of an applicable series offering that the Masterworks public sale database has been updated. However, repeat sales happen infrequently for many artists and therefore there may not be enough repeat sale data for a particular artist to derive statistically relevant conclusions. |
Metrics above that incorporate “repeat sales” exclude artworks of an artist that were held for less than 1 year, meaning that an artwork was bought and sold at public auction in a span of less than 365 days, and include at least 15 repeat sale pairs.
When reviewing these metrics for any particular series, it is important to keep several factors in mind, including:
● | The number of data points used in the calculation influences the utility of the metric, since, as a general matter, the accuracy and predictive value of any metric correlates to the number of data points used to calculate the metric. | |
● | All of the metrics presented relate to appreciation rates of artwork, not securities. Your returns on investment in Class A shares of any series will be reduced by fees and costs described in this Offering Circular that are not reflected in the metrics. | |
● | Each of the metrics presented should be considered in relation to the other metrics presented and should not be analyzed in isolation. | |
● | Metrics only include actual sales, so the data excludes artworks that were offered and went “unsold” or were “bought-in” at auction as a result of not meeting the seller’s reserve price. | |
● | The metrics are limited by our reliance on publicly available auction data and do not purport to reflect the entire market for a particular artwork or artist. | |
● | The historical trends and appreciation rates reflected in the metrics may not be indicative of future trends. |
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Art Appraisals
General
Appraisals of the artworks managed by Masterworks are performed by employees of the Administrator quarterly (subject to certain conditions and exceptions) and are subject to an independent qualified third party review on an annual basis. Artwork appraisals are performed by Masterworks in conformity with the 2020-2021 Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice developed by the Appraisal Standards Board of the Appraisal Foundation (and in effect until December 31, 2023) using a sales comparison approach.
Appraisals are intended to estimate the “fair market value” of the relevant artwork (target object), which is defined as “the price at which the property would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither being under any compulsion to buy or to sell, and both having reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts” (see, IRS Publication 561). Fair market value includes estimated transaction commissions, and for works purchased at public auction, the expected buyer’s premium.
Masterworks assesses quantitative and qualitative factors that could impact fair market value. Fair market value is measured principally on the “Sales Comparison Approach,” a relative value comparison basis to sales transactions involving similar objects (also referred to as comparable sales), which have sold within the market that is most common for each object. Comparable (similar) objects are selected based on similar characteristics to the target object, which may include, but are not limited to: artist, size, date of creation, medium, series, imagery, execution, style or technique, colors, condition, provenance and/or exhibition history, and prior sale history (if any). Comparable sales may have taken place at public auction or in private sale, if such private sale information is verifiable. Comparable characteristics for each artwork are determined on a case-by-case basis based on the appraiser’s knowledge of the respective artist’s market.
Appraised Value
The values expressed in the appraisals are based on the best judgment and opinion of the individual appraiser(s) and the Administrator. These values are not a representation or warranty that the items will realize those values if offered for sale in an appropriate market. The values expressed are based on current information as of the indicated effective date of the appraisal. No opinion is expressed as to any past value, nor, unless otherwise expressly stated, as to any future value.
Potential Conflicts of Interest
Appraisals are performed by employees of the Administrator. The Administrator receives equity-based compensation for the administration of the artwork and its affiliates have economic interests in the Masterworks business, as well as profits interests in our Company. The compensation of employees of the Administrator is not directly contingent upon the performance of any appraisal, including reporting of a predetermined value or direction in value that favors the cause of Masterworks, the appraised fair market value, the attainment of a stipulated result, or the occurrence of a subsequent event directly related to the intended use of any appraisal. Although the Administrator may have conflicts of interest, the Administrator has taken steps it deems reasonable in seeking to ensure that employees and others involved in performing appraisals can act independently of Masterworks and free from bias; no assurance can be given that a truly independent appraisal would not produce a different outcome.
The Artists
The following section includes biographies of the relevant artists of the Artworks. We will add and or update artist biographies for the series offerings added to this Offering Statement, although we may not update artist biographies for series offerings that were previously qualified.
Christine Ay Tjoe
Christine Ay Tjoe (b. 1973, Bandung, Indonesia) is an expressive, abstract contemporary artist whose work engages the human condition by way of philosophy and spirituality. She is most known for her paintings which are characterized by a dynamic dance between negative space and pigment which she applies with both brushes and her hands. After earning a Faculty of Fine Arts and Design from the Bandung Institute of Technology in 1997, she subsequently began a career as an assistant fashion designer before transitioning into being a full time artist. Ay Tjoe’s initial artwork drew inspiration from plants where she created intaglio drypoint prints. Her work has been included in several group exhibitions at renowned galleries and museums internationally such as the China National Museum of Fine Art (2003), the National Gallery, Jakarta (2009), Shanghai Contemporary (2010), Saatchi Gallery (2011), Fondazione Claudio Buziol (2011), the Singapore Art Museum (2012), the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (2012), and the Asia Society Triennial (2020). During the 2010s, she had solo exhibitions at Michael Ku Gallery in Taipei, Ota Fine Arts in Tokyo, and an acclaimed retrospective at 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa. She has received various awards throughout her art career including: a “top five” Philips Morris Indonesia Art Award in 2007, the SCMP Art Futures Prize in 2015, and the Prudential Eye Award for painting in 2015. Her most recent exhibitions include two solo shows: “Spinning in the Desert” at White Cube Hong Kong (May 18 - August 28, 2021) and “The Black Side” at Ota Fine Arts Shanghai (September 29 - October 31, 2018). Ay Tjoe is the first contemporary Indonesian artist ever collected by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. As of August 2, 2023, the artist lives and works in Bandung, Indonesia, and is represented by White Cube Hong Kong.
As of August 2, 2023, auction prices for Christine Ay Tjoe’s works have experienced robust growth, with four of her top five price records set within the previous two years. In 2022, auction sales for Ay Tjoe’s work reached $7.1 million, which represents an all-time high for the artist. As of August 2, 2023, her top auction prices are led by “Layers with more circles” (2011), which sold for $1,732,158 at Christie’s, Hong Kong on May 24, 2021, “Layer As A Hiding Place” (2013), which sold for $1,662,452 at Christie’s, Hong Kong on May 26, 2022, and “Black Number 1” (2014), which sold for $1,589,976 at Sotheby’s, Hong Kong on April 27, 2022.
Hernan Bas
Hernan Bas (b. 1978 - Miami, Florida) is an American contemporary artist known for his distinct style and evocative narratives which primarily depict androgynous adolescent men. Raised in Miami, Florida, Bas developed a keen interest in art during his youth, inspired by the region’s vibrant culture and lush landscapes. His formative years were marked by an exploration of various artistic mediums, including drawing, painting, and writing. He graduated in 1996 from the New World School of Arts in Miami and went on to attend Cooper Union in New York for only one semester. Bas’ art training began during his early education at an art-focused magnet school in Miami which offered Bas an early foray into painting and the arts. Bas’s career gained momentum with his first exhibitions in the early 2000s, showcasing his unique ability to intertwine elements of literature, history, and pop culture in his artwork. In 2001, Bas had his first solo exhibition at Fredric Snitzer Gallery called “Hernan’s Merit & the Nouveau Sissies”. In 2004, the artist had his first exhibition with Victoria Miro gallery in London and was one of the youngest artists to participate in the renowned Whitney Biennial. Since this time, his work has been the subject of countless solo and group shows, primarily at the international locations of Victoria Miro, Lehmann Maupin, and Perrotin Gallery. Bas’ most recent exhibition, “The Conceptualists”, was on view at Victoria Miro from November 18, 2022 to January 21, 2023 in London. Bas’ work is included in several important collections, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco, the Saatchi Collection in London, and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, among others.
In recent years, Bas’s market movement has been significant, with his artwork attracting attention from collectors. As of August 2, 2023, auction prices for Hernan Bas’ works have experienced tremendous growth, especially since 2019. In 2019, paintings by Bas realized an average price of $48,771, excluding Buyer’s Premium. In 2022, the average price for paintings by Bas had grown to $367,731, a more than seven fold increase over the four year period since 2019. An ArtTactic report listed the artist as “On-the-Rise” in the February 2022 publication shortly before an impressive auction season in which annual auction turnover for the artist eclipsed $7 million in 2022, more than doubling the artist’s previous annual auction turnover record achieved in 2021. As of August 2, 2023, his top auction prices are led by “The Dawn Of Modernity” (2016), which sold for $2,686,530 at Holly International, Hong Kong, on November 27, 2022, “The Bats and the Barn Bridge” (2008), which sold for $1,441,058 at Christie’s, Hong Kong on November 30, 2022, and “The Overly Prepped Boy (or The Approaching Glacier)” (2010), which sold for $1,249,705 at Christie’s, Hong Kong, on May 26, 2022.
Cecily Brown
Cecily Brown (b. 1969, Britain) is one of the most celebrated living painters and is best-known for combining abstraction and figuration with frenzied and vibrant applications of paint. In 1993, Brown received her BFA from the Slade School of Art in London, where she studied abroad at the New York Studio School. A year after graduating, she returned to New York and distanced herself from the Young British Artists, London’s dominant artistic movement focused on unconventional materials and concept driven work. In New York, Brown continued her exploration of the materiality and eroticism of oil paint, drawing inspiration from Analytic Cubism, Abstract Expressionism, and old-master paintings as well as contemporary pornography and female sexuality. Her early works incorporated cartoonish figuration into humorous and sensual expressionistic paintings; however, she predominantly abandoned figuration in the 1990s to develop her dynamic gestural brushstrokes. Brown’s abstract compositions quickly garnered the attention of acclaimed dealer Jeffrey Deitch, and in 1997, her first major solo exhibition, Spectacle, served as the inaugural exhibition of Deitch Projects. Two years later, the artist signed with global mega-dealer Gagosian Gallery, and in 2015, she changed her representation to Thomas Dane in London and Paula Cooper Gallery in New York. Brown continues to live and work in New York.
Cecily Brown has been the subject of numerous major solo exhibitions at major institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 2023, Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England, in 2020 to 2021, the Louisiana Museum in Denmark in 2018 to 2019, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston in 2006 to 2007, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Center in Washington, DC, in 2002 to 2003. Her work is also represented worldwide in the collections of important cultural institutions, including the Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Brooklyn Museum in New York, the Louisiana Museum in Denmark, the National Gallery of Norway in Oslo, the Tate Gallery in London, Glenstone Museum in Potomac, and the Foundation Louis Vuitton in Paris. Since 2017, Brown’s secondary market has steadily increased, reaching an all-time high in 2022, with total turnover exceeding $54 million, including Buyers Premium. As of August 2, 2023 eight of her top ten price records at auction have been set in the last three years, and are dominated by her large-scale, abstract canvases. As of August 2, 2023, Brown’s top auction record is held by “Suddenly Last Summer” (1999), which sold for $6,776,200 at Sotheby’s, New York on May 18, 2018, after having previously been sold for $1,082,500 at Sotheby’s New York on May 12, 2010, and before that for $662,500 at Phillips New York on May 14, 2009. This top auction record is followed by “Free Games for May” (2015), which sold for $6,711,450 at Sotheby’s New York on May 16, 2023, and then “Spree” (1999), which sold for $6,583,500 at Sotheby’s New York on November 18, 2021.
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Yayoi Kusama
Yayoi Kusama (b. 1929, Japan) is a global cultural icon, admired for her installations and longtime exploration of minimalist abstractions, which began in the late 1950s. Kusama has worked actively across various media, including performance, painting, sculpture, and immersive installations. Yayoi Kusama was born in Matsumoto, Japan in 1929 and began to create art at an early age, as a way to engage with her mental illness. After she arrived in New York in 1957, the artist focused on abstraction, and developed her now infamous “Infinity Nets” series, which garnered early recognition. Kusama exhibited frequently alongside Minimalist and Pop artists, including Donald Judd, Andy Warhol, and Dan Flavin. Notably, she was included in the “1961 ‘Whitney Annual’” at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Though Kusama exhibited her “Narcissus Garden” (1966) with the support of Lucio Fontana, alongside the 33rd Venice Biennale in 1966, it was not until 1993, that she officially returned to represent Japan at the 45th edition of the show. As of August 2, 2023, Kusama continues to maintain her studio practice, and is represented by several major galleries, including David Zwirner Gallery and Victoria Miro Gallery.
The artist’s works are included in numerous public collections, such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Broad Museum in Los Angeles, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., the Tate Modern in London, as well as the artist’s eponymous museum in Tokyo, among many more. Recent retrospectives of Kusama’s work have been mounted by several global institutions, including a 2017 to 2019 traveling exhibition titled “Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors,” which started at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington D.C. The Hirshhorn organized a second, follow-up exhibition titled “One with Eternity: Yayoi Kusama in the Hirshhorn Collection,” which opened in April 2022, and ran through the end of November 2022. A retrospective of over 200 works organized by the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, which was Kusama’s first major show in Israel, ran from November 2021 through April 2022. The artist’s body of work is premised on repetition, and her recognizable motifs include the “Infinity Nets,” “Pumpkins,” and immersive installations, such as the “Infinity Mirror Rooms,” which patrons have been known to wait hours to experience. Kusama has also collaborated with several luxury brands, including Louis Vuitton and Veuve Clicquot, which have further contributed to her broader recognition and success.
As of August 2, 2023, Yayoi Kusama is counted among the most expensive living women artists at auction. Based on data from artprice, Kusama ranked among the top ten artists at auction by turnover in 2022, with $194 million in total sales, including Buyer’s Premium, and was the only female artist in the top 30 artists by total auction turnover. According to ArtTactic’s 2022 annual auction review report, Kusama achieved total turnover in excess of $68 million (inclusive of Buyer’s Premium), placing her fifth among the top ten Post-War artists to sell at auction for the year. In May 2022, a white “Infinity Net” from 1959 sold at auction for $10,496,000, which made Yayoi Kusama the only living female artist to achieve an auction result in excess of over $10 million. As of August 2, 2023, Kusama’s top auction records are led by the aforementioned “Untitled (Nets)” (1959), which sold on May 18, 2022 for $10,496,000 at Phillips, New York, “Pumpkin (LPASG)” (2013), which sold on December 1, 2021 at Christie’s, Hong Kong for HKD 62,540,000 ($8,026,633), and “Interminable Net #4” (1959), which sold on April 1, 2019 for HKD 62,433,000 ($7,953,215) at Sotheby’s, Hong Kong.
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Simone Leigh
Simone Leigh (b. 1967, Chicago, IL) is an American sculptor, video and performance artist whose work centers and imaginatively expands the historical record as it pertains to the black femme experience. In 1990, Leigh earned a bachelor’s degree in art and philosophy from Earlham College in Indiana, where she studied ceramics in the tradition of Bernard Leach. During her time at Earlham, Leigh interned at the Smithsonian Museum of African Art, where she began to consider the categorization of objects from the African diaspora, such as face jugs and large clay vessels, traditionally made by women, which would later become central to her work. Despite her study of the arts, it was not until 2001, when Leigh had her first exhibition at Rush Art in Manhattan, that she began to refer to herself as an artist. While relationships forged over a series of trips to Africa between 2007 and 2010 laid the foundations for an international career, it was her participation in the artist in residence program at the Studio Museum in Harlem in 2011 that gained her broader recognition in the United States. During the following decade, Leigh’s output would expand to include social practice and film, alongside the commanding sculptural work for which she is best known. She was represented from 2011 to 2016 by Jack Tilton Gallery and joined Luhring Augustine in 2016, as her career accelerated following a sold out exhibition at the Park Avenue Armory and exhibitions at the Tate Exchange in London and the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. In 2018, Leigh received the Hugo Boss prize and participated in her first Whitney Biennial. The following year she presented her first bronze sculpture, “Brick House,” a monumental bust of a Black woman, commissioned to be installed on New York City’s High Line.
In 2022, she was the recipient of the prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale, where she was the first black female artist to represent the United States. Leigh has shown extensively at both commercial galleries and cultural institutions, including the New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. As of August 2, 2023, she is represented by Matthew Marks Gallery.
Simone Leigh’s auction market debut took place in 2017, when “Overburdened with Significance” (2011) sold at Sotheby’s, New York, for $43,750, exceeding the pre-sale high estimate of $30,000. Since 2017, high profile exhibitions and successive representation at blue chip galleries Luhring Augustine, Hauser & Wirth and, most recently, Matthew Marks, Leigh’s primary market prices have grown in parallel with the artist’s auction market. Leigh’s top ten price records at auction have all been achieved since October 2020, and are led by: Las Meninas II (2019), which sold for $3,085,000 at Sotheby’s, New York on May 18, 2023, Stick (2019), which sold for $2,712,000 at Christie’s, New York on May 15, 2023, and Birmingham (2012), which sold for $2,167,500 at Sotheby’s, New York on May 19, 2022.
Elizabeth Peyton
Elizabeth Peyton (b. 1965, Danbury, Connecticut) is a world-renowned contemporary American artist recognized for her emotional portraits of famous figures and personal acquaintances. In 1987, Peyton graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York with an early interest in portraiture. That same year, she held her first solo exhibition at Althea Viafora Gallery in New York. Her early exhibition history also featured numerous less conventional spaces like hotel rooms, bars, and restaurant bathrooms. In 1993, a solo exhibition with Gavin Brown’s Enterprise at Hotel Chelsea in Room 828 brought her into critical contemporary art discourse and led to an exhibition at Gavin Brown’s Enterprise’s main gallery two years later. In 2008, the New Museum in New York organized the mid-career retrospective, Live Forever: Elizabeth Peyton, which proceeded to travel to the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, the Whitechapel Gallery in London, and the Bonnefanten Museum in Maastricht, the Netherlands. Her intentional use of line and color in small to medium scale portrait paintings capture the unique emotional landscapes of her subjects, which range from historic figures to rock stars to cultural icons to close friends. As of August 2, 2023, Peyton continues to live and work in New York.
Elizabeth Peyton’s captivating approach to portraiture is often credited with inspiring a new wave of contemporary figurative painting. The artist has been the subject of solo exhibitions at various prestigious institutions, including the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut (2008), the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin (2009), the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum in St. Louis (2011), the Opelvillen in Rüsselsheim, Germany (2011); the Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden in Germany (2013), the Gallery Met at the Metropolitan Opera in New York (2016), the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo (2017), the French Academy at Villa Medici in Rome (2017), the National Portrait Gallery in London (2019), and the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing (2020). Her work can also be found in the permanent collections of the the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Tate Modern in London, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, among many others. In recent years, Peyton’s work has become increasingly popular with collectors, and her paintings have sold for seven-figure prices at auction. As of August 2, 2023, Peyton’s top auction records are led by “Nick with His Eyes Shut” (2003), which sold for $2,470,000 at Sotheby’s New York on November 16, 2022, “David Bowie” (2012), which sold for $2,077,000 at Sotheby’s New York on May 12, 2021, and “Laim + Noel in the 70’s” (1997), which sold for $2,070,000 at Christie’s New York on November 9, 2021.
Ed Ruscha
Ed Ruscha (American, b. 1937) is an important American artist, whose use of imagery and techniques culled from commercial art and popular culture, closely connects him with Pop Art. Ruscha was born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1937, and grew up in Oklahoma City. As a child Ruscha was interested in photography, cinema and drawing. After graduating from high school in 1956, Rusha left home for California and drove west with his friend, artist Mason Williams. Ruscha settled in Los Angeles, which he viewed as the ‘new frontier,’ and enrolled at the Chouinard Art Institute, now the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), where he studied under Robert Irwin. Initially intent on becoming a commercial artist, Ruscha focused his studies on graphic design, photography and advertising, while he worked as a sign painter on the side. At Chouinard, Ruscha nurtured an interest in the subversive word play of the Dadaists, and at times, his work was met with disdain; reportedly, one painting was even burned by an enraged faculty member. Words and phrases first appeared in Ruscha’s own artistic practice in 1959, and as his style developed, Ruscha began to portray the substance of language by treating words as visual constructs: letters rendered in the liquid they are meant to describe or sculptural ribbons curling into text.
In 1961, Ed Ruscha traveled to New York where he was introduced to Leo Castelli, his future dealer. Although Ruscha resists labeling his work as Pop or Conceptual art, elements of both movements appear throughout his oeuvre. In 1962, Ruscha was included in “New Artworks of Common Objects,” a seminal exhibition of Pop Art that was held at the Pasadena Art Museum and curated by Walter Hops, co-founder of the Ferus Gallery. In his review of the aforementioned show, John Coplan complemented Ed Ruscha’s work for its “beautiful use of typography with an exquisite sense of placing and extraordinary color to upset our whole aesthetic balance.” By the early 1960s, Ruscha had become involved with a progressive group of young artists who showed with the influential Ferus Gallery, which included Ed Kienholz, Robert Irwin, Ed Moses, and Larry Bell among others, who had been deemed the “Cool School” by critic Phillip Leider in a 1964 issue of Artforum. Between 1963 and 1969, Ruscha laid a robust foundation for the next six decades of his career; in that timeframe, he had three solo exhibitions at the Ferus Gallery, which featured his early word paintings, published his first book, “Twentysix Gasoline Stations,” had his first international exhibition at Galerie Rudolf Zwirner in Cologne and his first solo museum show at the La Jolla Museum of Art.
Over the span of Ed Ruscha’s impressive career, important institutional solo exhibitions have been organized by the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Ruscha has also been the subject of several retrospectives including “Cotton Puffs, Q-tips®, Smoke and Mirrors,” which opened at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 2004 and traveled to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and the National Gallery of Art, Washington. In 2005, Ruscha was chosen to represent the United States in the Venice Biennale, and from 2009 to 2010, a retrospective organized by the Hayward Gallery traveled to Munich and Stockholm. In 2013, Times magazine ranked Ed Ruscha among the 100 most influential people in the world, and his paintings, photography and artist books have influenced subsequent generations of artists, from Bruce Nauman to Christopher Wool. Ruscha’s classic word paintings from the 1960’s are among his most rare and desirable, selling for prices in excess of $20 million at auction.
As of August 2, 2023, the top auction prices for the artist were achieved by “Hurting the Word Radio #2” (1964) which sold for $52,485,000 on November 13, 2019 at Sotheby’s, New York, followed by “Smash” (1963) which sold for $30,405,000 on November 12, 2014 at Christie’s, New York, and “Annie” (1962) which sold online for $22,975,000 on July 10, 2020 at Christie’s in an online sale. Now in his eighties, the artist is represented by Gagosian Gallery, with whom he continues to exhibit new work.
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Robert Ryman
Robert Ryman (b. 1930, Nashville, Tennessee; d. 2019, New York, New York) was born in Nashville, Tennessee in the 1930s, and growing up he developed a deep fascination with art, which eventually led him to pursue a career as an artist. During his formative years, Ryman explored various art forms and experimented with different materials, honing his skills and developing his unique artistic voice. He received his formal training at the Tennessee Polytechnic Institute and later served in the United States Army for two years. Robert Ryman began his career to become a jazz musician and played alongside Lennie Tristano in early 1950s before switching to painting after his encounter with Mark Rothko and Henri Matisse’s paintings, while working as a guard at MoMA in 1953, alongside Dan Flavin and Sol LeWitt. Ryman’s first exhibitions took place in the early 1960s, where he showcased his minimalistic and abstract paintings. His works quickly garnered attention for their understated elegance and exploration of the interplay between color, light, and space. As his career progressed, Ryman’s dedication to the exploration of white as the primary color in his paintings became his trademark. His contributions to the art world extended beyond his individual works, as he played a pivotal role in the emergence of the Minimalist movement. By challenging traditional notions of painting and embracing a minimalist aesthetic, Ryman made a significant impact on art history, influencing subsequent generations of artists.
Throughout his illustrious career, Robert Ryman’s works have been featured in major exhibitions worldwide, solidifying his status as a revered artist. Notable exhibitions include retrospectives at prestigious institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, Tate Modern in London and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Ryman’s legacy is characterized by his unwavering commitment to the exploration of the nuances of color, texture, and spatial relationships. His minimalistic approach to painting continues to inspire and resonate with audiences today. Works by Robert Ryman can be found in numerous permanent collections, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Guggenheim Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago, to name a few. These institutions recognize the enduring value and significance of Ryman’s contributions to contemporary art. In recent years, the market for Ryman’s works has shown a positive trend, with a growing appreciation for his distinctive style and artistic vision. In 2022, total auction turnover for work by Ryman ballooned to over $41.6 million, its highest level since 2014 and more than four times the amount sold during the year prior. As of August 2, 2023, Ryman’s top three auction records are led by: “Bridge” (1980), which sold for $20,605,000 on May 13, 2015, at Christie’s, New York, “Untitled” (c. 1961), which sold for $20,141,250 on May 9, 2022, at Christie’s, New York, and Untitled (1961), which sold for $15,005,000 on November 11, 2014, at Sotheby’s, New York.
Kenny Scharf
Kenny Scharf (b. 1958, Los Angeles, California) is an American artist known for his vibrant and whimsical pop art and graffiti art. Growing up in the vibrant cultural scene of Southern California, Scharf was heavily influenced by the emerging pop culture, street art, and cartoons of the 1960s. His formative years were spent exploring various artistic mediums, including painting, sculpture, and installation art.
After completing his formal training at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, Scharf began exhibiting his work in the early 1980s. After graduating, Scharf moved to the East Village, where he became involved in the East Village art scene. Scharf’s early work was influenced by the pop art movement. He often used bright colors and bold shapes in his paintings. He also incorporated elements of graffiti and cartoons into his work. In the early 1980s, Scharf began to create large-scale installations. These installations often featured brightly colored geometric shapes and cartoon characters. Scharf’s work became increasingly popular in the 1980s. He exhibited his work in galleries and museums around the world. He also collaborated with other artists, such as Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. His first exhibitions showcased his unique blend of pop art and street art aesthetics, characterized by bold colors, cartoonish imagery, and a playful sense of humor. It was during this time that he gained recognition and rose to fame within the art world.
Kenny Scharf has held numerous major exhibitions throughout his career, both in the United States and internationally. His work has been showcased in renowned institutions such as the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, and the Museum of Modern Art in Paris. His artworks have become sought-after additions to prestigious permanent collections, including the Guggenheim Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Tate Modern. In recent years, there has been a notable market movement surrounding Scharf’s work, with an increasing demand from collectors and investors, making his pieces a potentially valuable investment for those interested in the intersection of contemporary art and pop culture.
As of August 2, 2023, the top auction prices for the artist were achieved by “City of the Future” (2005), which sold for $983,175 at Bonhams, New York on May 19, 2022, “Travel Time” (1984), which sold for $870,000 at Christie’s New York on November 9, 2021 and “Op-Bob” (1985), which sold for $630,000 at Sotheby’s, New York on November 17, 2022. Now in his sixties, the artist is considered to be one of the most important artists of the late 20th and early 21st century.
Avery Singer
Avery Singer (b. 1987, New York), whose parents, Janet Kusmierski and Greg Singer, were both artists, was encouraged to pursue her creative interests in photography, film, and drawing. She studied at the Städelschule, Frankfurt am Main, in 2008, and received her B.F.A. from Cooper Union, New York City, in 2010. As a student, she explored performance, video, carpentry, metal casting, and welding. It was not until shortly after she graduated that she experimented with Google SketchUp, a 3D modeling program frequently used for exhibition design, for the first time and developed her signature airbrushed, grayscale style. Since then, Singer has used computer programming software and industrial materials to obscure her physical intervention on her hand-painted canvases. She expands the definition of a painting through her use of contemporary digital illustration techniques while still paying homage to influential movements in Modernism like Constructivism, Futurism, and Cubism. Her first solo exhibition at Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler, Berlin in 2013, The Artists, parodied artistic tropes, like artistic bravado, inebriation, and narcissism. She has gone on to be the subject of solo exhibitions at the Kunsthalle Zurich, the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, the Vienna Secession, and the Museum Ludwig in Cologne, among others. Her work is included in several renowned public collections, including the Institute of Contemporary Art in Miami, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. Singer continues to live and work in New York City.
In 2019, Singer exhibited at the 58th Venice Biennale, and a year later she signed with Hauser & Wirth, becoming the youngest artist to be represented by the influential mega-gallery. Since then, her secondary market has seen accelerated and robust growth. As of August 2, 2023, her top ten price records at auction have all been set since May 2021, with six of the top ten price records achieved in 2022 and 2023. Her current top price records are dominated by large-format examples employing her signature use of Google SketchUp, largely executed predominantly in a grayscale palette. As of August 2, 2023, Avery Singer’s top auction records are led by: “Happening” (2014), which sold for $5,253,000 at Sotheby’s, New York on May 19, 2022, “Untitled (Tuesday)” (2017), which sold for HKD 35,050,000 ($4,498,457) at Christie’s, Hong Kong on December 1, 2021, and “Untitled” (2018), which sold for $4,144,000 at Phillips, New York, on June 23, 2021.
Clyfford Still
Clyfford Still (b. 1904, Grandin, North Dakota, d. 1980, Baltimore, Maryland) was a key member of the first generation of Abstract Expressionists. Still graduated from Spokane University in 1933 and went on to earn his MFA from Washington State College. Unlike most of his peers who already lived in New York, he developed his Abstract Expressionist painting practice on the West Coast while teaching in Washington State College, Pullman, between 1938 and 1942. Still quickly became recognized for his color field paintings inspired by wild Canadian prairies that feature rough, contrasting shapes of color, thick layers of paint applied with a palette knife, and sometimes exposed sections of raw canvas. In 1943, he held his first solo exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Art. That same year, he briefly taught at the Richmond Professional Institute before moving to New York in 1945. The artist became associated with Peggy Guggenheim’s gallery Art of This Century and Betty Parsons gallery; however, he quickly grew critical of the commercial art world and left both galleries by the early 1950s. While in New York, Still collaborated with Mark Rothko and other artists to develop the school Subjects of the Artist. In 1961, Still moved to Maryland to further distance himself from the art world. The artist’s critical view of the art world led him to limit the lending and exhibiting of his paintings, however, an impressive survey of Still’s work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1979 became the largest exhibition dedicated to a living artist in the museum’s history. Still continued to paint in Maryland until his death in 1980.
Clyfford Still’s disavowal of the art world has led many of his paintings to remain under the ownership of his estate at the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver, Colorado. Nevertheless, he was the subject of a retrospective at Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo in 1959. He has also been the subject of solo exhibitions at the Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia (1963) and Marlborough-Gerson Gallery in New York (1969–70). He was awarded the Award of Merit for Painting from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1972 and the Skowhegan Medal for Painting in 1975. With approximately 94% of the artist’s oeuvre still in the collection of the Clyfford Still Museum, his signature abstract expressionist paintings are both rare and desirable. His auction records are led by 1949-A-No. 1 (1949), which sold for $61,682,500 at Sotheby’s New York on November 9, 2011, 1947-Y-No. 2 (1947), which sold for $31,442,500 at Sotheby’s New York on November 9, 2011, and PH-125 (1948-No.1) (1948), which sold for $30,712,500 at Sotheby’s New York on May 12, 2021.
56 |
Christopher Wool
Christopher Wool (b. 1955, Chicago) is one of the most influential American painters of his generation. In 1972, Wool studied painting at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. After one year, he moved to Manhattan and took classes at the New York Studio School. He quickly got involved with the underground film and music scenes and briefly stopped painting to study film at New York University in the late 1970s. Wool returned to his painting practice and held his first solo exhibition at Cable Gallery in 1984. In 1989, the artist was the subject of a solo exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Art, which introduced his two-dimensional paintings that draw from Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, and Conceptual art to an international audience. He participated in the prestigious DAAD Berlin artist residency program in 1993, and was awarded a fellowship at the American Academy in Rome in 1996. In 2019, he also received the Wolfgang Hahn Prize at Museum Ludwig in Cologne. As of August 2, 2023, Wool lives and works between New York City and Marfa, Texas.
Christopher Wool has also been the subject of solo exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, and Art Institute of Chicago, among many others. He has also participated in the Whitney Biennial, New York (1989), Documenta, Kassel (1992), the Lyon Biennial (2003), and the Venice Biennale (2011). His work is held in the permanent collections of prestigious institutions around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Musée National d’Art Moderne and Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, and Tate Modern in London. In addition to his institutional popularity, Wool has achieved incredible commercial success, especially of his text-based works, with auction records led by “Untitled (Riot)” (1990), which sold for $29,930,000 at Sotheby’s New York on May 12, 2015, followed by “Apocalypse Now” (1988), which sold for $26,485,000 at Christie’s New York on November 12, 2013, and “If You” (1992), which sold for $23,685,000 at Christie’s New York on May 13, 2014.
Zao Wou-Ki
Zao Wou-Ki (b. 1920, Beijing, China - d. 2013, Nyon, Switzerland) is considered one of the pioneers of modern Chinese painting. He studied at the Hangzhou Art Academy under Wu Dayu where he cultivated a modernist aesthetic that drew from Chinese literati painting’s interest in nature for six years before becoming a drawing instructor there. In 1948, he moved to Paris where he befriended artists including Alberto Giacometti and Joan Miró. Zao’s influences expanded to reflect his international existence; Paul Klee in particular inspired Zao to explore the lyrical abstraction and contemporary painting techniques that now distinguish his work. His work from the mid-1950s directly references his Chinese influences, occasionally including calligraphy. In 1957, Zao visited New York City for the first time and had his first solo exhibition in the United States two years later at Kootz Gallery in New York, which established his presence in the Post-War movement alongside other painters the gallery represented, such as Pierre Soulages, Hans Hoffmann and Robert Motherwell. 1959 to 1972 marks his famed Hurricane Period in which he painted 100 large panel-sized works that synthesize his Chinese and Western influences. In 1968, Zao was featured in the exhibition, “Painting in France 1900-1967,” which brought his work to major American museums including the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. In the 1970s, his work shifted away from line and gesture and towards loose, gestural brushstrokes, blurred backgrounds, and saturated colors to create dreamlike atmospheric environments that allude to natural landscapes but maintain a sense of abstraction. This marks a transition into Zao’s Infinity Period of the 1980s, characterized by its particular focus on luminosity and brighter palette. Zao died on April 9, 2013, in Nyon, Switzerland.
Zao has been the subject of retrospectives at Hayden Gallery, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge in 1964; Museum Folkwang, Essen, West Germany in 1965; Fine Arts Museum, Taipei in 1993; and Jeu de Paume, Paris in 2003. He also received Japan’s Imperial Prize for painting in 1994, and was elected to the Académie des beaux-arts, Paris in 2002. His work is now represented in renowned international collections, including the Tate Gallery, London; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Guggenheim Museum, New York; Art Institute of Chicago; and Musee d’Art Modern, Paris, among others. As of August 2, 2023, all of the artist’s top ten auction records have been achieved since January 1, 2017, led by Juin-Octobre 1985 (1985), which sold on September 30, 2018 for HK$510,371,000 (US$65,204,488), followed by 29.09.64 (1964), which sold on May 26, 2022 for HKD$278,000,000 ($35,414,698), and 04.01.79 (1979), which sold on December 4, 2020 for CN¥174,800,000 (US$26,762,229).
Liu Ye
Liu Ye (b. 1964, Beijing) is a contemporary Chinese painter who is internationally recognized for his playful portraits of children inspired by his childhood in Cultural Revolution China and art education in Europe. Liu began his art education in Beijing, where he studied mural painting at the Central Academy of Fine Arts and industrial design at the School of Arts & Crafts between 1984 and 1989. He then moved to Europe and received his degree from the University of Fine Arts in Berlin in 1994. While abroad, the artist also participated in artist residencies at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam and the Delfina Studios in London. Liu’s vibrant paintings draw inspiration from his Eastern and Western experience of the world, along with the classic fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen and Lewis Carroll, the writings of Leo Tolstoy and Vladimir Nabokov, and modernist art and architecture, with a particular interest in the work of Piet Mondrian. He synthesizes his influences to create compositions that strike a balance between playful imagination and rational thought. After six years living in Europe, Liu returned to Beijing, where he continues to live and work.
Liu’s compelling paintings have been exhibited in galleries and institutions internationally, and were featured in the 7th Shanghai Biennale in 2008, the 54th Venice Biennale in 2011, and the 57th Venice Biennale in 2017. His paintings are also held in the permanent collections of premier institutions, including the Long Museum, Shanghai, M+ Sigg Collection, Hong Kong, Shanghai Art Museum, Today Art Museum, Beijing; and the Yuz Museum, Shanghai. In 2020, Liu signed on with the international mega-gallery David Zwirner. As of August 2, 2023, all of the artist’s top three auction records have all been achieved since 2020, led by “Bamboo bamboo broadway” (2011-2012), which sold on June 4, 2021 for $12,587,544 (¥80,500,000), “Smoke” (2001-2002), which sold on October 6, 2019 for $6,652,788 (HKD52,182,000), and “Leave me in the dark” (2008), which sold on July 9, 2020 for $5,851,162 (HKD45,348,000).
57 |
The Series
Series 301
The Artwork held by Series 301, entitled “xExvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xRxexvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xIx” (2023), is a single work of art by Kenny Scharf. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures approximately 96 inches by 236 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private gallery for $632,500 on May 5, 2023. For a biography of Kenny Scharf, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The Evolution Revolution series is a group of large-scale paintings by Kenny Scharf that explore the themes of evolution and revolution. The paintings are characterized by their bright colors, bold shapes, and cartoon characters. | |
● | Evolution Revolution I is a large-scale painting that measures 96 x 236 inches. It is a part of the Evolution Revolution series. | |
● | The Artwork is a colorful and chaotic composition that features a variety of different elements, including geometric shapes, cartoon characters, and psychedelic patterns. The cartoon characters in the painting are recurring subjects in Scharf’s work and characteristic of his style. | |
● | Throughout his career, Scharf’s artwork has featured the creation of organic, blob-like forms. These abstract figures, characterized by their fluid and curvaceous shapes, often evoke a sense of playfulness and joy. Scharf’s use of vibrant colors and expressive lines brings these blob figures to life, capturing the viewer’s imagination and inviting them into a world of fantastical characters. | |
● | The Artwork is dominated by bright colors, such as red, blue, green, yellow and purple. The use of colors is an important part of Scharf’s work, bright colors are the way for Scharf to convey and enhance deep feelings and emotions. | |
● | The psychedelic patterns in the Artwork create a sense of movement and energy. According to Scharf his works “are completely intuitive and spontaneous …The process is a journey, and I want the viewer to feel a journey as well. I begin by following a mysterious path that excites, frustrates, gives joy, and challenges all in the same painting.” | |
● | As of August 2, 2023 works similar to the Artwork in size, measuring over 100 inches, account for some of the artist’s top auction records and have sold in excess of $900,000. These are led by: “City of the Future” (2005), which sold for $983,175 at Bonhams, New York on May 19, 2022, “New and Improved Thermonuclear Theater”, which sold for $478,800 at Christie’s, New York on May 13, 2022 and “Out of This World” (1989), which sold for $375,000 at Christie’s, New York. | |
● | Evolution Revolution I is a significant work by Kenny Scharf that is representative of his unique and innovative style. The painting is a celebration of the human imagination and the power of art to transform the world. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork since January 1, 2010: 18.5% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from March 11, 2010 to May 19, 2022.(1) | |
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 7.8% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November, 6, 1985 to May 19, 2022.(2) | |
● | Significant auction track-record with 38 years of transaction history and a low level of auction volume based on $6.8 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(3) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 8 sales of works by Kenny Scharf, that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 20 sales of works by Kenny Scharf, that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
3. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
The Artist
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
Exhibited
New York, The Journal Gallery, Tennis Elbow 115, April 2023
History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Kenny Scharf with the following criteria: works on canvas, measuring over 50 by 100 inches. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. Since January 1, 2010, the realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 18.5% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from March 11, 2010 to May 19, 2022. Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 7.8% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November, 6, 1985 to May 19, 2022.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
58 |
Series 302
The Artwork held by Series 302, entitled “xExvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xRxexvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xIxIx” (2023), is a single work of art by Kenny Scharf. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures approximately 96 inches by 134 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private gallery for $500,000 on May 5, 2023. For a biography of Kenny Scharf, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The Evolution Revolution series is a group of large-scale paintings by Kenny Scharf that explore the themes of evolution and revolution. The paintings are characterized by their bright colors, bold shapes, and cartoon characters. | |
● | The Artwork is a colorful and chaotic composition that features a variety of different elements, including geometric shapes, cartoon characters, trees and flowers. | |
● | The Artwork is dominated by bright colors, such as red, blue, green, yellow and purple. The use of colors is an important part of Scharf’s work, bright colors are the way for Scharf to convey and enhance deep feelings and emotions. | |
● | The cartoon characters in the Artwork are recurring subjects in Scharf’s work and characteristic of his style. Throughout his career, Scharf’s artwork has featured the creation of organic, blob-like forms. These abstract figures, characterized by their fluid and curvaceous shapes, often evoke a sense of playfulness and joy. Scharf’s use of vibrant colors and expressive lines brings these blob figures to life, capturing the viewer’s imagination and inviting them into a world of fantastical characters. | |
● | The tree in the center of the Artwork is also a recurring subject in Scharf’s work. From a young age he was interested in nature and he recalls having dreams with green forests, in his own words; “large trees always struck me as messengers from another time—beautiful beings, so stable and wise.” | |
● | Evolution Revolution II is a significant work by Kenny Scharf that is representative of his unique and innovative style. The Artwork is a celebration of the human imagination and the power of art to transform the world. | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, works similar to the Artwork in size, measuring over 100 inches account for some of the artist’s top auction records and have sold in excess of $900 thousand. These are led by: “City of the Future” (2005), which sold for $983,175 at Bonhams, New York on May 19, 2022, “New and Improved Thermonuclear Theater”, which sold for $478,800 at Christie’s, New York on May 13, 2022 and “Out of This World” (1989), which sold for $375,000 at Christie’s, New York. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork since January 1, 2010: 18.5% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from March 11, 2010 to May 19, 2022.(1) | |
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 7.8% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November, 6, 1985 to May 19, 2022.(2) | |
● | Significant auction track-record with 38 years of transaction history and a low level of auction volume based on $6.8 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(3) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 8 sales of works by Kenny Scharf, that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 20 sales of works by Kenny Scharf, that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
3. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
The Artist
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
Exhibited
New York, The Journal Gallery, Tennis Elbow 115, April 2023
History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Kenny Scharf with the following criteria: works on canvas, measuring over 50 by 100 inches. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. Since January 1, 2010, the realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 18.5% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from March 11, 2010 to May 19, 2022. Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 7.8% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November, 6, 1985 to May 19, 2022.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
59 |
Series 304
The Artwork held by Series 304, entitled “xExvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xRxexvxoxlxuxtxixoxnx xIxVx” (2023), is a single work of art by Kenny Scharf. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures approximately at 96 inches by 236 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private gallery for $632,500 on May 5, 2023. For a biography of Kenny Scharf, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The Evolution Revolution series is a group of large-scale paintings by Kenny Scharf that explore the themes of evolution and revolution. The paintings are characterized by their bright colors, bold shapes, and cartoon characters. | |
● | The Artwork is a colorful and chaotic composition that features a variety of different elements, including cartoon-like characters, trees, flowers on the left, a butterfly in the center and a robot figure on the right side of the painting. | |
● | The Artwork is dominated by bright colors, such as red, blue, green, yellow and purple. The use of colors is an important part of Scharf’s work, bright colors are the way for Scharf to convey and enhance deep feelings and emotions. | |
● | Throughout his career, Scharf’s artwork has featured the creation of organic, blob-like forms. These abstract figures, characterized by their fluid and curvaceous shapes, often evoke a sense of playfulness and joy. Scharf’s use of vibrant colors and expressive lines brings these blob figures to life, capturing the viewer’s imagination and inviting them into a world of fantastical characters. | |
● | The tree imagery in the Artwork is a recurring subject in Scharf’s work. From a young age he was interested in nature and he recalls having dreams with green forests, in his own words; “large trees always struck me as messengers from another time—beautiful beings, so stable and wise.” | |
● | The butterfly in the Artwork is also one of Scharf’s most iconic motifs. Butterflies are often seen as a symbol of transformation and rebirth. Scharf might be using butterfly imagery to explore the themes of change and growth. | |
● | Evolution Revolution IV is a significant work by Kenny Scharf that is representative of his unique and innovative style. The Artwork is a celebration of the human imagination and the power of art to transform the world. | |
● | As of August 2, 2023 works similar to the Artwork in size, measuring over 100 inches, account for some of the artist’s top auction records and have sold in excess of $900 thousand. These are led by: “City of the Future” (2005), which sold for $983,175 at Bonhams, New York on May 19, 2022, “New and Improved Thermonuclear Theater”, which sold for $478,800 at Christie’s, New York on May 13, 2022 and “Out of This World” (1989), which sold for $375,000 at Christie’s, New York. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork since January 1, 2010: 18.5% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from March 11, 2010 to May 19, 2022.(1) | |
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 7.8% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November, 6, 1985 to May 19, 2022.(2) | |
● | Significant auction track-record with 38 years of transaction history and a low level of auction volume based on $6.8 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(3) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 8 sales of works by Kenny Scharf, that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. | |
2. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 20 sales of works by Kenny Scharf, that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. | |
3. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
The Artist
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
Exhibited
New York, The Journal Gallery, Tennis Elbow 115, April 2023
History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Kenny Scharf with the following criteria: works on canvas, measuring over 50 by 100 inches. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. Since January 1, 2010, the realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 18.5% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from March 11, 2010 to May 19, 2022. Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 7.8% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November, 6, 1985 to May 19, 2022.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
60 |
Series 307
The Artwork held by Series 307, entitled “LxOxL Txixnxkxlxe Bxaxtxtxlxexgxxroxuxnxd” (2010-2014), is a single work of art by Cecily Brown. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 13 inches by 17 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from an auction house for $501,500 on July 13, 2023. For a biography of Cecily Brown, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The Artwork is representative of Cecily Brown’s gestural oil painting practice, which underwent a stylistic shift in the late 1990s when her characteristically figurative and sexually-explicit imagery gave way to more evocative and largely abstract compositions. | |
● | Cecily Brown’s abstract paintings layer energetic, multicolored brushstrokes to create texturally rich and sensual compositions. Despite her commitment to abstraction, Brown still often alludes to corporeal figures and narrative scenes through her strategic use of color and the organic curvature of her brushstrokes. | |
● | Cecily Brown’s abstract oil paintings range in scale. The Artwork is representative of her small-scale oil on canvas paintings. | |
● | The Artwork features a predominantly green palette. Flicks of pink, red, yellow, orange, and blue paint weave between the layers of green paint to create a dynamic composition. Allusions to severed limbs, canons, artillery, and a field conjure the humorous violence of Artwork’s title: “LxOxL Txixnxkxlxe Bxaxtxtxlxexgxxroxuxnxd”. | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, Cecily Brown’s abstract compositions created in the late 1990s through the 2010s represent the majority of the artist’s top auction records, suggesting particular demand for these works amongst collectors. | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, examples similar in period, scale, and composition to the Artwork have sold in excess of $2,000,000 at auction and include examples such as: “Running Scared” (2010), which sold for $2,601,000 at Sotheby’s, New York, on March 9, 2023, “Untitled” (2007-2008), which sold for $1,740,000 at Christie’s, New York, on November 18, 2022, and “Girder and Joist” (2009), which sold for $1,083,600 at Sotheby’s, New York, on March 11, 2022. | |
● | The Artwork’s period and composition make it a commercial and desirable work by Cecily Brown. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 18.8% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from February 16, 2012 to May 12, 2023.(1) | |
● | Moderate auction track-record with 24 years of transaction history and a moderate level of auction volume based on $33 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(2) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 16 sales of works by Cecily Brown that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
Donated by the artist to Foundation for Contemporary Arts Benefit at Matthew Marks Gallery
Private Collection
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
Exhibited
New York, Matthew Marks Gallery, ARTISTS FOR ARTISTS: 51st Anniversary Exhibition to Benefit the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, December 13, 2014 – January 10, 2015
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History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Cecily Brown with the following criteria: Artworks made after 2000 that measure less than 24 inches x 24 inches in size, excluding atypical works with more figurative subject matter and/or monochromatic paintings. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 18.8% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from February 16, 2012 to May 12, 2023.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
62 |
Series 308
The Artwork held by Series 308, entitled “xIxnxfxixnxixtxyx-xNxextxsx x[xQxFxCxDxAx]x” (2017), is a single work of art by Yayoi Kusama. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 57 inches by 44 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private collector for $2,205,000 on May 22, 2023. For a biography of Yayoi Kusama, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The Artwork, executed in 2017, is a vibrant, medium-scale example from Yayoi Kusama’s iconic “Infinity Nets” series, which features a field of repetitive crimson loops on a stark, black ground. | |
● | Kusama began painting her meditative “net” paintings soon after she arrived in New York City in 1958. Their compositions tend to have no distinct focal point, and instead consist of intricate, looping brushstrokes meant to visually represent the concept of infinity. “Infinity Nets” vary in color and size: the smallest are under a foot tall, while the largest examples exceed nine feet in height. | |
● | The Artwork’s striking red palette may recall and emulate a significant childhood hallucination where Kusama describes a moment after observing a pattern of red flowers on a tablecloth, she saw that same pattern repeated all around her, and experienced a feeling where her “entire body, and the entire universe [was] covered with red flowers (...) in that instant [her] soul was obliterated, and [she] was restored, returned to infinity.” | |
● | While “net” paintings from the 1950s and 1960s have historically garnered some of the artist’s highest prices at auction, demand for Kusama’s later works, and subsequently, the prices they achieve at auction have increased significantly in recent years. The average price realized for “nets” created since 2000, which measure between 15 by 15 inches and 60 by 60 inches was $973,124 for works sold between 2019 and 2020, and increased to $2,295,642 in 2021, a 136% increase over that time period. | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, red “net” examples from the 2000s have achieved prices in excess of $1.3 million: “Infinity Nets (BSGK)” (2015), which is larger than the Artwork, sold for HKD 19,800,000 ($2,522,301) at Poly Auction in Hong Kong on July 12, 2022, “Infinity-Nets (KPEU)” (2016), which is also larger than the Artwork, sold for KRW 2,932,500,000 ($2,516,085) at Seoul Auction in Seoul on August 24, 2021. “Infinity Nets” (2000), which is a vertically oriented red net, similar in size to the Artwork, sold for JPY 161,000,000 ($1,373,652) at SBI Art Auction Co. in Tokyo on March 12, 2022.(1,2) | |
● | The Artwork’s palette, format, and execution make it a commercial and desirable work by Yayoi Kusama. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 23.2% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November 10, 2005 to July 12, 2022.(1) | |
● | Significant auction track-record with 31 years of transaction history and a high level of auction volume based on $194.6 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(2) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 17 sales of works by Yayoi Kusama that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. | |
2. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
David Zwiner
Private Collection
Private Collection
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Yayoi Kusama with the following criteria: “Infinity Net” paintings created between 1995 and 2023, which measure between 24 inches by 24 inches and 72 inches by 72 inches, and to the best of our ability to determine, employ a predominantly red color palette. The set excludes atypical Infinity Nets. Where the buyer’s premium was unavailable due to incomplete data, the respective auction house’s buyer’s premium rates for 2022 were applied. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 23.2% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November 11, 2005 to July 12, 2022.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
63 |
Series 310
The Artwork held by Series 310, entitled “xFxixgxuxrxex x(xCxoxbxaxlxtx)x” (2021), is a single work of art by Simone Leigh. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 26 inches by 15 inches, at Phillips 20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York for $775,000 on May 17, 2023. For a biography of Simone Leigh, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The Artwork depicts the bust, head and crossed arms of a nude woman made of cobalt glazed stoneware, rendered in the artist’s signature style with hair resembling an afro. | |
● | The sculpture is a powerful representation of Black womanhood and is a reminder of the strength and resilience of Black people. | |
● | Works from the series have been rendered in ceramic, bronze and raffia, and range from domestically scaled sculptures, such as the Artwork, to monumental works such as “Brick House” (2019), which is the first work in the series and was exhibited on New York City’s High Line. | |
● | Leigh’s works, as in the subject work, often depict Black women with simplified facial features and no eyes. This lack of detail suggests the invisibility of interior experience, or the inner lives of Black women. Leigh’s abstracted figures are a reminder of “how colonial history has systematically anonymized African women’s labor and thought.” | |
● | The sculpture is made of glazed stoneware, which is a type of ceramic that is fired at a high temperature. This gives the sculpture a smooth, glossy finish. | |
● | Examples similar to the Artwork in subject, form, and material are included in several important public collections, including the Guggenheim Museum in New York and the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, figurative sculptures similar to the Artwork in composition and size account for seven of the artist’s top ten auction records and have sold in excess of $2.1 million. These are led by: “Birmingham” (2012), which sold for $2,167,500 at Sotheby’s, New York, on May 19, 2022, “Clarendon” (2015), which sold for £869,500 ($1,058,819) at Phillips, London, on June 30, 2022, and “Untitled V (Anatomy of Architecture Series)” (2016), which sold for £724,500 ($883,945) at Christie’s, London, on June 28, 2022. | |
● | The Artwork’s subject, format, and medium make it a commercial and desirable work by Simone Leigh. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 74.6% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November 17, 2017 to May 17, 2023.(1) | |
● | Low auction track-record with 6 years of transaction history and a low level of auction volume based on $5.7 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(2) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 12 sales of works by Simone Leigh, that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
Hauser & Wirth
Private Collection, acquired from the above in 2021
Phillips New York, 17 May 2023, Lot 37
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise sculptures by Simone Leigh with the following criteria: figurative sculptures, executed 2011 to present which measure less than 40 inches by 40 inches. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the sculptures in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual sculpture is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 74.6% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November 17, 2017 to May 17, 2023.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
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Series 311
The Artwork held by Series 311, entitled “xMxaxnxuxaxlx xMxoxbxixlxixtxyx” (1994), is a single work of art by Ed Ruscha. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 60 inches by 84 inches, at Phillips 20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York for $3,200,000 on May 17, 2023. For a biography of Ed Ruscha, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The Artwork is a characteristic example of Ed Ruscha’s text-based work, which often explores the evolving nature of language, meaning, and expression. | |
● | Executed in 1994, the Artwork depicts 6 rows of words set against a sky backdrop, two recurring motifs within the artist’s practice. With the combination of pale blue and gray brushstrokes. | |
● | Visible against this colorful background, the Artwork depicts the sentence “The History of Manual Mobility With Respect To The Operation of Vehicles,” executed in Ruscha’s characteristic typography, which he calls “Boy Scout Utility,” and rendered in gradually diminishing block letters. The artist developed this simple, standardized font in the early 1980s, as a means of eliminating distraction from the meaning of the words depicted. | |
● | The juxtaposition of the bold letters against the soft sky creates a sense of theatricality, which Ruscha intended. The artist maintains that the combination of specific word(s) with particular backgrounds are not directly related, and the skyscapes are viewed as “anonymous backdrops…meant to support the drama of the words.” | |
● | Atmospheric skyscape paintings that incorporate text are particularly desirable within Ruscha’s oeuvre, and as of August 2, 2023, large-scale examples executed in the same period as the Artwork account for three of the artist’s top ten price records at auction. | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, atmospheric examples similar in scale to the Artwork have achieved prices in excess of $4.9 million at auction and include: “Cold Beer Beautiful Girls” (1993), which is subjectively a more desirable work than the Artwork, and sold for $18,823,400 at Sotheby’s, New York, on May 19, 2022, “Brave Man’s Porch” (1996) which sold for $6,550,400 at Sotheby’s, New York, on November 16, 2017, and “Dear Friend” (1989), which sold for $4,928,500 at Christie’s New York, on May 15, 2019. | |
● | The Artwork’s subject, composition, and execution make it a commercial and desirable work by Ed Ruscha. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 14.5% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November 13, 2002 to May 19, 2022.(1) | |
● | Significant auction track-record with 39 years of transaction history and a moderate level of auction volume based on $37.3 million in total sales, excluding Buyer’s Premium, over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(2) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 19 sales of works by Ed Ruscha, that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
Anthony d’Offay Gallery, London
Kukje Gallery, Seoul
Arario Gallery, Cheonan
Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York
Private Collection
Phillips New York, 17 May 2023, Lot 29
Acquired from the above from Masterworks
Exhibited
Seoul, Kukje Gallery, Edward Ruscha, November 17–December 18, 1999, no. 2, pp. 6, 38 (illustrated, p. 7)
Cheonan, Arario Gallery, Pop Thru Out, May 27–July 20, 2003, no. 34, n.p. (illustrated, n.p.)
Literature
John Sullivan, “Artistic Perspectives: U.S. artist reveals another side of America,” Newsreview: Korea’s Weekly Magazine, Vol. 28, no. 48, November 27, 1999, p. 19 (illustrated)
Robert Dean and Lisa Turvey, eds., Edward Ruscha. Catalogue Raisonné of the Artworks. Volume Five: 1993-1997, New York, 2012, no. P1994.19, pp. 122, 492 (illustrated, p. 123)
History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Ed Ruscha with the following criteria: created between 1989 and 2015 predominantly in oil or acrylic on canvas, which measure between 30 inches by 30 inches and 100 inches by 100 inches, feature at least two lines of text on a sky background. The comparative set includes a painting acquired by Masterworks 96, LLC, at Sotheby’s, New York, Contemporary Art Evening Auction held on November 18, 2021 for $3,650,000. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 14.5% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November 13, 2002 to May 19, 2022. The set of similar works includes “Cold Beer Beautiful Girls” (1993), which is subjectively a more desirable example than the Artwork, and excluding this sale the realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 13.6% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November 13, 2002 to April 3, 2022.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
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Series 312
The Artwork held by Series 312, entitled “xFxixlxex” (1997), is a single work of art by Robert Ryman. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 28 inches by 21 inches, at Christie’s A Century Of Art: The Gerald Fineberg Collection Part I in New York for $1,562,500 on May 17, 2023. For a biography of Robert Ryman, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | Executed in 1997, the Artwork is a small-scale example of Robert Ryman’s characteristic palette and format. | |
● | Ryman’s works, similar to the Artwork, are often square and are made with only white paint applied as a thin and even layer of paint. His works are characterized by their simplicity and their focus on the materiality of paint. | |
● | Ryman’s paintings are often described as being about the process of painting, rather than about the finished product. They invite the viewer to consider the qualities of the paint, the surface of the canvas, and the relationship between the painting and the surrounding space. | |
● | What differs Ryman’s work from the Minimalist movement is “the way the medium holds a sort of sense memory from it’s bodily application through its texture and manipulations of light”. | |
● | According to Robert Ryman he is not involved in any kind of art movement. His work differs from abstract and minimalist works, in his own words: “It just seems that what I do is not abstract. I am involved with real space, the room itself, real light, and real surface.” | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, Ryman’s full white paintings account for all ten of the artist’s top ten auction records and are highly sought after amongst collectors. | |
● | Small-scale examples similar in medium, and composition with the Artwork have achieved prices in excess of $4.8 million at auction and include: “Untitled” (1982), which sold for $4,860,000 at Sotheby’s, New York, on November 15, 2021, “Untitled” (1961), which sold for $3,975,000 at Sotheby’s, New York on November 14, 2018 and “Untitled” (1961), which sold for $3,900,000 at Christie’s New York on May 9, 2022. | |
● | The Artwork’s period, scale, and composition make it a commercial and desirable work by Robert Ryman. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 13.6% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from October 3, 1991 to November 15, 2021.(1) | |
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork since January 1, 2010: 18.0% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from May 16, 2013 to November 15, 2021.(2) | |
● | Significant auction track-record with 39 years of transaction history and a moderate level of auction volume based on $41.6 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(3) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 7 sales of works by Robert Ryman that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 5 sales of works by Robert Ryman that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
3. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
PaceWildenstein, New York
Marguerite and Robert Hoffman, Dallas, 1988
Private Collection, acquired in 2013
Christie’s New York, 17 May 2023, Lot 49
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
Exhibited
New York, PaceWildenstein Gallery, Robert Ryman: Small Format Artworks, January-February 1999.
Dallas Museum of Art, Robert Ryman, December 2005-April 2006, pp. 42 and 55, no. 17 (illustrated).
Literature
J. Gili, “La doble jaula,” Lápiz 22, no. 195, July 2003, p. 50 (installation view illustrated).
F. Colpitt, “Robert Ryman, Dallas Museum of Art.” Art US, no. 14, Summer 2006, p. 63 (illustrated).
History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Robert Ryman with the following criteria: monochrome white paintings created before 2000 measuring from 13 inches by 13 inches to 30 inches by 30 inches. The set excludes works on panel, fiberglass, wood, foam core or board. Where the price with buyer’s premium was not listed, it was calculated based on the auction house’s terms and conditions. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 13.6% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from October 3, 1991 to November 15, 2021. Since January 1, 2010, the realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 18.0% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from May 16, 2013 to November 15, 2021.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
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Series 313
The Artwork held by Series 313, entitled “xAxcxcxrxextxixoxnxsx xIxIx” (1967), is a single work of art by Yayoi Kusama. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 18 inches by 22 inches, at Christie’s A Century of Art: The Gerald Fineberg Collection Part II in New York for $478,800 on May 18, 2023. For a biography of Yayoi Kusama, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The Artwork, executed in 1967, is a vibrant, small-scale example from Yayoi Kusama’s iconic “Infinity Nets” series, which features a field of repetitive black loops on a green ground. | |
● | Kusama began painting her meditative “net” paintings soon after she arrived in New York City in 1958. Their compositions tend to have no distinct focal point, and instead consist of intricate, looping brushstrokes meant to visually represent the concept of infinity. “Infinity Nets” vary in color and size: the smallest are under a foot tall, while the largest examples exceed nine feet in height. | |
● | Infinity net paintings from the 1950s and 1960s garner some of the artist’s highest auction prices. | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, black “Infinity Nets” executed on colored ground similar in scale to the Artwork have achieved prices in excess of $700,000 at auction, including: “Infinity Nets” (1990), which sold for $724,484 at Phillips, Hong Kong on November 25, 2010, “Infinity Nets” (1959), which sold for $820,445 at China Guardian, Beijing on November 16, 2019, and “Infinity Nets” (1990), which sold for $777,062 at Mainichi, Tokyo on April 21, 2018. | |
● | The scale, palette, detailed pattern, and execution make the Artwork a commercial and desirable example by Yayoi Kusama. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 18.1% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from October 12, 1998 to July 7, 2020.(1) | |
● | Significant auction track-record with 31 years of transaction history and a high level of auction volume based on $194.6 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(2) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 28 sales of works by Yayoi Kusama, that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
Sakuradou Fine Art, Tokyo
Jason Rulnick, New York
TenLetters Media, Inc, New York
Private Collection, acquired in 2017
Christie’s New York, 18 May 2023, Lot 809
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
History of Selected Similar Sales
History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Yayoi Kusama with the following criteria: black infinity nets on canvas measuring from 10 inches by 10 inches to 30 inches by 30 inches. The set excludes atypical infinity nets. Where the price with buyer’s premium was not listed, it was calculated based on the auction house’s terms and conditions. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 18.1% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from October 12, 1998 to July 7, 2020.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
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Series 317
The Artwork held by Series 317, entitled “xAxnxgxexlx” (2002), is a single work of art by Liu Ye. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 16 inches by 12 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private advisor for $1,000,000 on June 19, 2023. For a biography of Liu Ye, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | Liu Ye creates richly colored representational paintings that draw inspiration from contemporary pop culture and art history. He blends influences from his childhood in China and his art education in Europe. Along with the classic fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen and Lewis Carroll, the writings of Leo Tolstoy and Vladimir Nabokov, Liu takes a particular interest in modernist art and architecture, and specifically the work of Piet Mondrian. | |
● | The Artwork is representative of his series of paintings that feature a single child standing, frequently in front of artwork. Although the subject in the Artwork does not stand in front of a painting, she dons angel wings as if she were from a classic cherub painting herself. | |
● | The Artwork is a portrait of a young girl in profile with little angel wings, standing against a solid blue background. The girl is painted in Liu Ye’s signature cartoonish style: she has a disproportionately large head, little button nose, short black bob, rosy cheeks, and fisted hand. She wears a simple white blouse tucked into a green skirt that is cropped by the canvas’ edge just above her knees. Her white feathered angel wing extends out from her shoulder blades so the tip catches the light just beyond the cast shadow of her bulbous head. | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, examples similar in composition, scale, and palette to the Painting have achieved prices at auction in excess of $1.4 million and include “The Goddess” (2018), which sold for $3,753,767 at Christie’s in London on February 28, 2023, and “I am a Soldier”(1999), which sold for $1,429,822 at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on October 6, 2019. | |
● | The Artwork previously sold at auction twice: at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong, Lot #853, on October 7, 2012, where it sold for $149,640, and at Christie’s in Hong Kong, Lot #127, on October 2, 2021, where it sold for $879,211 | |
● | Liu Ye is a contemporary Chinese painter who is internationally recognized for his playful portraits of children inspired by his childhood in Cultural Revolution China and art education in Europe. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 17.2% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from October 24, 2005 to February 28, 2023.(1) | |
● | Moderate auction track-record with 28 years of transaction history and a moderate level of auction volume based on $12.5 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(2) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 25 sales of works by Liu Ye, including two past sales of the Artwork, that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
Private Collection
Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7 October 2012, lot 853
Private Collection
Christie’s Hong-Kong, 2 December 2021, lot 127
Private Collection
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
Literature
Christoph Noe (ed.), Hatje Cantz Verlag, Liu Ye Catalogue Raisonné 1991-2015, Ostfildern, 2015 (illustrated, p.305)
History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Liu Ye with the following criteria: works measuring from 10 by 10 inches to 24 by 24 inches that feature single figures on neutral backgrounds. The set excludes atypical works: Mondrian series, nudes, and works with animals. The set includes two previous sales of the Artwork. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 17.2% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from October 24, 2005 to February 28, 2023.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
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Series 321
The Artwork held by Series 321, entitled “x2x8x.x0x3x.x7x1x” (1971), is a single work of art by Zao Wou-Ki. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at which measures at 18 inches by 22 inches, at Artcurial Contemporary Art Sale in Paris on June 7, 2023 for €340,200 or $374,696 based on the effective exchange rate provided by JPMorgan Chase. For a biography of Zao Wou-Ki, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The Artwork marks the start of Zao Wou-Ki’s shift away from his hurricane period (1959-1972) into his more ambient, blurry abstract paintings of the 1970s. | |
● | Zao’s 1970s paintings are characterized by their shift away from the angular brushstrokes of his Hurricane period, and towards loose, winding brushstrokes, blurred backgrounds, and saturated colors to create dreamlike atmospheric environments that allude to natural landscapes but maintain a sense of abstraction. | |
● | The Artwork is typical of Zao’s small scale oil on canvas paintings and reflects the artist’s shift in 1970 away from line and towards ambient space. | |
● | The Artwork features a grayscale palette with a white background and gray and black layers of paint that dominate the lower third of the canvas. The Artwork exemplifies Zao’s use of undulating and blurred brushstrokes. | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, examples similar in period, scale, and palette to the Painting that have achieved prices at auction in excess of $650,000, and include: “06.10.70” (1970), which sold for HKD 5,796,000 ($745,266) at Sotheby’s, Hong Kong on December 15, 2022, “14/10/69” (1969), which is larger than the Artwork and sold for HKD 11,745,000 ($ 1,509,831) at Phillips, Hong Kong on December 1, 2022,, and “14.11.74” (1974) for HKD 5,310,000 ($684,458) at Poly Auction, Hong Kong, on November 25, 2016. | |
● | The Artwork previously sold at auction once at Ketterer Kunst GnbH in Munich, Lot #246, on December 8, 2012, where it sold for $ 543,648 (€ 420,000). | |
● | The Artwork’s period, composition, and execution make it a commercial and desirable work by Zao Wou-Ki. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Painting: 16.7% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November 26, 1999 to October 25, 2022.(1) | |
● | Significant auction track-record with 40 years of transaction history and a high level of auction volume based on $102.5 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(2) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 24 sales of works by Zao Wou-Ki, including one past sale of the Painting, that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
Galerie Heimeshoff, Essen
Private Collection, France
Ketterer Kunst GmbH, Munich, 8 December 2012, Lot 246
Private Collection
Artcurial, Paris, June 7, 2023, Lot 127
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
Literature
This Artwork will be present in the Madam Francois Marquet and Mr. Yann Hendgen’s Catalogue Raisonne
History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Zao Wou-Ki with the following criteria: On canvas paintings from 1968 to 1979 that are between 15 by 15 inches and 25 by 25 inches in size and share a similarly grayscale palette. Where the price with buyer’s premium was not listed, it was calculated based on the auction house’s terms and conditions. Where an auction house’s buyer’s premium could not be determined at the time of the sale, a buyer’s premium of 10% is assumed. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 16.7% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November 26, 1999 to October 25, 2022.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
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Series 324
The Artwork held by Series 324, entitled “xUxnxtxixtxlxexdx” (2016), is a single work of art by Avery Singer. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 80 inches by 90 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private gallery for $2,200,000 on June 16, 2023. For a biography of Avery Singer, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The Artwork is characteristic of Avery Singer’s distinctive practice, which blends digital illustration with Modernist painting traditions. | |
● | The Artwork is a large-format black-and-white shadow painting. The gender and identity of Singer’s figures is obscured by the effect of the silhouette and Singer’s graphic, Constructivist style. | |
● | The Artwork features three figures relaxing under foliage. The far left figure stands in profile and smokes a cigarette, the middle figure presumably faces the viewer (although the effect of the silhouette makes it impossible to know for sure what direction they face) and leans on one knee while holding a lit cigarette and a beer bottle in one hand, and the far right figure reclines and faces the other figures, lifting a wine bottle up in their hand. | |
● | Singer’s top auction records are led by similar large-format shadow paintings: “Happening” (2014), which sold for $5,253,000 at Sotheby’s, New York on May 19, 2022, “Untitled (Tuesday)” (2017), which sold for HKD 35,050,000 ($4,498,457) at Christie’s, Hong Kong on December 1, 2021, and “Untitled” (2018), which sold for $4,144,000 at Phillips, New York, on June 23, 2021. | |
● | The Painting’s subject, execution, and scale make it a commercial and desirable work by Avery Singer. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Painting: 44.9% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November 15, 2018 to May 28, 2023.(1) | |
● | Low auction track-record with 6 years of transaction history and a moderate level of auction volume based on $13.1 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(2) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 7 sales of works by Avery Singer, that are similar to the Painting and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
Kraupa Tuskany Collection, Germany
Private Collection, Germany
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
Exhibited
Amsterdam, Stedelijk Museum, Avery Singer: Scenes, April - October 2016
History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Painting. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Avery Singer with the following criteria: Works ranging between 60 by 60 inches and 120 by 120 inches in size from Singer’s predominantly black-and-white shadow style, excluding works with multiple vignettes. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Painting, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Painting and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 44.9% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from November 15, 2018 to May 28, 2023.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
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Series 326
The Artwork held by Series 326, entitled “ x P x H x - x 6 x 9 x ” (1947), is a single work of art by Clyfford Still. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 62 inches by 43 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from an auction house for $7,000,000 on July 14, 2023. For a biography of Clyfford Still, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
Also on July 14, 2023, the Painting was appraised by Masterworks at a fair market value of $9,500,000. The fair market value appraisal, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 99.2 to the offering statement of which this offering circular is an integral part, is relevant only as of the date it was issued and is subject to important qualifications and limitations as set forth therein. Although the Company believes the appraisal provides relevant information for investors, it should only be viewed as a statement of opinion, and undue emphasis should not be placed on the appraised amount. Valuation of unique art objects requires a high degree of subjectivity, so while the Company acknowledges that a sale at a public auction is one of the strongest indicators of value, it is not the only piece of information that should be taken into account. Unlike an auction for homogenous commodities with a deep demand base, the market for fine art is far more idiosyncratic and inefficient. The Company believes that it is typical for a buyer to overpay or underpay for an item relative to its fair market value depending on a variety of factors, where a single event can have a significant impact on supply and demand. This is the case because the art market is characterized by a limited number of potential buyers, particularly for items as valuable as the Artwork. Therefore, the singularity of each item, the timing and location of particular sales, and global economic conditions, may all significantly influence the outcome of a sale. The appraisal itself contains valuable information for potential investors, including a description of the methodology and specific attributes of the Artwork considered by Masterworks to be meaningful in the determination of fair market value. Notwithstanding the foregoing, investors should not place undue emphasis on the appraised value. For more information on Masterworks appraisal methodology, potential conflicts of interest and other important considerations, see “Description of Business – Art Appraisals” in this offering circular.
● | The Artwork was created during what the artist’s estate considers Clyfford Still’s “breakthrough period” at the height of Abstract Expressionism between 1944 and 1960. | |
● | The Artwork is representative of Still’s Abstract Expressionist paintings, which are characterized by their large scale, all-over compositions that feature jagged, contrasting shapes of color, and thick layers of paint applied with a palette knife. | |
● | Clyfford Still drew inspiration for his Abstract Expressionist paintings from the wild Canadian prairie, integrating irregular, organic forms, and earth tones into his original non-representational compositions. | |
● | The Artwork is a large-scale vertical abstract painting with irregular, jagged edged applications of colored paint running vertically on a textured black background. The painting is dominated by two sections of brown paint that extend to the top and bottom of the canvas. In between the brown paint, a parallel long and narrow line of yellow paint splits the canvas. A section of red paint reaches down from the upper right corner while a section of pink paint reaches up from the bottom left corner. | |
● | Artworks similar in scale and subject to the artwork have achieved impressive sales at auction, led by 1947-Y-No. 2 (1947), which sold for $31,442,500 at Sotheby’s New York on November 9, 2011, followed by PH-125 (1948-No.1) (1948), which sold for $30,712,500 at Sotheby’s New York on May 12, 2021, and PH-144 (1947-Y-No.1) (1947), which sold at Sotheby’s New York for $28,739,000 on June 29, 2020. | |
● | Most recently, the Artwork was offered in New York at Christie’s “20th Century Evening Sale” on November 17, 2022 with a pre-sale auction estimate of $12 million to $18 million; it was withdrawn prior to the sale. Withdrawals can occur for a variety of reasons, including insufficient buyer interest in excess of the reserve price at the time of the sale. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 16.6% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from May 9, 1996 to June 29, 2020.(1) | |
● | Significant auction track-record with 38 years of transaction history and a low level of auction volume based on no sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(2) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 12 sales of works by Clyfford Still that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
The Artist
Private Collection
Private Collection
Private Collection
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
Exhibited
Denver, Clyfford Still Museum, Drawing/Painting/Process, October 2013 - February 2014
London, Royal Academy of Arts; Bilbao, Guggenheim, Abstract Expressionism, September 2016 -June 2017, illustrated, p. 158, no. 26
Evanston, Block Museum, William Blake and the Age of Aquarius, September 2017 - March 2018, illustrated, pp. 156-157, no. 107
History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Clyfford Still with the following criteria: Paintings made since 1942 that measure between 30 and 70 inches in size. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 16.6% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from May 9, 1996 to June 29, 2020.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
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Series 328
The Artwork held by Series 328, entitled “Sxxexcxoxnxd Sxtxxuxdxixox” (2013), is a single work of art by Christine Ay Tjoe. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 67 inches by 67 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private gallery for $1,025,000 on July 7, 2023 . For a biography of Christine Ay Tjoe, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The Artwork is a sensational example of Christine Ay Tjoe’s expressive and unique movement which targets the human experience through dramatic color and composition. | |
● | Executed in 2013, while the Artwork’s depiction is nonspecific, the counterclockwise gesture is incredibly rigid and equally eloquent. The paint is applied in a circular shape which is contained and slightly above center on the canvas. | |
● | Through the use of both oil sticks and paint applied to the canvas with her hands, Ay Tjoe balances control and volatility through the use of lines, patterns and textures which often resemble organic forms and structures found in nature. | |
● | The Artwork was included in a 2023 exhibition titled “Joan Mitchell—Christine Ay Tjoe,” which was held at Mnuchin Gallery in New York City and examined the contemporary work of Christine Ay Tjoe in historical dialogue with the work of legendary abstract artist Joan Mitchell. | |
● | Examples of Ay Tjoe’s work similar to the Artwork are included in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection and the artist is represented by White Cube. | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, abstract works comparable to the Artwork in scale, subject and execution have achieved prices in excess of $1 million, and include examples such as: “Stars From the Black Idea” (2012), which sold for HKD 6,048,000 ($777,475) at Christie’s, Hong Kong, on December 1, 2022, and “First Type of Stairs” (2010), which sold for HKD 8,403,000 ($1,079,507) at Sotheby’s, Hong Kong, on October 9, 2021, and currently represents the artist’s sixth auction price record. | |
● | The Artwork’s subject, execution, and scale make it a commercial and desirable work by Christine Ay Tjoe. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 27.8% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from October 6, 2008 to December 1, 2022. (1) | |
● | Moderate auction track-record with 17 years of transaction history and a low level of auction volume based on $7.1 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(2) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 29 sales of works by Christine Ay Tjoe, including one past sale of the Artwork that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
The Artist
ARNDT Gallery, Berlin
Private Collection, Indonesia
Private Collection, Asia
Sotheby’s Hong Kong, April 19, 2021, Lot 1122
Private Collection
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
Exhibited
Berlin, ARNDT Gallery, Sip! Indonesian Art Today, April - June 2013
New York, Mnuchin Gallery, Joan Mitchell and Christine Ay Tjoe, Vis-à-Vis, February - March 2023, illustrated in color n.p.
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History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Christine Ay Tjoe with the following criteria: works created 2008 to present, measuring from 50 inches by 50 inches to 80 inches by 80 inches. The set excludes works that are predominantly blue, black or red. It also excludes works with text and works from the “Layered” series. Where the price with buyer’s premium was not listed, a rate of 10% was applied. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 27.8% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from October 6, 2008 to December 1, 2022.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
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Series 331
The Artwork held by Series 331, entitled “Wxhxexnx Yxoxux’xvxex xGxoxtx xax xLxitxtxlxex xSxpxrxixnxgxtxixmxe xixnx xYxoxuxr xHxexaxrxt” (2018-2019), is a single work of art by Cecily Brown. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 47 inches by 51 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private gallery for $3,800,000 on June 26, 2023. For a biography of Cecily Brown, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The Artwork is a prime example of Cecily Brown’s gestural practice, which underwent a stylistic shift in the early 2000s, when her characteristically figurative and sexually-explicit imagery gave way to more evocative and largely abstract compositions. | |
● | Executed in 2018, The Artwork is representative of Cecily Brown’s gestural oil painting practice, which underwent a stylistic shift in the late 1990s when her characteristically figurative and sexually-explicit imagery gave way to more evocative and largely abstract compositions. | |
● | Cecily Brown’s abstract paintings layer energetic, multicolored brushstrokes to create texturally rich and sensual compositions. Despite her commitment to abstraction, Brown still often alludes to corporeal figures and narrative scenes through her strategic use of color and the organic curvature of her brushstrokes. | |
● | The Artwork features a predominantly green palette. Flicks of red, yellow, orange, and blue paint weave between the layers of green paint to create a dynamic abstract composition. | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, largely abstract compositions created in the 2000s through the 2010s represent six of the artist’s top ten auction records, suggesting particular demand for these works amongst collectors. | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, examples similar in period, scale, and composition to the Artwork, have sold in excess of $2.6 million at auction and include examples such as: “Running Scared” (2010), which sold for $2,601,000 at Sotheby’s, New York, on March 9, 2023, “There’ll Be Bluebirds” (2019), which sold for £3,502,500 ($4,818,736) at Christie’s, London, on October 15, 2021, and “Unfurl the Flag” (2013), which sold for HKD 25,585,000 ($3,286,828) at Sotheby’s, Hong Kong, on October 9, 2021. | |
● | The Artwork’s period and composition make it a commercial and desirable work by Cecily Brown. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 26.3% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from June 30, 2011 to May 16, 2023.(1) | |
● | Moderate auction track-record with 24 years of transaction history and a high level of auction volume based on $33 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(2) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 16 sales of works by Cecily Brown that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
The Artist
Paula Cooper Gallery, New York
Private Collection
Private Collection
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
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History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Cecily Brown with the following criteria: canvas paintings executed 2009 to present, that measure 22 inches by 22 inches to 67 inches by 67 inches. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 26.3% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from June 30, 2011 to May 16, 2023.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with the auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
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Series 333
The Artwork held by Series 333, entitled “Axfxtxexr Gxixox\rxgxixoxnex (xPxoxrxtxrxaxixt oxf ax yxoxuxnxg mxaxn [xGxixuxsxtxixnxixaxnxix xPxoxrtxxrxaxixtx]x)” (2011), is a single work of art by Elizabeth Peyton. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 12 inches by 9 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from a private gallery for $502,500 on June 22, 2023. For a biography of Elizabeth Peyton, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The Artwork is a prime example of Elizabeth Peyton’s series of historic portraits that are based on classic portrait paintings in her own style. She creates paintings of existing paintings she admired to learn from them. | |
● | Peyton describes her process in an article for Frieze Magazine, writing: “Sometimes making a painting after another picture is freeing; the composition is already made, so other things are allowed to happen. In an almost hypnotic way, I’m trying to let some harder-to-reach things inside of me come out.” | |
● | The Artwork is Elizabeth Peyton’s contemporary interpretation of the Italian Renaissance artist Giorgione’s late fifteenth century “Portrait of a Young Man”, also known as the “Giustiniani Portrait”. | |
● | The Artwork is a three-quarters view portrait of a young man. Unlike the original Giorgione painting, which relays the naturalistic likeness of a young man from the chest up, Elizabeth Peyton crops her study so only his face and neck are visible. She uses short, angled brushstrokes to create a detailed yet loose composition of the young man’s face and intentionally leaves his long hair and the background incomplete. | |
● | Similar close-cropped portrait paintings have proved to be highly desirable at auction, with auction records led by: “David Bowie” (2012), which sold for $2,077,000 at Sotheby’s New York on May 12, 2021, “Kurt Cobain” (1995), which sold for $769,000 at Christie’s New York on May 13, 2008, and “Craig” (1997), which sold for $614,500 at Christie’s New York on November 15, 2012. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 17.2% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from October 23, 2001 to June 30, 2021.(1) | |
● | Moderate auction track-record with 23 years of transaction history and a low level of auction volume based on $7.7 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2021.(2) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 16 sales of works by Elizabeth Peyton that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
The Artist
Gavin Brown’s enterprise, New York
Private Collection
Private Collection
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
Exhibited
New York, American Academy of Arts and Letters, 2012 Invitational Exhibition of Visual Arts, March - April, 2012
London, National Portrait Gallery, Elizabeth Peyton: Aire and Angels, October 2019 - January 2020, illustrated in color, pp. 32, 101, listed, discussed in text, pp. 27-29
Literature
Kristy Bell, Elizabeth Peyton: Dark Incandescence, 2009-2014, New York, 2017, vol. V, p. 121, illustrated in color, p. 242, listed
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History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Painting. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Elizabeth Peyton with the following criteria: single figure portraits measuring under 20 inches by 20 inches where only the head, neck or partial shoulder is visible. Portraits in profile view as well as images of David Bowie were excluded from the set. Where the price with buyer’s premium was not listed, a rate of 10% was applied. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Painting, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Painting and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 17.2% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from October 23, 2001 to June 30, 2021.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
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Series 335
The Artwork held by Series 335, entitled “Axx xBxlxuxex xPxrxexdxixcxaxmxxxenxt” (2018), is a single work of art by Hernan Bas. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 50 inches by 40 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from an auction house for $430,000 on June 28, 2023. For a biography of Hernan Bas, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The Artwork is a characteristic example of Hernan Bas’ large-scale landscapes, which are typically executed in vivid color palettes using the artist’s signature stylized formality, and often featuring young male figures. | |
● | The Artwork is an example of Bas’s signature style, with its bright colors, bold brushstrokes, and romanticized depiction of youth. The Artwork is dominated by bright colors, such as blue, and green. | |
● | The Artwork depicts two young boys sitting and watching a blue bird on top of the table in front of them. The image has a dreamlike quality, and the boys seem to be lost in their own world. | |
● | Birds, often seen as elegant and graceful creatures, are recurring imagery in Bas’s body of work. Bas uses them to represent beauty, isolation and loneliness. | |
● | The Artwork has a sense of mystery and intrigue, as the viewer is left to wonder what the boys are up to. | |
● | In addition to rendering the Artwork’s composition in his energetic yet narratively enigmatic style, Bas’ inclusion of the young male figures - with their emotional state left intentionally ambiguous - positions the work both in the tradition of classical painting, while updated with a decidedly contemporary bent. | |
● | Examples of Hernan Bas’ works similar to the Artwork are included in the collections of several important public institutions including the Brooklyn Museum; the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, among others. Additionally, numerous examples of Hernan Bas’ work can be found in the collection of the Rubell Museum, located in Miami and Washington, D.C. | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, works executed after 2008, which are of similar subject, period and scale to the Artwork have sold at auction in excess of $1.2 million and include: “The Overly Prepped Boy (or The Approaching Glacier)”, which sold for HKD 9,810,000 ($1,249,705) at Christie’s, Hong Kong on May 26, 2022, “Night Flight or Midnight Migration, or My Merry Way” (2011), which sold for $746,000 at Sotheby’s, New York on November 18, 2021 and “Secret Hideout of the Flamingo Gang (Abandoned Paddle Boats)” (2014) , which sold for HKD 4,410,000 ($563,337) at Christie’s, Hong Kong on May 29, 2023. | |
● | The Artwork’s subject, execution, and scale make it a commercial and desirable work by Hernan Bas. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 25.8% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from September 21, 2012 to May 29, 2023.(1) | |
● | Moderate auction track-record with 17 years of transaction history and a low level of auction volume based on $7.4 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(2) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 20 sales of works by Hernan Bas, that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
The Artist
Lehmann Maupin, New York
Private Collection
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
Exhibition
Seoul, Space K; Shanghai, Yuz Museum, Hernan Bas: Choose Your Own Adventure, February - May 2021; October 2021 - January 2022
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History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Hernan Bas with the following criteria: canvas paintings created 2009 to present, measuring over 36 by 36 inches to 100 by 100 inches, excluding works on paper, vellum, mylar, board and panel. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 25.8% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from September 21, 2012 to March 30, 2023.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
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Series 341
The Artwork held by Series 341 entitled “Uxnxtxitxxlxexd”, 1990, is a single work of art by Christopher Wool. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 92 inches by 72 inches, in a privately negotiated transaction from an auction house for $4,000,000 on July 14, 2023. For a biography of Christopher Wool, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The Artwork is representative of Christopher Wool’s large-scale text-based paintings on aluminum, which spell out popular slogans, lines from films and tv shows, and other common language. | |
● | Christopher Wool’s text-based paintings feature a capitalized, stencil-like sans serif font reminiscent of many commercial signs. | |
● | Wool uses language as a formal painting technique, treating letters like abstract shapes and lines of text like a grid. He fractures words, misspells words, and removes spaces between words to make the text more difficult to read and force a more thoughtful inspection of the artwork. Although he occasionally incorporates color, most of his text-based works use a black font on a white background. | |
● | The Artwork is a vertical, black and white painting that features two lines of text in Christopher Wool’s signature stencil font that both read: “OH.” The letters take up the entire aluminum panel they are painted on, leaving only a thin frame of white space so they appear to float in space. The horizontal symmetry of the work gives the letters a geometric quality, which makes The Artwork oscillate between representation and abstraction. | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, nine out of the artist’s top ten auction records are text-based paintings similar to the Artwork, including the artist’s top three records: “Untitled (Riot)” (1990), which sold for $29,930,000 at Sotheby’s New York on May 12, 2015, by “Apocalypse Now” (1988), which sold for $26,485,000 at Christie’s New York on November 12, 2013, and “If You” (1992), which sold for $23,685,000 at Christie’s New York on May 13, 2014 |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 27.1% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from July 2, 1992 to November 9, 2021.(1) | |
● | Significant auction track-record with 33 years of transaction history and a moderate level of auction volume based on $28.8 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(2) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 12 sales of works by Christopher Wool that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
The Artist
Luhring Augustine, New York
Private Collection
Private Collection
Phillips New York, November 13, 2003, Lot 14
Private Collection
Private Collection
Christie’s New York, May 11, 2021, Lot 24A
Private Collection
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
Exhibited
Donaueschingen, Fürstenberg Sammlungen, Ahead of the 21st Century: The Pisces Collection, June 2002- October 2003, illustrated, p. 197, no. 157
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History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise paintings by Christopher Wool with the following criteria: Black and white text-based paintings with less than three rows of text that measure over 50 inches by 50 inches, excluding horizontal text and works on paper. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the paintings in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual painting is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 27.1% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from July 2, 1992 to November 9, 2021.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
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Series 347
The Artwork held by Series 347, entitled “Kxaxrxi” (1991), is a single work of art by Kazuo Shiraga. Acting as agent for the Company, Masterworks has agreed to acquire the Artwork, which measures at 24 inches by 29 inches, at Sotheby’s in Singapore on July 2, 2023 for SGD 381,000 or $285,929 based on the effective exchange rate provided by JPMorgan Chase. For a biography of Kazuo Shiraga, see “Description of the Business — The Artists.”
● | The title of the Artwork, Kxaxrxi, translates as “to hunt, to raid and to the gather” from Japanese to English. The title epitomizes “the dialectic relationship between beauty and violence that acted as the paradigm of the post-war Gutai artists.” | |
● | With deep crimson, blackberry and blood-red colors, the Artwork draws similarity to Shiraga’s early 1950s works, at the same time, it is a great example of the artist’s work done with his feet-Artwork technique. | |
● | The Artwork was created in Shiraga’s unique physical manner of execution, where the artist steadied himself with a rope suspended above a canvas slathered with oil paint directly from the tube and painted using his feet with acrobatic gestures. | |
● | The Artwork was exhibited at Yokosuka Museum of Art in 2009, “Kazuo Shiraga: Artwork Born out of Fighting”. | |
● | Prior to its acquisition by Masterworks in 2023, the Artwork was offered for sale at auction on June 8, 2018 at Christie’s, Paris and was sold for $ 347,974 (€ 295,500 ). | |
● | As of August 2, 2023, Artworks similar in size, period and medium to the Artwork have sold at auction in excess of $770,000 and include: “Blue Desert” (1986) which sold for HKD 6,048,000 ($772,577) at Christie’s, Hong Kong on May 29, 2023, “Niufu” (1986) which sold for $545,000 at Christie’s, New York on November 11, 2015 and “Taera (Divine Music)” (1988) which sold for HKD 4,125,000 ($531,38) at Christie’s, Hong Kong on May 15, 2011. | |
● | The Artwork’s dynamic, impastoed surface, rich palette and date of execution make it an impressive work from Shiraga’s most desirable series. |
Highlights
● | Attractive historical price appreciation for similar works to the Artwork: 18.0% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from March 28, 2006 to March 2, 2022.(1) | |
● | Significant auction track-record with 36 years of transaction history and a moderate level of auction volume based on $12.1 million in total sales over the previous year ending on December 31, 2022.(2) |
Notes:
1. | Implied annualized price appreciation based on 23 sales of works by Kazuo Shiraga, including one past sale of the Artwork, that are similar to the Artwork and based on publicly available auction records. |
2. | Based on publicly available auction records as tracked by third-party data sources. |
Provenance
Collection of Rodolphe Stadler, Paris
Christie’s Paris, 8 June 2018, Lot 250
Private Collection, Asia
Sotheby’s, Singapore, 2 July 2023, Lot 46
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
Exhibited
Toyoshina, Azumino Municipal Museum of Modern Art; Amagazaki, Amagazaki Cultural Center; Yokosuka, Yokosuka Museum of Art, Kazuo Shiraga: Artwork Born out of Fighting, 2009, no. 337, illustrated in color in the catalogue, n.p.
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History of Selected Similar Sales
The table and chart below capture the historical data for selected auctions sales transactions, which are similar to the Artwork. The selected sales data is intended to provide an estimate of the historical appreciation rate of the Artwork by looking at a set of similar works by the artist that have sold at public auction. The set of similar sales comprise Artworks by Kazuo Shiraga with the following criteria: Abstract work on canvas, created 1980 to 1999, presumptively made with his signature process, from 15 inches by 15 inches to 35 inches by 35 inches. The set excludes works with predominantly circular compositions. Where the price with buyer’s premium was not listed, a buyer’s premium of 10% was applied. The data was sourced from publicly available auction records and does not include private sales. Such data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Sale records that do not contain images may be excluded from the comparative set. Although the Artworks in the described set have similar characteristics to the Artwork, each individual Artwork is unique in terms of artistic content, coloring, condition, provenance and other factors. We, therefore, cannot make any determination or representation that any of the data set forth below is useful in determining the value of the Artwork and you are urged not to place undue reliance on such data. The art transaction data is not intended to indicate past or expected performance of any security. Similar sales may include transactions involving Masterworks acting as a buyer or seller. For the purposes of the table below, any sale that was conducted in a foreign currency has been converted to US Dollars at the prevailing exchange rate as of the applicable sale date. The realized prices comprised by this set of transactions have increased at an estimated 18.0% CAGR implied from selected sales occurring from March 28, 2006 to March 2, 2022.
Notes
1. | Prices are shown with auction house buyer’s premium, but exclude any sales taxes, VAT, artist resale right fee or other charges assessed by the auction house. |
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Artist Metrics
“Sharpe Ratio”
Artist | Sharpe Ratio | |
Christine Ay Tjoe | 1.31 | |
Hernan Bas | N/A | |
Cecily Brown | 1.17 | |
Yayoi Kusama | 1.33 | |
Simone Leigh | N/A | |
Elizabeth Peyton | N/A | |
Ed Ruscha | 0.83 | |
Robert Ryman | N/A | |
Kenny Scharf | 0.80 | |
Kazuo Shiraga | 0.89 | |
Avery Singer | N/A | |
Clyfford Still | N/A | |
Christopher Wool | 0.77 | |
Zao Wou-Ki | 1.02 | |
Liu Ye | 0.77 |
Record Price Appreciation
Artist | Compound Annual Growth Rate (“CAGR”) | First Record Price | First Record Price Date | Last Record Price | Last Record Price Date | |||||||||||
Christine Ay Tjoe | 51.3 | % | $ | 1,799 | November 26, 2006 | $ | 1,416,635 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
Hernan Bas | 18.0 | % | $ | 75,000 | May 11, 2006 | $ | 1,173,333 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
Cecily Brown | 21.7 | % | $ | 75,000 | November 14, 2000 | $ | 5,800,000 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
Yayoi Kusama | 25.1 | % | $ | 10,000 | October 9, 1992 | $ | 8,800,000 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
Simone Leigh | 114.9 | % | $ | 35,000 | November 17, 2017 | $ | 1,764,583 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
Elizabeth Peyton | 16.8 | % | $ | 60,000 | May 17, 2000 | $ | 2,016,667 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
Ed Ruscha | 23.2 | % | $ | 16,000 | November 2, 1984 | $ | 46,000,000 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
Robert Ryman | 17.6 | % | $ | 35,000 | May 9, 1984 | $ | 18,250,000 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
Kenny Scharf | 18.5 | % | $ | 1,400 | November 7, 1985 | $ | 780,000 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
Kazuo Shiraga | 25.6 | % | $ | 12,050 | December 19, 1993 | $ | 8,952,716 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
Avery Singer | 160.2 | % | $ | 28,711 | October 6, 2017 | $ | 4,300,000 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
Clyfford Still | 12.2 | % | $ | 725,000 | May 2, 1985 | $ | 55,000,000 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
Christopher Wool | 23.9 | % | $ | 24,000 | May 8, 1990 | $ | 26,500,000 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
Zao Wou-Ki | 31.5 | % | $ | 1,800 | February 23, 1985 | $ | 57,491,550 | December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
Liu Ye | 33.7 | % | $ | 3,557 | May 4, 1995 | $ | 10,945,690 | December 31, 2022 |
Median Repeat Sale Pair Appreciation
Artist | Median Repeat Sale Pair Appreciation Rate | Number of Repeat Sales | First Repeat Sale Pair Date | Last Repeat Sale Pair Date | ||||||||
Christine Ay Tjoe | 19.5 | % | 20 | May 22, 2001 | November 30, 2022 | |||||||
Hernan Bas | 11.3 | % | 5 | February 12, 2010 | December 1, 2022 | |||||||
Cecily Brown | 18.2 | % | 25 | November 14, 2000 | March 23, 2022 | |||||||
Yayoi Kusama | 24.1 | % | 132 | March 11, 1998 | December 1, 2022 | |||||||
Simone Leigh | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||||
Elizabeth Peyton | 8.2 | % | 8 | November 14, 2002 | November 16, 2022 | |||||||
Ed Ruscha | 11.3 | % | 47 | May 6, 1986 | November 10, 2022 | |||||||
Robert Ryman | 8.2 | % | 13 | November 8, 1990 | July 2, 2020 | |||||||
Kenny Scharf | 8.4 | % | 19 | May 9, 1990 | June 29, 2022 | |||||||
Kazuo Shiraga | 20.4 | % | 37 | July 2, 2003 | October 6, 2022 | |||||||
Avery Singer | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||||||||
Clyfford Still | 4.5 | % | 2 | May 13, 1999 | May 10, 2016 | |||||||
Christopher Wool | 12.0 | % | 25 | March 7, 1991 | October 7, 2022 | |||||||
Zao Wou-Ki | 16.2 | % | 89 | March 21, 1984 | December 13, 2022 | |||||||
Liu Ye | 13.6 | % | 22 | November 21, 2006 | December 13, 2022 |
While the data above reflects, in part, historical price appreciation in the value of selected works by artists of each relevant series, investors in these series will only receive net proceeds from the sale of the Artwork, if any, after the sale of the Artwork and only after reduction of fees and expenses payable by the company are paid. In addition, the past performance of the relevant artists’ artworks is not necessarily indicative of future performance. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on the historical trends reflected in this data.
INDICES ARE UNMANAGED. AN INVESTOR CANNOT INVEST DIRECTLY IN AN INDEX. INDICES ARE USED FOR COMPARATIVE MODELING PURPOSES ONLY. THE TIMING OF TRANSACTIONS RELATING TO AN ASSET OR PORTFOLIO, ADVISORY, AND TRANSACTION FEES, AND OTHER MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES CAN CREATE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PERFORMANCE OF AN INDEX AND AN INVESTMENT SEEKING SIMILAR OR SUPERIOR RELATIVE PERFORMANCE RESULTS.
The above disclosures in this section represent auction sales only and do not purport to include data regarding the total number of the relevant artists’ artworks currently in existence. The Company has been unable to find a reliable source of information regarding the total number of the relevant artists’ artworks currently in existence and therefore is unable to provide such information at this time.
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Management Services
There are various services required to manage our business and maintain the Artwork of each series. Pursuant to a management services agreement that will be entered into prior to the initial closing of the initial series offerings among us, Masterworks Cayman and the Administrator, the Administrator will manage all entity-level and asset management services relating to our business, each series and the Artwork of each series. Masterworks Cayman will issue its SPC Preferred shares to the Administrator at a rate of 1.5% of the total SPC shares of such segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman outstanding which holds the Artwork of an applicable series, after giving effect to such issuance, per annum, commencing on the earliest closing date on which the applicable series offering is fully subscribed and at least 95% of the subscription proceeds for such offering have been received by the Company. These SPC Preferred shares will be subject to vesting provisions set forth in the management services agreement and have no voting rights, but have a $20.00 per share liquidation preference over SPC Ordinary shares which are held by each series. This preference means that Masterworks management fees will be paid in priority to any payments made to Class A shareholders. There is no overall limit to the number of SPC Preferred shares that may be issued to pay these fees. After vesting, the SPC Preferred shares will be exchangeable for Class A shares of the series of which the segregated portfolio holds the Artwork at an exchange rate of 1 for 1 in the Administrator’s sole discretion. The management services fee may commence before the final closing date of such series offering in the limited circumstances described above because occasionally Masterworks issuers experience delays in receipt of investor subscription funds which delays the final closing of each series, however, the provision of management services commences when the Artwork of each series is acquired by the Company which occurs on the date of the initial closing of a series offering. The Administrator may also reduce unearned management fees or voluntarily forfeit any unvested management fees in its sole discretion.
Any extraordinary costs or non-routine services, if any, will be managed and paid for by the Administrator, but such extraordinary costs will be reimbursed upon the sale of the Artwork of a series or a sale of our Company, as applicable. Masterworks may determine to sell the Artwork of a series without engaging a third-party intermediary, in which event, Masterworks would be entitled to recoup its costs of marketing and selling the Artwork by seeking reimbursement from the applicable series or by charging the buyer a sales commission in connection with such sale.
Ordinary and necessary entity-level administrative and maintenance costs include:
● | Organizational costs | |
● | Costs associated with SEC filings and compliance with applicable laws; | |
● | Transfer agent fees, if any; | |
● | Costs associated with listing shares for secondary sales on an alternative trading system, trading fees, brokerage account fees, and compliance with state securities laws; | |
● | Governance, including compensation of our officers and independent manager(s); | |
● | Advisory services related to investments in Masterworks financial products; | |
● | Art market research; | |
● | Investor relations services; | |
● | Distribution and other fees associated with each series offering; and | |
● | Accounting, audit and tax preparation and reporting. |
Ordinary and necessary Artwork-level administrative and maintenance costs include:
● | Storage costs; | |
● | Insurance costs; | |
● | Display or gallery costs; | |
● | Valuation and appraisal services; | |
● | Inspection costs; and | |
● | Crating and shipping costs related to traveling exhibitions. |
Extraordinary or non-routine costs for which the Administrator shall be entitled to seek reimbursement from us, as applicable, include:
● | Payments associated with litigation, judicial proceedings or arbitration (regardless of whether or not we are a named defendant or party to such litigation), including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, settlements or judgments; | |
● | Costs associated with any material transactions, such as any third-party costs and expenses incurred in connection with any merger, third-party tender offer or other similar transaction; | |
● | Costs and taxes, if any, associated with selling the Artwork of a series; and | |
● | Conservation, restoration, reframing and other expenditures that increase the value of the Artwork of a series. |
Sale of the Artwork of a series without a third-party intermediary:
● | Masterworks may determine to sell the Artwork of each series without engaging a third-party intermediary, in which event, Masterworks would be entitled to recoup its costs of marketing and selling the Artwork by seeking reimbursement from the applicable series or by charging the buyer a sales commission in connection with such sale. |
Our agreements with our affiliated entities raise various conflicts of interests in which the best interest of our Administrator and our affiliates may differ from the best interest of holders of the Class A shares of a series.
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Conflicts of Interest include but are not limited to the following:
● | Masterworks may at some point in the future seek to register to become a broker-dealer and a member of FINRA to enable it to earn transactional fees for trading the Class A shares of a series or it may seek to earn administrative or other fees or recoup its costs associated with making a trading market available. The operation of a trading market in the Class A shares of a series by Masterworks or the receipt of trading or administrative fees would create conflicts of interest. If such activities generate profits, our affiliates will be incentivized not to sell the Artwork of a series, even in situations in which a sale of the Artwork of a series is in the best interest of holders of the Class A shares of such series. Masterworks does not earn any fees from operation of the Templum ATS and currently bears all of the costs associated with such operation as part of its management services. | |
● | In exchange for management and custodial services and paying all ordinary and necessary operating costs and expenses, Masterworks will receive SPC Preferred shares of Masterworks Cayman, which will be subject to vesting provisions set forth in the management services agreement. Because the SPC Preferred shares carry a $20.00 per share liquidation preference over SPC Ordinary shares held by the applicable series, Masterworks management fees are paid in priority to any payments to shareholders. After vesting, the SPC Preferred shares will be exchangeable for Class A shares of the series of which the segregated portfolio holds the Artwork at an exchange rate of 1 for 1 in the Administrator’s sole discretion. If SPC Preferred shares are exchanged for Class A shares of a series, there will be dilution to the holders of the Class A shares of such series. | |
● | Neither the Board of Managers, the Administrator, or its members, will be required to manage or administer our operations, as applicable, as their sole and exclusive function and they will have other business interests and will engage in other activities in addition to those relating to us. We depend on the Administrator to successfully operate us. Their other business interests and activities could divert time and attention from operating our business. | |
● | Our operating agreement contains provisions that limit remedies available to our investors against the Board of Managers, and the management services agreement contains certain provisions that limit the remedies available to our investors against the Administrator and its affiliates and us for actions that might otherwise constitute a breach of duty. Our operating agreement contains provisions limiting the liability of the Board of Managers and the management services agreement contains certain provisions limiting the liability of the Administrator and its affiliates which also reduces remedies available to investors for certain acts by such person or entity. | |
● | Scott Lynn, the Chief Executive Officer of Masterworks, is an art collector and is able to control the activities of all Masterworks entities. Mr. Lynn is also the Chief Executive Officer of our Administrator. Despite our policies that prohibit art transactions with our affiliates, Mr. Lynn could have conflicts between business with his personal art collection and business with the Masterworks entities. | |
● | Masterworks earns management fees for the duration of ownership of an Artwork, so it may have financial incentives to hold Artwork for a longer period of time than would otherwise be the case. Conversely, although there are scenarios in which Masterworks could monetize its profit share and management fees prior to a sale, it typically only receives cash in respect of these interests when an Artwork is sold, which may create incentives to hold Artwork for a shorter time period than would otherwise be the case.
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● | Masterworks and members of our board of managers manage other investment vehicles, including vehicles that invest in Class A shares of one or more series of the Company, and such vehicles may require liquidity in the future to fund redemptions or distributions to their investors, which could create conflicts of interest between the duties owed to investors in such vehicles and duties owed to our other Class A shareholders
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● | Certain investment adviser representatives of Masterworks Advisers are exclusively dedicated to providing advisory services with respect to Masterworks financial products. Masterworks Advisers is a wholly owned subsidiary of Masterworks, and Masterworks, directly or indirectly, pays the compensation of these individuals. As a result, these individuals have conflicts of interest and lack the independence of other investment professionals who provide more generalized investment advice. | |
● | Masterworks performs certain valuation services to provide shareholders with an indication of changes in the fair market value of Artwork over time. Although Masterworks does not earn fees or other compensation based on the estimated fair market value of Artwork, favorable investment performance is helpful for Masterworks to solicit future investment and accordingly it has an inherent conflict of interest. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that Masterworks appraisals would reflect the same values that would be reported by a disinterested third-party appraisal firm.
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● | Masterworks may determine to sell the Artwork of a series without engaging a third-party intermediary, in which event, it would be entitled to recoup its costs of marketing and selling the Artwork by seeking reimbursement from the applicable series or by charging the buyer a sales commission in connection with such sale. |
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Therefore, the interests of the Administrator and the other Masterworks affiliates may differ significantly from those of investors in a series offering and subsequent holders of the Class A shares of a series. Although we have implemented policies and procedures designed to mitigate or otherwise address these conflicts, we cannot assure investors that we will execute a discretionary sale of the Artwork of a series at a time that is in the best interests of holders of the Class A shares of a series.
Selling the Artwork
Our intention is for each series to own the Artwork for an indefinite period, although we may elect to hold the Artwork of a series for a longer period or sell the Artwork of a series at any time due to certain circumstances. We, in our sole and absolute discretion, will have the ability to sell the Artwork of a series at any time and in any manner.
The Administrator will continuously offer the Artwork of a series for sale and if any person offers to purchase the Artwork of a series at any point in time, the Board of Managers will determine whether, and the terms upon which, the Artwork of a series will be sold.
Each series will own the Artwork for an indefinite period and may sell its Artwork at any time following the final closing of the offering of such series. There is no guarantee that any such sale of the Artwork of a series will be successful, or if successful, that the net proceeds realized by shareholders of a series from such a transaction will be reflective of the estimated fair market value of the shares of the series at such time.
Following a sale of the Artwork of a series, Masterworks will be reimbursed for any expenses for which it is responsible, including applicable sales commissions, income taxes, if any, and other transactional, extraordinary and non-routine expenses and other expenditures to enhance the value of the Artwork of such series. Masterworks may determine to sell the Artwork of a series without engaging a third-party intermediary, in which event, Masterworks would be entitled to recoup its costs of marketing and selling the Artwork by seeking reimbursement from the applicable series or by charging the buyer a sales commission in connection with such sale. Following the payment of all of such expenses, we will distribute the remaining proceeds for such series, if any, in accordance with our operating agreement.
Competition
At the time we attempt to sell the Artwork of a series, we may face substantial competition from other entities and individuals who are selling or seeking to sell similar artwork. These other parties may be better funded and may be able to sell their artworks at a lower price than us. Further, we will face significant risks from other competitive factors, such as the available supply of similar artworks for sale.
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Government Regulation
Art Market Regulation
Art as tangible personal property is subject to regulation under different city, state and federal statutory schemes. Generally, domestic art transactions that are conducted within the United States are subject to state Uniform Commercial Code statutes, which govern the sale of goods. Some states have additionally enacted art specific legislation, such as New York’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Law and California’s Resale Royalty Act. In addition, federal statutes such as the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act and the National Stolen Property Act can apply to title disputes in the art market context. International art transactions involving the import and export of art into and out of the United States will subject us to the rules and regulations established by the United States Customs and Border Protection. Further, we and Masterworks will be subject to the requirements of the federal Cultural Property Implementation Act which is the United States’ accession legislation for the 1970 United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Convention which protects countries’ cultural property, including artwork. New York City, as a major art auction center, has enacted legislation governing the activities of auctioneers in the New York City Administrative Code and Masterworks may be subject to these regulations through its transactions and financing arrangements with auctioneers.
Patriot Act
The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Patriot Act) is intended to strengthen the ability of U.S. law enforcement agencies and intelligence communities to work together to combat terrorism on a variety of fronts. The Patriot Act, to which we are subject, has significant implications for depository institutions, brokers, dealers and other businesses involved in the transfer of money. The Patriot Act required us to implement policies and procedures relating to anti-money laundering, compliance, suspicious activities, and currency transaction reporting and due diligence on customers. The Patriot Act also requires federal banking regulators to evaluate the effectiveness of an applicant in combating money laundering in determining whether to approve a proposed bank acquisition.
ORGANIZATION
We were formed as a Delaware series limited liability company on May 24, 2023 by Masterworks Foundry in order to facilitate investment in specific Artworks. We are a manager-managed limited liability company managed by a Board of Managers. The Class A shares of a series to be sold in a series offering when issued, together will represent 80% of interests in such series and have very limited approval and voting rights in connection with the sale of the Artwork of a series and on certain amendments to our operating agreement, management services agreement and other certain rights pursuant to our operating agreement, as further described in this offering circular.
The Board of Managers will have sole voting power over all matters, including: mergers, consolidations, acquisitions, winding up and dissolution; except, the Board of Managers shall not have the authority to amend, waive or fail to comply with any material provision of our operating agreement that disproportionately and adversely affects the Class A shareholders as a whole or an affected series except as provided therein, without the prior written consent of the holders of a majority of the voting shares of the Company or such series, as applicable.
EMPLOYEES
As of August 2, 2023, we had no full-time employees and no part-time employees, other than our Officers, all of whom are compensated by Masterworks. All of our day-to-day operations are managed by our Administrator.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
There are no legal proceedings currently pending against us (including any series) which would have a material effect on our business, financial position or results of operations and, to the best of our knowledge, there are no such legal proceedings contemplated or threatened. It is possible that we will find ourselves involved in litigation, in which case we will be wholly reliant on the Administrator to address such litigation as necessary. If the Administrator settles a case or receives an adverse judgment, the Administrator would then be reimbursed upon a sale of the Artwork of a series pursuant to the terms of the management services agreement.
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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
We were formed as a Delaware series limited liability company on May 24, 2023 by Masterworks to facilitate investment in specific Artworks. We will not conduct any business activities except for activities relating to the ownership, maintenance, promotion and the eventual sale of the Artwork of each series.
Our strategy will be to display and promote the Artwork of each series in a manner designed to enhance its provenance and increase its exposure and its value. We are not aware of any trends, uncertainties, demands, commitments or events that will materially affect our operations or the liquidity or capital resources of the Administrator.
Financial Statements
We have described below certain critical accounting policies that we intend to adopt following our acquisition of the Artwork of a series. We have engaged AGD Legal, S. C. to audit our financial statements as required by Regulation A (Tier 2). The Company’s financial statements included in the Offering Circular as well as in its annual and semiannual reports, consist of balance sheets, statements of operations, statements of members’ equity and statements of cash flows, and include a single column or multiple columns for (i) the Company as a whole presented on a combined and consolidated basis and (ii) each relevant series on a consolidated basis, and the related audit reports, as applicable, will cover the Company as a whole and each relevant series.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The preparation of our financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles will be based on the selection and application of accounting policies that require us to make significant estimates and assumptions about the effects of matters that are inherently uncertain. We consider the accounting policies discussed below to be critical to the understanding of our post-offering financial statements. Actual results could differ from our estimates and assumptions, and any such differences could be material to our financial statements.
Investment in Artwork
Investment in artwork will consist of the Artwork of each series. Upon acquisition, the Artwork of a series will be recorded at the original cost basis plus Expense Allocation. The Artwork of a series will be held in segregated portfolios of Masterworks Cayman. In accordance with ASC 810-10, the Company intends to consolidate the Masterworks Cayman segregated portfolios it owns as if it were a separate legal entity and not consolidate any other segregated portfolios of Masterworks Cayman.
Artwork is determined to have an indefinite life. The Company will review the artwork of each series for impairment in accordance with the requirements of ASC 360-10, Impairment and Disposal of Long-Lived Assets (“ASC 360”). Those requirements will require the Company to perform an impairment analysis whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the artwork might not be recoverable, i.e., information indicates that an impairment might exist. In accordance with ASC 360, the Company will:
● | Consider whether indicators of impairment are present; Indicators or triggers of impairment management considers are: deteriorating physical condition of the artwork, trends in the art market, reputation of the artist, recent sales of other artworks by the artist and other events, circumstances or conditions that indicate impairment might exist; | |
● | If indicators are present, perform a recoverability test by comparing the estimated amount realizable upon sale of the Artwork of a series, to its carrying value; and | |
● | If the amount realizable upon sale of the Artwork of a series is deemed to be less than its carrying value, we would measure an impairment charge. |
If it is determined that measurement of an impairment loss is necessary, the impairment loss would be calculated based on the difference between the carrying amount of the Artwork of a series and its estimated fair value. An impairment loss would be reported as a component of income from continuing operations before income taxes in the financial statements.
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Use of Estimates
In preparing our financial statements, management will be required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts, particularly with respect to investments, at the date of the financial statements. Actual amounts may differ materially from these estimates.
Expense Allocation
Each series will pay Masterworks an expense allocation payment equal to 11% of the purchase price of the Artwork of such series, which is intended to be a fixed non-recurring expense allocation for (i) financing commitments, (ii) Masterworks’ sourcing the Artwork of a series, (iii) all research, data analysis, condition reports, appraisal, due diligence, travel, currency conversion and legal services to acquire the Artwork of a series and (iv) the use of the Masterworks Platform and Masterworks intellectual property. No other expenses associated with the organization of the Company, any series offering, or the purchase and securitization of the Artwork will be paid, directly or indirectly, by the Company, any series or investors in any series offering.
Contingencies
We may be subject to lawsuits, investigations and claims (some of which may involve substantial dollar amounts) that can arise out of our normal business operations. We would continually assess the likelihood of any adverse judgments or outcomes to our contingencies, as well as potential amounts or ranges of probable losses, and recognize a liability, if any, for these contingencies based on a thorough analysis of each matter with the assistance of outside legal counsel and, if applicable, other experts. Because most contingencies are resolved over long periods of time, liabilities may change in the future due to new developments (including new discovery of facts, changes in legislation and outcomes of similar cases through the judicial system), changes in assumptions or changes in our settlement strategy.
Income Taxes
We expect that each series will be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and not as an association or publicly traded partnership subject to tax as a corporation. As a partnership, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. Instead, each shareholder that is subject to U.S. tax will be required to take into account its distributive share, whether or not distributed, of each item of our income, gain, loss, deduction or credit. See “Material U.S. Federal Tax Considerations”. The Administrator will have the authority to act on our behalf with respect to tax audits and certain other tax matters and to make such elections under the Internal Revenue Code and other relevant tax laws as the Administrator deems necessary or appropriate.
Liquidity and Capital Resources of the Administrator
Masterworks will pay all costs associated with the development and operation of the Masterworks Platform, costs associated with the acquisition of the Artwork of a series and all costs of our organization and the series offerings. Masterworks will also be responsible for all ordinary and necessary costs for ongoing management expenses relating to our Company, Masterworks Cayman and the Artwork of each series. In exchange for management and custodial services and paying all ordinary and necessary operating costs and expenses, Masterworks will receive SPC Preferred shares of a segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman, commencing on the earliest closing date on which the applicable series offering is fully subscribed and at least 95% of the subscription proceeds for such offering have been received by the Company. These SPC Preferred shares will be subject to vesting provisions set forth in the management services agreement. After vesting, the SPC Preferred shares will be exchangeable for Class A shares of the series of which the segregated portfolio holds the Artwork at an exchange rate of 1 for 1. SPC Preferred shares will be dilutive to the holders of the Class A shares. We do not anticipate that we will maintain any material liquid assets and, accordingly, we will rely upon the Administrator to pay for the maintenance of the Artwork of each series and the management of our business in accordance with the management services agreement.
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The Administrator has covenanted to provide us with selected unaudited balance sheet information on a semi-annual basis and we expect to continue to include such information in ongoing reports we file with the SEC. The table below summarizes selected unaudited balance sheet information of the Administrator as of December 31, 2022 and as of December 31, 2021, respectively:
December 31, | ||||||||
2022 | 2021 | |||||||
Assets | ||||||||
Current assets | $ | 15,609,290 | $ | 7,162,359 | ||||
Property and equipment, net | 891,603 | 454,229 | ||||||
Deposits | 125,101 | 142,823 | ||||||
Other assets | 1,891,429 | 2,623,343 | ||||||
Total assets | $ | 18,517,423 | $ | 10,382,754 | ||||
Liabilities | ||||||||
Current liabilities | $ | 3,603,662 | $ | 4,732,820 | ||||
Long-term liabilities | 1,464,522 | 2,681,794 | ||||||
Total liabilities | $ | 5,068,184 | $ | 7,414,614 | ||||
Member’s Equity | ||||||||
Total member’s equity | $ | 13,449,239 | $ | 2,968,140 |
As of the final closing of each series offering, each series of the Company will have no liabilities, commitments or obligations, other than obligations pursuant to the management services agreement as of such dates. We and the Administrator believe that revenues and expense reimbursements from us pursuant to the management services agreement and similar agreements with other Masterworks issuers, together with contributions from Masterworks derived from equity contributions from members, earnings generated primarily from sourcing artwork and cash on hand, will be sufficient for the Administrator to perform its obligations under the management services agreement for at least the first five-years following the offering of a series. We do not believe we will need to raise any additional funds through the issuance and sale of securities for any series that has completed an offering in the foreseeable future and are not permitted to do so under our operating agreement without first obtaining the prior approval of the Class A shareholders of such series. The Administrator’s sole member, Masterworks, LLC, was funded from its inception in 2017 through October 2021 through borrowings from Scott W. Lynn, the Founder of Masterworks. These borrowings were repaid in October 2021 and Masterworks is currently funded through equity contributions of approximately $110 million from private investors and cash flow from operations. The Administrator will earn fees in the form of preferred shares issued by Masterworks Cayman and other issuer entities, which it may periodically sell to obtain additional liquidity. Masterworks Cayman will issue its SPC Preferred shares to the Administrator at a rate of 1.5% of the total SPC shares of such segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman outstanding which holds the Artwork of an applicable series, after giving effect to such issuance, per annum, commencing on the earliest closing date on which the applicable series offering is fully subscribed and at least 95% of the subscription proceeds for such offering have been received by the Company. These SPC Preferred shares will be subject to vesting provisions set forth in the management services agreement and have no voting rights, but have a $20.00 per share liquidation preference over SPC Ordinary shares which are held by the series. This preference means that Masterworks management fees will be paid in priority to any payments made to Class A shareholders. There is no overall limit to the number of SPC Preferred shares that may be issued to pay these fees. After vesting, the SPC Preferred shares will be exchangeable for Class A shares of the series of which the segregated portfolio holds the Artwork at an exchange rate of 1 for 1.
The direct incremental costs incurred by the Administrator to satisfy its obligations under the management services agreement are expected to be less than its revenues, though such revenues may be insufficient to cover the Administrator’s overhead. In addition, the Administrator has covenanted in the management services agreement that for so long as such agreement remains in effect, the Administrator will maintain on hand cash reserves sufficient to pay at least one year of estimated expenses to satisfy its obligations under the management services agreement to fund the Company’s operations until the sale of the Artwork of each series.
The Administrator conducts other business activities, including the management of other entities similar to the Company and expects its revenues will exceed its costs. Additionally, we intend to own the Artwork of each series for an indefinite period, although the Artwork of each series will be perpetually available for sale following the offering conducted by the series and we will evaluate any reasonable third party offers to acquire the Artwork of a series.
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Commitments from Affiliates to Fund Operations
We have a written commitment from the Administrator to fund our operations until we sell the Artwork of each series which is contained in the management services agreement. In respect of such commitment and for management services, Masterworks Cayman will issue its SPC Preferred shares to the Administrator at a rate of 1.5% of the total SPC shares of such segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman outstanding which holds the Artwork of an applicable series, after giving effect to such issuance, per annum, commencing on the earliest closing date on which the applicable series offering is fully subscribed and at least 95% of the subscription proceeds for such offering have been received by the Company.
Commitments from Affiliates to Fund Class A shares, Offering Costs and Expenses
The costs associated with the series offerings shall be paid by the Administrator rather than from the net proceeds of the series offerings. None of these fees, costs or expenses will be reimbursable by the Company to Administrator, although each series will pay Masterworks a fixed, non-recurring expense allocation (“Expense Allocation”) for (i) financing commitments to purchase the Artwork of a series for up to 12 months before raising capital, (ii) sourcing the Artwork from collectors directly and through intermediaries, (iii) all research, data analysis, condition reports, appraisal, due diligence, travel, currency conversion and legal services to acquire the Artworks and (iv) the use of the Masterworks Platform and Masterworks intellectual property. No other expense is directly or indirectly paid by the Company, any series or investors in connection with the organization of the Company, the purchase and securitization of the Artwork or the offering conducted by each series and we buy and store art in Delaware which has no sales or use tax.
Our Administrator
Our day-to-day operations are managed by the Administrator. The Administrator performs its duties and responsibilities pursuant to our operating agreement and management services agreement. Masterworks appointed the Administrator and the management services agreement will terminate upon the first to occur of (i) the dissolution of the Company or (ii) the termination of the management services agreement on the terms set forth therein. The Administrator and its affiliates have the exclusive right and power to manage and operate our Company, subject to the powers of our Board of Managers and other than limited voting rights reserved under our operating agreement for the holders of the Class A shares of each series.
Prior to giving effect to each series offering, 100% of the membership interests of each series of the Company are held by Masterworks. Our operating agreement created three classes of membership interests for each series of the Company in the form of Class A shares of each series which are offered hereby, Class B shares of each series which are owned by Masterworks, as well as the Class C share of each series which is also owned by Masterworks.
Summary of Management Services Agreement
We plan to enter into a management services agreement with the Administrator and Masterworks Cayman, prior to the initial closing of the initial series offering. The following summarizes some of the key provisions of the management services agreement. This summary is qualified in its entirety by the management services agreement itself, which is included as Exhibit 6.3 to the offering statement of which this offering circular forms an integral part.
Services to be Provided
Pursuant to the management services agreement, the Administrator agreed to provide the Company, each series and Masterworks Cayman, itself directly or through its affiliates, with Artwork-level services for each series and provide entity-level services on the terms and conditions set forth in the management services agreement.
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The services to be provided by the Administrator under the management services agreement include the following:
(i) | Artwork-level services with respect to the Artwork for each series, including: |
(A) | Custodial and storage services for the Artwork; | |
(B) | Maintaining asset-level insurance requirements for the Artwork; | |
(C) | Managing transport for the Artwork of each series in the ordinary course of business, including the display and exhibition thereof; | |
(D) | Research services; | |
(E) | Appraisal and valuation services; | |
(F) | Inspection costs; and | |
(G) | Other services deemed necessary or appropriate by the Administrator at its discretion to maintain the Artwork. |
(ii) | Entity-level services, including: |
(A) | Oversight and management of banking activities; | |
(B) | Management of preparation and filing of SEC and other corporate filings; | |
(C) | Financial, accounting and bookkeeping services, including retention of an auditor for auditing services; | |
(D) | Record keeping, shareholder registrar, investor relations and regulatory compliance; | |
(E) | Listing services; | |
(F) | Tax reporting services; | |
(G) | Bill payment services; | |
(H) | Selecting and negotiating insurance coverage, including operational errors and omissions coverage and directors’ and officers’ coverage; | |
(I) | Share ledger, registrar, transfer agency and paying agency services; | |
(J) | Organizational costs; | |
(K) | Costs associated with listing shares for secondary sales on an alternative trading system, trading fees, brokerage account fees, and compliance with state securities laws (although trading and or brokerage fees may be passed on to investors in certain foreign jurisdictions or to all investors in the future); | |
(L) | Governance, including compensation of our officers and independent manager(s); | |
(M) | Advisory services related to investments in Masterworks financial products; | |
(N) | Art market research; | |
(O) | Investor relations services; | |
(P) | Distribution and other fees associated with each series offering; and | |
(Q) | Software services. |
(iii) | Non-routine services, including: |
(A) | Legal and professional transactional services for each series; | |
(B) | Negotiation of terms of potential sales and the execution thereof; | |
(C) | Obtaining appraisals and statements of condition in connection with a sale transaction relating to the Artwork of each series; | |
(D) | Other transaction-related services and expenditures relating to the Artwork of each series; | |
(E) | Administrative services in connection with liquidation or winding up of the Company and Masterworks Cayman; | |
(F) | Managing litigation, judicial proceedings or arbitration, including the defense and or settlement of any claims (regardless of whether or not we are named as a defendant or party in any such claim); | |
(G) | Conservation, restoration (as deemed necessary by the Administrator), reframing and other expenditures that increase the value of the Artwork; and | |
(H) | Other non-routine or extraordinary services. |
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Third Parties and Exclusivity
Pursuant to the management services agreement, the Administrator may, to the extent it determines that it would be advisable, arrange for and coordinate the services of other professionals, experts and consultants to provide any or all of the services under the management services agreement in which case, the costs and expenses of such third parties for providing such services shall be borne by the Administrator with it being understood that the Administrator shall not charge any fees in addition thereto with respect to such outsourced services.
The obligations of the Administrator to us are not exclusive. The Administrator may, in its discretion, render the same or similar services as rendered to us to any person or persons whose business may be in direct or indirect competition with us.
Rights of the Administrator
Pursuant to the management services agreement, the Administrator and its affiliates shall have the right to engage in the following activities, and will be responsible for all incremental costs associated with such activities (including taxes):
(a) | Rights to commercialize the Artwork; |
(b) | Display rights for the Artwork; |
(c) | The right to lend the Artwork to museums, galleries, private entities or individuals, and the like; and |
(d) | The right to lease the Artwork of each series to companies, private entities and individuals. |
For such rights, the Administrator will pay each series a royalty of $10.00 per annum. The Administrator will display or exhibit the Artwork for each series if and when the Administrator reasonably believes that such display or exhibition would increase the exposure, profile and appeal of the Artwork for such series. In the event that any revenues are generated from such activities, the Administrator may choose to retain all or a portion of such revenues.
Compensation of the Administrator and Reimbursement
The Administrator will receive fees and expense reimbursement for its services in the form of SPC Preferred shares at a rate of 1.5% of the total SPC shares of such segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman outstanding which holds the Artwork of an applicable series, after giving effect to such issuance, per annum, commencing on the earliest closing date on which the applicable series offering is fully subscribed and at least 95% of the subscription proceeds for such offering have been received by the Company. These SPC Preferred shares will be subject to vesting provisions set forth in the management services agreement. There is no overall limit to the number of SPC Preferred shares that may be issued to pay these fees. After vesting, the SPC Preferred shares will be exchangeable for Class A shares of the series of which the segregated portfolio holds the Artwork at an exchange rate of 1 for 1. Any extraordinary or non-routine services, if any, will be managed and paid for by the Administrator, but such extraordinary costs will be reimbursed upon the sale of the Artwork of a series or a sale of our Company, as applicable. For more information, see “Management — Summary of Administrator Compensation and Expense Reimbursement”.
Sale of the Artwork of a series without a third-party intermediary:
Masterworks may determine to sell the Artwork of a series without engaging a third-party intermediary, in which event, Masterworks would be entitled to recoup its costs of marketing and selling the Artwork by seeking reimbursement from the applicable series or by charging the buyer a sales commission in connection with such sale.
Ordinary and necessary management and maintenance costs and expenses include:
● | Storage costs; | |
● | Insurance costs; | |
● | Display or gallery costs; | |
● | Crating and shipping costs related to traveling exhibitions; | |
● | Transfer agent fees; | |
● | Other fees associated with a series offering; and | |
● | Accounting. |
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Extraordinary or non-routine costs for which the Administrator shall be entitled to seek reimbursement include:
● | Payments associated with litigation, judicial proceedings or arbitration (regardless of whether the Company is named as a defendant or party), including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, settlements or judgments; | |
● | Costs associated with any material transactions, such as any third-party costs and expenses incurred in connection with any merger, third-party tender offer or other similar transaction; | |
● | Costs and taxes, if any, associated with selling the Artwork of a series; and | |
● | Conservation, restoration, reframing and other expenditures that increase the value of the Artwork of a series. |
Provision of Financial Information
The Administrator will report to the Company on a semi-annual basis its current and total assets, current and total liabilities, and total equity and the Company intends to include such amounts in its SEC reports.
Termination
The term of the management services agreement will terminate upon the first to occur of (i) the dissolution of the Company; or (ii) our termination of the management services agreement on the terms set forth in the agreement.
Under the management services agreement, we may terminate the agreement at any time upon a vote of all voting Class A shares outstanding of all series together as a single class pursuant to our operating agreement following any of the following:
(i) The commission by the Administrator or any of its executive officers of fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct;
(ii) The conviction of the Administrator of a felony;
(iii) A material breach by the Administrator of the terms of the management services agreement which breach is not cured within 30 days after receipt by the Administrator of a notice of such breach from any member of our Company (provided that if such breach is not capable of cure within 30 days, and the Administrator is diligently taking steps to cure the breach, then no such event shall be deemed to have occurred unless and until the Administrator fails to cure such breach within 60 days after receiving notice thereof);
(iv) A material violation by the Administrator or any of its executive officers of any applicable law that has a material adverse effect on our business; or
(v) The bankruptcy or insolvency of the Administrator.
On the date of termination, or if we do not have the available funds on such date, then as soon as practicable after we do have the available funds, we will pay any accrued but unpaid costs subject to reimbursement owed to the Administrator through to such date.
Indemnification
Under the management services agreement we agreed to indemnify, hold harmless, protect and defend the Administrator, its affiliates, any officer, member of the Board of Managers, employee or any direct or indirect partner, member or shareholder of the Administrator, any person who serves at the request of the Administrator on behalf of us (referred to herein as the “Indemnified Persons”) against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, including legal fees, costs and expenses incurred in investigating or defending against any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities or in enforcing the Indemnified Persons’ rights to indemnification under the management services agreement. The indemnification under the management services agreement shall not apply to any actions, suits or proceedings in which one or more officers, member of the Board of Managers, partners, members or employees of the Administrator are making claims against the Administrator or one or more other officers, member of the Board of Managers, partners, members or employees of the Administrator.
Amendment of Management Services Agreement
Amendments to the management services agreement may be proposed only by or with the consent of the Administrator and may be approved by the Board of Managers, provided that any amendment that would be adverse or detrimental to the interests of members of the Company as a whole or an affected series must be approved by holders of a majority of voting shares of all the series of our Company or of the affected series, as applicable.
Prohibited transactions under our operating agreement
The Board of Managers will have sole voting power over all matters, including: mergers, consolidations, acquisitions, winding up and dissolution; except, the Board of Managers shall not have the authority to amend, waive or fail to comply with any material provision of our operating agreement that disproportionately and adversely affects the Class A shareholders as a whole or an affected series except as provided therein, without the prior written consent of the holders of a majority of the voting shares of the Company or such series, as applicable.
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Sale of Artwork
Each series will own its respective Artwork for an indefinite period and we may elect to hold the Artwork of a series for a longer period or sell the Artwork of a series at any time due to certain circumstances. We, in our sole and absolute discretion, will have the ability to sell the Artwork of a series at any time and in any manner. There is no guarantee that any such sale of the Artwork of a series will be successful, or if successful, that the net proceeds realized by shareholders of such series from such sale will be reflective of the estimated fair market value of the shares of such series at such time.
Following a sale of the Artwork of a series, the applicable series and or applicable segregated portfolio will pay or reimburse Masterworks for any expenses for which it is responsible, including applicable third-party sales commissions, income taxes, if any, and other transactional, extraordinary and non-routine expenses and other expenditures to enhance the value of the Artwork of such series. Masterworks may determine to sell the Artwork of a series without engaging a third-party intermediary, in which event, it would be entitled to recoup its costs of marketing and selling the Artwork by seeking reimbursement from the applicable series or by charging the buyer a sales commission in connection with such sale. Following the payment of all of such taxes and expenses, we will distribute the remaining proceeds to the shareholders of such series in accordance with our operating agreement.
Summary of Administrator Compensation and Expense Reimbursement
The Administrator will receive fees and expense reimbursement for its ordinary and necessary services in the form of SPC Preferred shares at a rate of 1.5% of the total SPC shares of such segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman outstanding which holds the Artwork of an applicable series, after giving effect to such issuance, per annum, commencing on the earliest closing date on which the applicable series offering is fully subscribed and at least 95% of the subscription proceeds for such offering have been received by the Company. These SPC Preferred shares will be subject to vesting provisions set forth in the management services agreement. There is no overall limit to the number of SPC Preferred shares that may be issued to pay these fees. After vesting, the SPC Preferred shares will be exchangeable for Class A shares of a series of which the segregated portfolio holds the Artwork at an exchange rate of 1 for 1. No other ordinary or routine costs or expenses associated with the maintenance of the Artwork or the Company (such as insurance, storage, appraisals, compliance, audit, tax preparation, investor relations, filings, etc.) will be paid, directly or indirectly, by the Company or investors in any series offering. Extraordinary or non-routine costs for which the Administrator shall be entitled to seek reimbursement, if any, shall be reimbursed by the applicable segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman or the series, as determined by Masterworks.
Example of management fee and expense calculation
The table below illustrates the number of SPC Preferred shares that would be earned by the Administrator in respect of management fees per annum over a hold period of an Artwork of a series of up to 10 years and the corresponding aggregate value of the liquidation preference and ownership percentage of the total SPC shares outstanding, assuming a hypothetical offering size of $1,665,000, or 83,250 Class A shares. Since the Company does not maintain liquid capital resources, Masterworks pays all routine and ordinary operating costs and expenses of the Company and related to maintaining the Artwork. The structure of the SPC Preferred shares is intended to ensure that upon any disposition of the Artwork that results in a net loss (i.e. holders of Class A shares in a series on a fully-diluted basis would receive a liquidating distribution of less than $20 per Class A share), contingent upon vesting, Masterworks would receive management fees and would recoup such costs and expenses in an amount equal to up to $20 per SPC Preferred share before any distribution is made to Class A shareholders, as reflected in the table below in the column labeled “Aggregate Liquidation Preference”. Any funds remaining after any payment to Masterworks of the Aggregate Liquidation Preference would be distributed to the Company and distributed to Class A shareholders. If the sale of the Artwork would result in a net profit (i.e. holders of Class A shares in a series on a fully-diluted basis would receive a liquidating distribution of more than $20 per Class A share), Masterworks would convert its vested SPC Preferred shares to Class A shares prior to any distribution of the proceeds of such sale from the segregated portfolio and Masterworks would receive the same distribution per Class A share as all other Class A shareholders. Following any distribution to Masterworks in respect of SPC Preferred shares associated with a sale of Artwork, if any, such SPC Preferred shares would be immediately retired and canceled by the issuing segregated portfolio and under no scenario would Masterworks be entitled to receive any additional payment with respect to the Class A shares into which such SPC Preferred shares are convertible.
The following table assumes that the issuance of the SPC Preferred shares to the Administrator commences on the first day of the fiscal year. While the amounts reflected in the table below in respect of the number of SPC Preferred shares to be issued and the dollar amount of the aggregate liquidation preference (i.e. columns (2), (3) and (4)) will vary in direct proportion with the size of the offering by any given series, the percentages set forth in column (5) entitled “Aggregate Ownership Percentage of Total SPC Shares,” which effectively reflects the dilutive effect on Class A shareholders of the issuance of the SPC Preferred shares, will be the same for every offering irrespective of the offering size.
Year Following Completion of the Series Offering (1) | SPC Preferred Shares Issued in Such Year (2) | Aggregate SPC Preferred Shares Issued (3) | Aggregate Liquidation Preference (4) | Aggregate Ownership Percentage of Total SPC Shares (5) | ||||||||||||
1 | 1,249 | 1,249 | $ | 24,975 | 1.48 | % | ||||||||||
2 | 1,267 | 2,516 | $ | 50,325 | 2.93 | % | ||||||||||
3 | 1,286 | 3,803 | $ | 76,054 | 4.37 | % | ||||||||||
4 | 1,306 | 5,109 | $ | 102,170 | 5.78 | % | ||||||||||
5 | 1,325 | 6,434 | $ | 128,678 | 7.17 | % | ||||||||||
6 | 1,345 | 7,779 | $ | 155,583 | 8.55 | % | ||||||||||
7 | 1,365 | 9,145 | $ | 182,892 | 9.90 | % | ||||||||||
8 | 1,386 | 10,531 | $ | 210,610 | 11.23 | % | ||||||||||
9 | 1,407 | 11,937 | $ | 238,744 | 12.54 | % | ||||||||||
10 | 1,428 | 13,365 | $ | 267,300 | 13.83 | % |
The actual number of SPC Preferred shares earned by Masterworks in respect of each series will be disclosed on a semi-annual basis on the Company’s filings with the SEC on Form 1-K and 1-SA, respectively.
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Executive Officers and Members of the Board of Managers of the Company
As of the date of this offering circular, the following sets forth the executive officers and members of the Board of Managers of the Company and their positions and offices are as follows:
Name | Age | Position | ||
Nigel S. Glenday | 40 | Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer; Member of the Board of Managers | ||
Joshua B. Goldstein | 56 | General Counsel and Secretary; Member of the Board of Managers | ||
Eli D. Broverman | 44 | Member of the Board of Managers; Independent Manager |
Nigel S. Glenday. Mr. Glenday has served as Chief Executive Officer since May 24, 2023 and as Chief Financial Officer and member of the Board of Managers of the Company since May 24, 2023 and has served as Chief Financial Officer of our affiliate Masterworks, LLC since April 2019 and the Chief Executive Officer of Masterworks Investor Services, LLC since August 2021. From March 2015 through April 2019, Mr. Glenday was a Managing Director for Athena Art Finance Corp., a leading independent art-secured finance company. From July 2012 to March 2015, Mr. Glenday was a Vice President at StormHarbour Securities, LLP, a global markets and financial advisory firm. From 2009 to 2012, Mr. Glenday was an Associate at Morgan Stanley in the Financial Institutions Group, Investment Banking Division, and from 2005 through 2009, Mr. Glenday was an Analyst and Associate Director in the Financial Institutions Group at UBS Investment Bank. Mr. Glenday holds a B.A. in Economics and History from the University of Virginia, where he graduated as a member of Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.
Joshua B. Goldstein. Mr. Goldstein has served as a Board Member, the General Counsel and Secretary of the Company since May 24, 2023 and has served in such capacities with our affiliate Masterworks, LLC since February 1, 2018. From September 2016 through December 2017, Mr. Goldstein was a shareholder in the Denver office of Greenspoon Marder, P.A. From April 2015 through August 2016, Mr. Goldstein was self-employed as a corporate attorney. From September 2012 through March 2015, Mr. Goldstein was Executive Vice President, Chief General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Intrawest Resorts Holdings, Inc. (aka Alterra Mountain Company), a NYSE-listed resort and adventure company. Prior to joining Intrawest, Mr. Goldstein was a Counsel in the New York office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP from June 2007 to August 2012 and he was an Associate at Skadden from September 1996 until August 2005, where he concentrated on corporate finance, corporate securities and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Goldstein was also previously a Partner in the New York office of Torys, LLP. Mr. Goldstein holds a B.A. in business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive).
Eli D. Broverman. Mr. Broverman has served as a Board Member and the Independent Manager of the Company since May 24, 2023 and has served as member of the Board of Managers of Masterworks, LLC since April 29, 2020. Mr. Broverman co-founded Betterment in 2007 and served as its President and COO from 2007 to 2017. An expert in securities and financial institutions law, Mr. Broverman has designed a wide range of structuring and compliance initiatives for broker-dealers and investment advisors. From 2005 to 2007, Mr. Broverman practiced law at the international law firm Proskauer Rose LLP, where he advised Fortune 500 companies and their senior management on securities, tax, and compensation matters. Mr. Broverman serves as an adviser and or Board Member of several privately held financial technology companies, including Betterment, Carver Edison, Covered by Sage, Bloom Credit, and Good Money.
The foregoing individuals have also served in the capacity as executive officers and members of the board of managers of our affiliated entities of Masterworks.
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Key Employee of Masterworks
Scott W. Lynn. Mr. Lynn, who is the Founder of Masterworks, has served as the Chief Executive Officer of our affiliate Masterworks, LLC since February 1, 2018, and as the Chief Executive Officer of the Administrator since November 28, 2018. Mr. Lynn has been an active collector of contemporary art for more than fifteen years and has built an internationally-recognized collection of Abstract Expressionism that has included works by Clyfford Still, Barnett Newman, Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, and more. Mr. Lynn’s collection has been exhibited at museums such as the Royal Academy in London, the Denver Art Museum, the Palm Beach Museum, National Gallery, the Guggenheim (New York), and the Museum of Modern Art. Mr. Lynn is an Internet entrepreneur and has founded, acquired, or acted as a majority-investor in over a dozen advertising technology, content, and fintech companies. Mr. Lynn serves as a board member of the International Foundation for Art Research (a non-profit; publisher of the IFAR journal, which topically focuses on art authenticity and stolen art research, as well as additional research projects related to artwork authenticity).
Limited Liability and Indemnification of the Board of Managers, the Administrator and Others
Our operating agreement limits the liability of the Board of Managers, any members of our Company, any person who is an officer of our Company and any person who serves at the request of the Board of Managers on behalf of us as an officer, member of the Board of Managers, partner, member, shareholder or employee of such person and the management services agreement limits the liability of the Administrator and its affiliates. None of the foregoing persons shall be liable to us or the Administrator or any other of our members for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it or by other person with respect to us, including any negligent act or failure to act, except in the case of a liability resulting from any of the foregoing person’s own actual fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith, breach of fiduciary duty, reckless disregard of duty or any intentional and material breach of our operating agreement or conduct that is subject of a criminal proceeding (where such person has reasonable cause to believe that such conduct was unlawful). With the prior consent of the Board of Managers, any of the foregoing persons may consult with legal counsel and accountants with respect to our affairs (including interpretations of the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC operating agreement) and shall be fully protected and justified in any action or inaction which is taken or omitted in good faith, in reliance upon and in accordance with the opinion or advice of such counsel or accountants. In determining whether any of the foregoing persons acted with the requisite degree of care, such person shall be entitled to rely on written or oral reports, opinions, certificates and other statements of members of the Board of Managers, officers, employees, consultants, attorneys, accountants and professional advisors of our Company selected with reasonable care; provided, that no such person may rely upon such statements if it believed that such statements were materially false. The foregoing limitations on liability reduce the remedies available to the holders of the Class A shares of a series for actions taken which may negatively affect us.
Insofar as the foregoing provisions permit indemnification of members of the Board of Managers, officers or persons controlling us for liability arising under the Securities Act, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the SEC, this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Term, Withdrawal and Removal of Members of the Board of Managers
Our operating agreement provides that each member of our Board of Managers will serve as a Manager, for an indefinite term, but a Manager may be removed or replaced for any reason by a majority of the Board of Managers or by the holder of the Class C share of a series, if any.
Our members may only remove a member of the Board of Managers for “Cause,” following the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the issued and outstanding voting shares of all series collectively voting as a single class. The term “Cause” is defined as:
● | The commission by a member of the Board of Managers of fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct; | |
● | The conviction of a member of the Board of Managers of a felony; | |
● | A material violation by a member of the Board of Managers of any applicable law that has a material adverse effect on our business; or | |
● | The bankruptcy or insolvency of a member of the Board of Managers. |
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Masterworks Shares
Prior to giving effect to a series offering, 100% of the membership interests of such series are held by Masterworks in the form of Class B shares of such series. Our operating agreement created three classes of membership interests of the Company for each series in the form of Class A shares of a series, Class B shares of a series, as well as the Class C share of a series. Class B shares of each series, which are owned by Masterworks, represent a 20% “profits interest” in the fully diluted equity of each series. The Class B shares will entitle Masterworks to 20% of the profit on sale of the Artwork of a series or the ability to convert such shares into Class A shares of a series with a value at the time of conversion equal to 20% of the increase in value of the issued and outstanding shares of a series. Masterworks has also agreed to lock-up provisions in our operating agreement that will prohibit it from selling any Class B shares of a series prior to the one-year anniversary of the offering of such series. Masterworks will have no restrictions on the disposition of any of its Class B shares of a series after the one-year anniversary of the offering of such series, other than restrictions in our operating agreement, management services agreement and restrictions imposed by applicable securities laws. The Class C share of a series represents a special class of membership interests of a series, which has no economic rights or obligations and has no voting rights, but has the right to remove and or replace all or any members of the Board of Managers and reconstitute the Board without “cause” for any reason. The Class C share of a series will only be issued to, or subsequently transferred to, a Masterworks affiliate and there can only be one holder of Class C shares of all series of the Company at any point in time.
Securities Being Offered
Investors will acquire Class A shares in a series of the Company, each of which is intended to be a separate series of the Company for purposes of accounting for assets and liabilities. It is intended that owners of Class A shares in a series will only have an interest in the assets, liabilities, profits and losses pertaining to the specific series. For example, an owner of interests in Series 1 will only have an interest in the assets, liabilities, profits and losses pertaining to Series 1 and its related operations. See the “Description of Shares” section for further details. The maximum investment amount per investor in any series is $100,000 (5,000 Class A shares) and the minimum investment amount per investor in any series is $15,000 (750 Class A shares) for investors that have not previously invested in offerings via the Masterworks Platform and $500 (25 Class A shares) for investors that have previously invested in other offerings on the Masterworks Platform. We reserve the right to reject any subscription, waive or increase the maximum purchase restriction or waive or decrease the minimum purchase restriction in our sole and absolute discretion and we routinely grant such waivers, increases or reductions for categories of investors or on a case-by-case basis. Accordingly, investors should not assume that the stated minimum investment restriction will be applied uniformly to all investors.
Further, pursuant to the terms of the Company’s operating agreement, an investor, other than an affiliate of Masterworks, generally cannot own, or be deemed to beneficially own, as “beneficial ownership” is determined pursuant to Section 13(d) and 13(g) of the Securities Act, more than 24.99% of the total number of Class A shares of a series outstanding, provided that we may waive such limit on a case-by-case basis in our sole discretion.
Masterworks Platform
Overview
We will conduct the offering of each series on the Masterworks Platform, which will host the offering of each series in connection with the distribution of the Class A shares of each series offered pursuant to this offering circular. The Masterworks Platform is owned by Masterworks, LLC, and is operated by the principals of Masterworks (including Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC). Through the Masterworks Platform, investors can:
● | Browse and screen potential art investment offerings and obtain information about offerings, including current and future SEC filings; | |
● | Provide us with information, including information required to determine whether they are qualified to invest in an offering, and sufficient to satisfy our compliance obligations under applicable laws; | |
● | Indicate interest in participating in offerings and, with respect to offerings that have been qualified by the SEC, transact entirely online, including review and execution of legal documentation, funds transfer and ownership recordation; | |
● | Execute trades in shares issued by Masterworks issuers via the Templum ATS; and | |
● | Manage and track investments easily through an online portfolio management tool. |
We intend to distribute the Class A shares of each series exclusively through the Masterworks Platform. Neither Masterworks, LLC nor any other affiliated entity involved in the offer and sale of the Class A shares of a series is currently a member firm of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, and no person associated with us will be deemed to be a broker solely by reason of his or her participation in the sale of the Class A shares of a series.
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Templum ATS
An electronic alternative trading system, operated by Templum Markets LLC, an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC in accordance with SEC Regulation ATS (the “Templum ATS”), is expected to facilitate trading of Class A shares of a series, commencing on or after the three-month anniversary of the date such series offering is fully subscribed. The Templum ATS will enable a holder of Class A shares of a series to post live bids and offers 24 hours per day seven days per week, provided that trades will actually occur only during regular trading hours that substantially mirror the trading hours on national securities exchanges.
In order to execute a transaction on the Templum ATS, a buyer or seller of Class A shares of a series must create a brokerage account with DriveWealth, LLC (the “Settling Broker”). To buy securities on the Templum ATS, investors must also fund the brokerage account in an amount sufficient to pay the full purchase price. Owners of Class A shares of a series may submit bids and ask quotes to purchase or sell Class A shares of a series, and any such transactions will be executed by the Settling Broker and matched through the Templum ATS.
Masterworks will directly notify owners of the Class A shares of a series when they are available for posting on the Templum ATS and will file a notification of such availability on Form 1-U at such time. For so long as the Company exists and the shares of any series are available for posting on the Templum ATS, the Company will continue to file reports under Rule 257 of Regulation A.
Masterworks currently expects to pay all costs and expenses associated with listing the Class A shares of a series on the Templum ATS, establishment of brokerage accountants with the Settling Broker and trading and executing transfers of the Class A shares of a series on the Templum ATS. Certain trading and or brokerage fees currently paid by Masterworks may be passed on to investors in certain foreign jurisdictions or to all investors in the future. In addition, Masterworks may at some point in the future seek to register to become a broker-dealer and a member of FINRA to enable it to earn transactional fees for trading the Class A shares or it may seek to earn administrative or other fees or recoup its costs associated with making a trading market available.
Secondary trades of Class A shares matched on the Templum ATS are intended to comply with Blue Sky laws either through a Manual exemption in states where available, through a direct filing with the state securities regulators where required, or as isolated non-issuer transactions.
Due to regulatory compliance restrictions, the Templum ATS or certain features of the Templum ATS will not be available to residents of certain foreign countries. For a list of countries that are enabled on the Templum ATS, see the trading section of the Masterworks Platform. In addition, Class A shares of a series held by affiliates of the Company are “control” securities under U.S. federal securities laws and are subject to restrictions on transfer. If you hold more than 10% of the Class A voting shares of a series, you may be deemed an affiliate of such series and may be unable to participate on the Templum ATS or otherwise freely transfer your shares. The Company or its transfer agent may require you to provide a legal opinion and or other information to determine your affiliate status.
There can be no assurance that the Templum ATS will provide an effective means of selling your Class A shares. In light of a variety of factors, including, without limitation, the relatively small market capitalization of each series, we cannot guarantee that the Templum ATS will provide a reliable or effective means of price discovery. Accordingly, any posted offer prices or historical transaction information reflected on the Templum ATS should not be construed as being representative of the fair value of the Class A shares of a series or of the artwork owned by such series.
License Agreement
In consideration of the payment of the Expense Allocation, we will enter into a license agreement with Masterworks, effective upon the commencement of the initial series offerings, pursuant to which Masterworks will grant us a non-exclusive license to use the name “Masterworks” and utilize systems, software and technology owned or licensed by Masterworks, including the Masterworks Platform, for certain activities relating to the series offerings and ongoing investor relations, for the term of the management services agreement. Other than with respect to this license, we will have no legal right to use the “Masterworks” name or Masterworks Platform. In the event that the Administrator ceases to manage our operations pursuant to the management services agreement, we would be required to change our name to eliminate the use of “Masterworks”.
Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings
No executive officer, member of the Board of Managers, or significant employee or control person of our Company or the Administrator has been involved in any legal proceeding listed in Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K in the past 10 years.
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The Administrator, and its affiliates will receive certain fees and expense reimbursements for services relating to the offering of each series and the acquisition, maintenance and sale of the Artwork of each series. The items of compensation are summarized below. Neither the Administrator nor their affiliates will receive any selling commissions or dealer manager fees in connection with the offer and sale of the Class A shares of a series. In addition, Masterworks will own 1,000 Class B shares of each series that offers Class A shares, representing a 20% “profits interest” in the fully diluted equity of each series following the final closing of the offering of such series.
The following table sets forth the form of compensation and the recipient of such compensation together with the determination of the amount and the estimated amount.
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Compensation of Executive Officers
We do not currently have any employees, nor do we currently intend to hire any employees who will be compensated directly by us. Each of our executive officers receive compensation for his or her services, including services performed for us, from Masterworks. Although we will indirectly bear some of the costs of the compensation paid to these individuals, through fees paid to the Administrator, we do not intend to pay any compensation directly to these individuals.
Compensation of the Board of Managers
Members of the Board of Managers who are also officers of Masterworks and the Company receive no compensation in respect of their service on the Board of Managers. The Independent Manager receives compensation from Masterworks for serving in such capacity on multiple issuer entities. Although we will indirectly bear some of the costs of the compensation paid to the Independent Manager through fees paid to the Administrator, we do not intend to pay any compensation directly to this individual.
SECURITY
OWNERSHIP OF
MANAGEMENT AND CERTAIN SECURITY HOLDERS
The following table sets forth information about the current beneficial ownership of the Company at August 2, 2023, and the estimated beneficial ownership of the Class A shares of each series after the offering for:
● | Each person known to us to be the beneficial owner of more than 10% of the Class A shares of any series entitled to vote; | |
● | Each named executive officer; | |
● | Each member of the Board of Managers; and | |
● | All of the executive officers and members of the Board of Managers as a group. |
Prior to giving effect to each series offering, 100% of the membership interests of each series of the Company are held by Masterworks in the form of 1,000 Class B shares of each series. Following the closing of each offering, Class A shares of a series may be issued to Masterworks to repay the advance and the Expense Allocation, or upon conversion of the Class B shares of a series or upon exchange of the SPC Preferred shares of the applicable segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman.
Unless otherwise noted below, the address for each beneficial owner listed on the table is in care of our Company, 225 Liberty Street, 29th Floor, New York, New York 10281. We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the SEC. We believe, based on the information furnished to us, that the persons and entities named in the tables below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all Class B shares of each series that they beneficially own, subject to applicable community property laws.
We have presented the beneficial ownership of the Class A shares of each series based on the assumption that all Class A shares of each series offered in the series offering will be sold to third party investors. A member that beneficially owns 5% or more of the Class A shares of a series (excluding shares beneficially owned by Masterworks) may irrevocably limit or eliminate its voting rights by providing an irrevocable certification to the Company in substantially the form of Exhibit B to the operating agreement. In subsequent reports we file pursuant to Regulation A that require beneficial ownership information, we will disclose the number and percentage of Class A shares of a series that are eligible to vote as well as the number and percentage of Class A shares of a series that are not eligible to vote as of such filing date. In addition, any member that irrevocably eliminates its voting rights or limits its voting rights to not more than 10% of the total voting power of the Class A shares of a series, shall not be named or have its address or ownership reported in the beneficial ownership table included in the Company’s future SEC reports, unless such person is otherwise deemed to be an “affiliate” of the Company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
In computing the number of Class A shares of a series beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that person after a series offering, we deemed outstanding Class A shares of a series subject to any securities held by that person that are currently exercisable or convertible or exercisable or convertible within 60 days of August 2, 2023, into Class A shares of a series. In computing the number of Class A shares of a series owned after a series offering, we have assumed that the Class A share value of a series at such time would be $30.00. Please see the Hypothetical Class A share of a series value chart below which sets for the number of Class A shares of a series issuable upon conversion of the Class B shares of such series based on various hypothetical values of the Class A shares of a series for additional information. Unless otherwise indicated, ownership amounts and percentages reflect all issued and outstanding securities of all series.
Membership Interests Beneficially Owned Prior to the Series Offerings | Class A Shares Beneficially Owned After the Series Offerings(5) | |||||||||||||||
Name of Beneficial Owner | Number | Percent | Number | Percent | ||||||||||||
Named Executive Officers and Board of Managers: | ||||||||||||||||
Nigel S. Glenday, Chief Executive Officer; Chief Financial Officer(1) | - | * | 0 | * | ||||||||||||
Joshua B. Goldstein, General Counsel and Secretary(1) | - | * | 0 | * | ||||||||||||
Eli D. Broverman, Independent Representative (1) | - | * | 0 | * | ||||||||||||
All named executive officers and Members of the Board of Managers as a group (3 persons) | N/A | * | 0 | * | ||||||||||||
10% holders: | ||||||||||||||||
Masterworks Foundry, LLC(2)(3)(4) | N/A | 100 | % | 155, 350 | 7.69 | % |
* | Less than 1.0% | |
(1) | All named individuals are also members of the Board of Managers of the Company. |
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(2) | The Lynn Family Trust 001 (the “Trust”) owns approximately 80% of the membership interests of Masterworks, LLC. Mr. Lynn is the Chief Executive Officer of Masterworks, LLC and Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC. By contract, Mr. Lynn has the power to vote 100% of the membership interests beneficially owned by the Trust and controls Masterworks. No other person beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting membership interests of Masterworks, LLC or any of its subsidiaries. | |
(3) | Masterworks, LLC owns 100% of the membership interests of Masterworks Foundry, LLC and Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC, which will be entitled to receive SPC Preferred shares at a rate of 1.5% of the total shares of such segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman outstanding which holds the Artwork of an applicable series, after giving effect to such issuance, per annum, commencing on the earliest closing date on which the applicable series offering is fully subscribed and at least 95% of the subscription proceeds for such offering have been received by the Company. These SPC Preferred shares will be subject to vesting provisions set forth in the management services agreement. There is no overall limit to the number of SPC Preferred shares that may be issued to pay these fees. After vesting, the SPC Preferred shares will be exchangeable for Class A shares of the series of which the segregated portfolio holds the Artwork at an exchange rate of 1 for 1. | |
(4) | The Class B shares retained by Masterworks will entitle Masterworks to 20% of the profit on sale of the Artwork of a series or the ability to convert such shares into Class A shares of a series with a value at the time of conversion equal to 20% of the increase in value of the issued and outstanding Class A and B shares of each series. The following table indicates how many Class A shares of a series would be issuable to Masterworks upon conversion of the Class B shares of a series based on hypothetical changes in the value of the Class A shares of a series, assuming that 83,250 Class A shares are sold in such series offering: |
Hypothetical value of Class A share of a series | $ | 20.00 | $ | 30.00 | $ | 40.00 | $ | 50.00 | $ | 60.00 | ||||||||||
No. of Class A shares of a series Masterworks would receive upon conversion of 100% of its Class B shares of such series | 0 | 6,938 | 10,406 | 12,488 | 13,875 | |||||||||||||||
Percentage of total outstanding Class A shares of a series Masterworks would receive upon conversion of 100% of its Class B shares of such series | 0 | % | 7.69 | % | 11.11 | % | 13.04 | % | 14.29 | % |
INTEREST
OF MANAGEMENT AND
OTHERS IN CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
We are subject to various conflicts of interest arising out of our relationship with Masterworks. These conflicts are discussed below, and this section is concluded with a discussion of the corporate governance measures we have adopted to mitigate some of the risks posed by these conflicts. References throughout this offering circular to the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC “operating agreement” refer to the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC amended and restated operating agreement.
In addition to the compensation arrangements discussed in the section titled “Management Compensation,” the following is a description of each transaction since May 24, 2023 (our inception) and each currently proposed transaction in which:
● | We have been or will be a participant; | |
● | The amount involved exceeds one percent of our total assets; and | |
● | In which any member of the Board of Managers or executive officer, of the Company or the related Masterworks entities or their applicable beneficial owners, or beneficial owners of more than 5% of the Class A shares of a series or any immediate family member of, or person sharing the household with, any of these individuals, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest. |
Scott W. Lynn is the Chief Executive Officer of Masterworks and is also able to control the activities of all of the Masterworks entities as well as our Company. Mr. Lynn is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Administrator.
Management Services Agreement and Fees Paid to Affiliates
Pursuant to a management services agreement between us, Masterworks Cayman and the Administrator to be entered into prior to the initial closing of the initial series offerings, the Administrator will manage all of our administrative services and will maintain the Artwork of each series. For the foregoing services, the Administrator will be entitled to receive a management fee from in the form of SPC Preferred shares at a rate of 1.5% of the total SPC shares of such segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman outstanding which holds the Artwork of an applicable series, after giving effect to such issuance, per annum, commencing on the earliest closing date on which the applicable series offering is fully subscribed and at least 95% of the subscription proceeds for such offering have been received by the Company. These SPC Preferred shares will be subject to vesting provisions set forth in the management services agreement. SPC Preferred shares of any series shall vest on the three-year anniversary of the final closing of the applicable series offering, as may be extended or shortened in accordance with the management services agreement. There is no overall limit to the number of SPC Preferred shares that may be issued to pay these fees. After vesting, the SPC Preferred shares will be exchangeable for Class A shares of the series of which the segregated portfolio holds the Artwork at an exchange rate of 1 for 1. Following the initial closing of the initial series offerings, Masterworks will also manage any extraordinary or non-routine services which may be required, from time-to-time, including, without limitation, litigation or services in connection with a sale of the Artwork of a series or any sale, merger, third-party tender offer or other similar transaction involving us. Masterworks may determine to sell the Artwork of a series without engaging a third-party intermediary, in which event, it would be entitled to recoup its costs of marketing and selling the Artwork by seeking reimbursement from the applicable series or by charging the buyer a sales commission in connection with such sale. Any third-party costs incurred by the Administrator in connection with litigation or major transactions, together with any fees, will be reimbursed or paid upon the sale of the Artwork of a series or our Company, as applicable.
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Beneficial Owner of Affiliated Entities
The Lynn Family Trust 001 is the majority beneficial owner of all of the Masterworks affiliated entities. Scott W. Lynn, the Chief Executive Officer of Masterworks, LLC and Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC, may also be deemed the beneficial owner of the Masterworks entities given his power to exercise voting control through an agreement with the Trust. Mr. Lynn is the Chief Executive Officer of Masterworks and is an art collector and is also able to control the activities of all of the Masterworks entities as well as our Company. Mr. Lynn could have conflicts with his personal art collection and the collection of Masterworks.
Qualification Rights
Masterworks will have the right to request that we qualify on Form 1-A, or a comparable form, the resale of any Class A shares of a series beneficially owned by Masterworks or any entity administered by Masterworks. There are no limitations or restrictions on the size or frequency of such qualification requests, other than pursuant to applicable law, provided that all costs associated with any such qualification shall be the responsibility of Masterworks. If Masterworks exercises its qualification rights and offers Class A shares of a series in a secondary offering pursuant to Regulation A, it may be more difficult to sell your Class A shares of such series and could adversely affect the price at which you can sell your Class A shares of such series on the Templum ATS. The qualification rights are set forth in the Company’s operating agreement.
Our Affiliates’ Interests in Other Masterworks Entities
General
The officers and members of the Board of Managers who perform services for us are also officers, members of the Board of Managers, managers, and/or key professionals of Masterworks and other Masterworks entities. These persons have legal obligations with respect to those entities that are similar to their obligations to us. In the future, these persons and other affiliates of Masterworks may organize other art-related programs and acquire for their own account art-related assets. In addition, Masterworks has granted non-voting equity interests in Masterworks, LLC to certain management personnel performing services, including our executive officers.
Allocation of Our Affiliates’ Time
We rely on Masterworks and its key professionals who act on our behalf and on behalf of the Administrator, including Scott W. Lynn, Nigel S. Glenday and Joshua B. Goldstein for the day-to-day operations of our business and the Administrator’s business. Messrs. Lynn, Glenday and Goldstein are also, respectively, the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel/Secretary of the Administrator and are officers of the other Masterworks entities. As a result of their interests in other Masterworks entities, their obligations to other investors and the fact that they engage in and will continue to engage in other business activities on behalf of themselves and others, they will face conflicts of interest in allocating their time among us, the Administrator and other Masterworks entities and other business activities in which they are involved. However, we believe that the Administrator and its affiliates have sufficient professionals to fully discharge their responsibilities to the Masterworks entities for which they work. The Administrator also serves as the Administrator for other entities and the services to be provided to these entities are substantially similar to those to be provided to the Company.
Duties Owed by Some of Our Affiliates to the Administrator and the Administrator’s Affiliates
Our officers and members of our Board of Managers and the key professionals performing services for us are also officers, members of the Board of Managers, managers and/or key professionals of:
● | Masterworks, LLC, the owner of the Masterworks Platform; | |
● | Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC, our Administrator; | |
● | Masterworks Gallery LLC, an affiliate of Masterworks, which seeks to acquire the Artwork of each series as agent for the Company; and | |
● | Other Masterworks entities. |
As a result, they owe duties to each of these entities, their equity holders, members and limited partners. These duties may from time-to-time conflict with the duties that they owe to us.
No Independent Underwriter
As we are conducting the series offering without the aid of an independent underwriter, you will not have the benefit of an independent due diligence review and investigation of the type normally performed by an independent underwriter in connection with the offering of securities. See “Plan of Distribution.”
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Certain Conflict Resolution Measures
Independent Manager
The Board of Managers is made up of Nigel S. Glenday, Joshua B. Goldstein and Eli D. Broverman. One of the members of the Board of Managers, Eli D. Broverman, serves as the Independent Manager on the Board of Managers (the “Independent Manager”). The Independent Manager serves to protect the interests of the holders of the Class A shares of each series and is tasked with reviewing and approving all related party transactions of our Company with our affiliates and addressing all conflicts of interest that may arise between us and the holders of the Class A shares of each series and our affiliates. The Independent Manager’s role is solely related to governance and he has no involvement in the operations of the Company or Masterworks and does not participate in any offering activities. The Independent Manager and any replacement Independent Manager if the Independent Manager resigns or is removed from such position on the Board of Managers at any time, shall meet the standards of an “independent director” pursuant to the standards set forth in NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 4200(a)(15).
Other Operating Agreement Provisions Relating to Conflicts of Interest
Our operating agreement contains other restrictions relating to conflicts of interest including the following:
Lock-Up Agreement. Masterworks will own 1,000 Class B shares of each series that offers Class A shares, representing a 20% “profits interest” in the fully diluted equity of such series following the final closing of the offering of such series. The Class B shares of each series retained by Masterworks will entitle Masterworks to 20% of the profit on sale of the Artwork of a series or the ability to convert such shares into Class A shares of the same series with a value at the time of conversion equal to 20% of the increase in value of the issued and outstanding Class A and Class B shares of each series. Masterworks will also own Class A shares of a series if and to the extent the offering of such series is undersubscribed. Masterworks has also agreed to lock-up provisions in our operating agreement that will prohibit it from selling or transferring any Class B shares of a series prior to the one-year anniversary of the offering of such series, though it is permitted to pledge all of its shares to unaffiliated third-party lenders and such lenders shall not be subject to the lock-up if they obtain ownership of the shares in connection with a default by Masterworks on its indebtedness. Masterworks will have no restrictions on the disposition of any of its Class B shares of a series after the one-year anniversary of the offering of such series, other than restrictions imposed by the management services agreement and applicable securities laws.
Term of each Manager. Our operating agreement provides that each member of the Board of Managers will serve for an indefinite term, but that each member of the Board of Managers may be removed by a majority of the Board of Managers for any reason, or may choose to withdraw as a member of the Board of Managers under certain circumstances. Our operating agreement also provides that each member of the Board of Managers may be removed and or replaced and our Board of Managers can be reconstituted for any reason by the holder of the Class C share of a series, if any. The Class C share of a series will be issued or transferred only to a Masterworks affiliate, if any. The Class C share of a series, once issued, may be redeemed or cancelled by mutual agreement between the holder of the Class C share of a series and the Company.
Holders of two-thirds (2/3) of all voting Class A shares outstanding of all series together as a single class may affirmatively vote to remove any members of the Board of Managers for “cause” only.
Prior to giving effect to each series offering, 100% of the issued and outstanding membership interests of each series are held by Masterworks in the form of 1,000 Class B shares of each series. The Company has three classes of membership interests for each series: Class A ordinary membership interests of a series (referred to herein as the “Class A shares”), Class B membership interests of a series (referred to herein as the “Class B shares”), as well as the Class C share of a series. References throughout this offering circular to “shares” refer generically to the Class A shares and Class B shares of a series. We are offering Class A shares of each applicable series, at a price of $20.00 per Class A share pursuant to this offering circular. The number of Class A shares offered in any series offering will equal the quotient of (i) the price paid to acquire the Artwork, plus the Expense Allocation payable to Masterworks, divided by (ii) $20.00, which represents the offering price per Class A share for each series offering.
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The Class C share of a series represents a special class of membership interests, which has no economic rights or obligations and has no voting rights, but has the right to remove and or replace all or any members of the Board of Managers and reconstitute the Board without “cause” for any reason. The Class C shares can only be issued to, transferred to, or, held by, a Masterworks affiliate and there can only be one holder of Class C shares of all series of the Company at any point in time. The following description of the Shares is based upon our certificate of formation, our operating agreement, and applicable provisions of law, in each case as in effect prior to the qualification of this offering circular. This discussion does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the certificate of formation and the operating agreement, copies of which are filed with the SEC as exhibits to the offering statement of which this offering circular forms an integral part.
Prior to giving effect to each series offering, Masterworks Foundry is the sole holder of record of 100% of the membership interests of each series represented by 1,000 Class B shares of each series conducting a series offering representing a 20% profits interest of such series.
Description of the Securities Being Offered
Investors will acquire Class A shares in a series of the Company, each of which is intended to be a separate series of the Company for purposes of accounting for assets and liabilities. It is intended that owners of Class A shares in a series will only have an interest in the assets, liabilities, profits and losses pertaining to the specific Artwork owned by that series. For example, an owner of interests in Series 1 will only have an interest in the assets, liabilities, profits and losses pertaining to Series 1 and its related operations. See the “Description of Shares” section for further details. The maximum investment amount per investor in any series is $100,000 (5,000 Class A shares) and the minimum investment amount per investor in any series is $15,000 (750 Class A shares) for investors that have not previously invested in offerings via the Masterworks Platform and $500 (25 Class A shares) for investors that have previously invested in other offerings on the Masterworks Platform. We reserve the right to reject any subscription, waive or increase the maximum purchase restriction or waive or decrease the minimum purchase restriction in our sole and absolute discretion and we routinely grant such waivers, increases or reductions for categories of investors or on a case-by-case basis. Accordingly, investors should not assume that the stated minimum investment restriction will be applied uniformly to all investors.
Further, pursuant to the terms of the Company’s operating agreement, an investor, other than an affiliate of Masterworks, generally cannot own, or be deemed to beneficially own, as “beneficial ownership” is determined pursuant to Section 13(d) and 13(g) of the Securities Act, more than 24.99% of the total number of Class A shares of a series outstanding, provided that we may waive such limit on a case-by-case basis in our sole discretion.
Membership Interests
We were formed as a Delaware series limited liability company on May 24, 2023 by Masterworks Foundry, our founder, in order to facilitate investment in specific Artwork. We are a manager-managed limited liability company. Upon our formation, Masterworks Foundry was issued 100% of our membership interests in the form of Class B shares of each initial series and will be issued 1,000 Class B shares upon the formation of any additional series in the future.
Pursuant to our operating agreement, we may not issue any additional Class A shares of a series after the consummation of the offering of such series, other than as described in this offering circular, including the Class A shares of a series that may be issued to Masterworks to repay the advance and the Expense Allocation, and those that may be issued upon conversion of the Class B shares of a series or upon the exchange of SPC Preferred shares. Masterworks Foundry, our sole member as of the date of this Offering Circular, adopted our operating agreement.
Summary of Operating Agreement
We are governed by an agreement titled the “Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement” of Masterworks Vault 2, LLC. Prior to giving effect to each series offering, all of the membership interests of each series of the Company are held by Masterworks in the form of 1,000 Class B shares of each series. References throughout this offering circular to “shares” or “Shares” refer generically to the Class A shares of a series and Class B shares of a series and references throughout this offering circular to the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC “operating agreement” and the “amended and restated operating agreement” of Masterworks Vault 2, LLC, refer to the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement, the form of which is filed as Exhibit 2.3 to the offering statement of which this offering circular forms an integral part. The following summarizes some of the key provisions of the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC operating agreement. This summary is qualified in its entirety by our operating agreement itself, the form of which is included as Exhibit 2.3 to the offering statement of which this offering circular forms an integral part.
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Organization and Duration
We were formed on May 24, 2023, as a Delaware protected series limited liability company as set forth in Section 18-215 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act. We will remain in existence until liquidated in accordance with the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC operating agreement.
Purpose and Powers
Under the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC operating agreement, we are permitted to engage in such activities as determined by the Board of Managers that lawfully may be conducted by a limited liability company organized under Delaware law and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon us and the Board of Managers pursuant to the agreement relating to such business activity, provided that we are prohibited from engaging in certain activities referred to as “Prohibited Acts” without obtaining the approval of the holders of a majority of the voting shares. “Prohibited Acts” consist of amending, waiving or failing to comply with any material provision of our operating agreement that disproportionately and adversely affects the Class A shareholders of a series, except as otherwise provided therein.
Board of Managers and its Powers
We are a manager-managed series limited liability company as set forth in Section 401 and Section 101 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act. Our operating agreement appoints the Board of Managers of the Company.
We plan to enter into a management services agreement with our Administrator and Masterworks Cayman, prior to the initial closing of the initial series offerings which is further described in the “Summary of Management Services Agreement” section of this document. Pursuant to our operating agreement and the management services agreement, the Administrator will have complete and exclusive discretion in the management and control of our affairs and business, subject to the requirement to obtain consent for Prohibited Acts, and shall possess all powers necessary, convenient or appropriate to carrying out the purposes and business of our Company, including doing all things and taking all actions necessary to carry out the terms and provisions of each of the foregoing agreements.
Pursuant to the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC operating agreement, the Board of Managers shall have full authority in their discretion to exercise, on our behalf and in our name of the Company, all rights and powers of a “manager” of a limited liability company under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act necessary or convenient to carry out our purposes. Any person not a party to our operating agreement dealing with us will be entitled to rely conclusively upon the power and authority of the Board of Managers to us in all respects, and to authorize the execution of any and all agreements, instruments and other writings on behalf of us and in our name.
The Board of Managers will have sole voting power over all matters, including: mergers, consolidations, acquisitions, winding up and dissolution; except, the Board of Managers shall not have the authority to amend, waive or fail to comply with any material provision of our operating agreement that disproportionately and adversely affects the Class A shareholders as a whole or an affected series except as provided therein, without the prior written consent of the holders of a majority of the voting shares of the Company or such series, as applicable.
Any member of the Board of Managers may be removed and replaced by a majority of the Board of Managers or the holder of the Class C share of a series, if any, with or without “Cause.” In addition, any member of the Board of Managers may be removed or replaced by the affirmative vote of members holding two-thirds (2/3) of the voting shares of all of the series then existing as a single class for “Cause” only. The term “Cause” is defined as follows:
(a) the commission by a member of the Board of Managers of fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct;
(b) the conviction of a member of the Board of Managers of a felony;
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(c) a material violation by a member of the Board of Managers of any applicable law that has a material adverse effect on our business;
(d) the bankruptcy or insolvency of a member of the Board of Managers
Classes of Ownership
Prior to giving effect to each series offering, 100% of the membership interests of each series are owned by Masterworks in the form of 1,000 Class B shares of such series. We have three classes of membership interests for each series:
Class A shares. The Class A shares of each series being offered in each series offering will represent in the aggregate 100% of our members’ capital accounts of each such series and an 80% interest in the profits we recognize upon any sale of the Artwork of such series. The number of Class A shares of each series outstanding upon the final closing of the offering of the series is as noted in the “Series Offering Table”, and the number of additional Class A shares of a series that may be issued by our Company following the offering of the series (subject to issuances pursuant to stock-splits, recapitalizations or similar transactions) is limited to shares issuable upon conversion of the Class B shares of such series and exchange of the SPC Preferred shares of the applicable segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman.
Class B shares. The Class B shares of each series held by Masterworks Foundry will represent 0% of our members’ capital accounts in such series and a 20% interest in the profits we recognize upon any sale of the Artwork of such series. There are currently 1,000 Class B shares of each series outstanding and there will be 1,000 Class B shares of each series outstanding upon the final closing of each offering of a series. Upon mutual agreement of the holder of the Class B shares of each series and the Company, the Class B shares of each series may be redeemed by the Company for a nominal amount.
Class C Share. The Class C share of each series represents a special class of membership interests, which has no economic rights or obligations and has no voting rights, but has the right to remove and or replace all or any members of the Board of Managers and reconstitute the Board without “cause” for any reason. The Class C shares can only be issued to, transferred to, or, held by, a Masterworks affiliate and there can only be one holder of Class C shares of all series of the Company at any point in time.
Voting Rights
We refer to Class A shares of a series, excluding Class A shares of a series beneficially owned by Masterworks and Class A shares held by a Vote Limited Member above such shareholder’s voting limit, as our “voting shares.” On each matter where the members have a right to vote, each voting share shall be entitled to and shall constitute one (1) vote, and all voting shares shall vote together as a single class of a series or as a single class with holders of all voting Class A shares outstanding of all series together, as applicable, except as otherwise set forth in our operating agreement, or otherwise required by the Delaware Act. In determining any action or other matter to be undertaken by or on behalf of us, each member shall be entitled to cast a number of votes equal to the number of voting shares that such member holds, with the power to vote, at the time of such vote. Unless otherwise set forth in our operating agreement, or otherwise required by the Delaware Act, the taking of any action by us which requires a vote of the members as set forth above shall require the receipt of votes from members holding a majority of the voting shares to constitute a quorum, provided, that in the case of a proposed removal of the Administrator for any reason or a member of the Board of Managers for “Cause”, an affirmative vote of holders of two-thirds (2/3) of the voting Class A shares outstanding of all series together voting as a single class shall be required to authorize and approve such action. In determining the outcome of any vote at a meeting, shareholders that abstain or do not vote will effectively be counted as votes against such action. Each member of the Board of Managers may be removed and or replaced and our Board can be reconstituted for any reason by the holder of the Class C share of a series, if any. The Masterworks affiliate that holds a Class C share of a series, if any, shall have no voting rights with respect to Class A shares of a series it beneficially owns.
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A member that beneficially owns 5% or more of the Class A shares of a series (excluding shares beneficially owned by Masterworks) may irrevocably limit or eliminate its voting rights by providing an irrevocable certification to the Company in substantially the form of Exhibit B to the operating agreement. In the event a member irrevocably limits or eliminates its voting rights (a so-called “Vote Limited Member”), all of the Class A shares of a series beneficially owned by such Vote Limited Member in excess of the voting limit applicable to such member shall no longer have any voting rights for so long as such shares are beneficially owned by such member or such member’s affiliates. Any Vote Limited Member that limits its voting rights such that under no circumstances would such shareholder, together with its affiliates, have the right to cast more than 10% of the total votes in any matter put to a vote of the Class A shareholders of a series, shall not be named or have its address or ownership reported in the Company’s ongoing SEC filings, including the beneficial ownership table in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 1-K, unless such person is otherwise deemed to be an “affiliate” of the Company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. The determination of affiliate status for such purposes shall be made by the Board of Managers in its sole and absolute discretion and the Company or its transfer agent may require any shareholder that owns more than 10% of the Class A shares of a series to provide a legal opinion and or other information it deems necessary or appropriate to determine such person’s affiliate status. If any such 10% or more shareholder is deemed to be an “affiliate”, notwithstanding the limit on voting, such person’s name, address and ownership will be reported in the Company’s SEC filings, including the beneficial ownership table in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 1-K.
Subject to the Delaware Act, the Board of Managers will have sole voting power over all matters, including: mergers, consolidations, acquisitions, winding up and dissolution; except, the Board of Managers shall not have the authority to amend, waive or fail to comply with any material provision of our operating agreement that disproportionately and adversely affects the Class A shareholders as a whole or an affected series except as provided therein, without the prior written consent of the holders of a majority of the voting shares of the Company or such series, as applicable.
Conversion of Class B shares
Class B shares of a series will be convertible into Class A shares of such series, in whole or in part, at any time prior to the consummation of a sale of the Artwork by such series for no additional consideration pursuant to the following conversion formula:
Class A shares of a series issuable upon conversion | = | (A) Value Increase, multiplied by | ||
(B) Conversion Percentage, multiplied by | ||||
(C) 20%, divided by | ||||
(D) Class A share Value of a series. |
Definitions for conversion calculation:
“Value Increase” | means, the aggregate value of Class A shares of the applicable series outstanding at such time on a fully diluted basis (including any shares issuable upon exchange of SPC Preferred shares, whether or not such SPC Preferred shares are vested (“Exchange Shares”)), minus the product of (i) the number of Class A shares of such series outstanding at such time on a fully diluted basis (including Exchange Shares) and (ii) $20.00, if such difference is positive. | |
“Conversion Percentage” | means, (A) the number of Class B shares of a series being converted, divided by (B) the number of Class B shares of a series outstanding. | |
“Class A share Value” | means, as of the close of business on the day preceding the conversion date, the volume weighted average trading price (“VWAP”) of the Class A shares of a series on all trading platforms or trading systems on which the Class A shares of a series are being traded over the forty-five (45) trading days then ended, provided, that if the total aggregate trading volume over such 45-trading-day period is less than 5% of the public float, such period shall be extended to the ninety (90) trading days then ended, provided, further, if the total aggregate trading volume over such 90-trading-day period is less than 5% of the public float, the holder of the Class B shares of a series shall request that the Administrator obtain an appraisal of the Class A share Value of a series from one or more independent nationally-recognized third party appraisal companies and such appraisal shall constitute the Class A share Value of a series.* |
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* The hypothetical Class A share values of a series represent the assumed VWAP, or in the absence of a trading market, the appraised fair value of the Class A shares of a series, which, in either case, is assumed to be the amount that a Class A share of a series would receive upon sale of the Artwork by such series (i.e. the appraised value of the Artwork of such series divided by the fully diluted number of Class A shares of such series outstanding).
Examples of conversion calculation
The following table illustrates the number and percentage of Class A shares of a series that would be issued to Masterworks upon conversion of all of its Class B shares of a series based on hypothetical changes in the trading price or value of the Class A shares of a series:
Hypothetical Class A share Value of a series | $ | 20.00 | $ | 30.00 | $ | 40.00 | $ | 50.00 | $ | 60.00 | ||||||||||
No. of Class A shares of a series Masterworks would receive upon conversion of 100% of its Class B shares of a series | 0 | 6,938 | 10,406 | 12,488 | 13,875 | |||||||||||||||
Percentage of total outstanding Class A shares of a series Masterworks would receive upon conversion of 100% of its Class B shares of a series | 0 | % | 7.69 | % | 11.11 | % | 13.04 | % | 14.29 | % |
Powers of the Board of Managers
The Board of Managers will have sole voting power over all matters, including: mergers, consolidations, acquisitions, winding up and dissolution; except, the Board of Managers shall not have the authority to amend, waive or fail to comply with any material provision of our operating agreement that disproportionately and adversely affects the Class A shareholders as a whole or an affected series except as provided therein, without the prior written consent of the holders of a majority of the voting shares of the Company or such series, as applicable.
Shares beneficially owned by Masterworks shall have no voting rights, except one or more Class C shares held by a Masterworks affiliate will enable it to remove and or replace all or any members of the Board of Managers and reconstitute the Board without “cause” for any reason.
Agreement to be Bound by the Operating Agreement
By purchasing a Class A share of a series, you will be admitted as a member of our Company and will be bound by the provisions of, and deemed to be a party to the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC operating agreement. Pursuant to the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC operating agreement, each holder of Class A shares of a series and each person who acquires a Class A share of a series from a holder must agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC operating agreement.
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Shareholder Voting
Class A shares of each series have one vote per share and we refer to the Class A shares of each series, excluding shares beneficially owned by Masterworks, or shares owned by a member that has irrevocably limited or eliminated such member’s voting rights in excess of such member’s voting limit, as “voting shares.” The Class B shares of each series shall have no voting rights other than as may be required pursuant to applicable law. The term “other than as may be required pursuant to applicable law,” takes into account the following considerations (i) pursuant to Section 18-806 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (the “Act”), in the event that a limited liability company is dissolved by the occurrence of an event that causes the last remaining member to cease to be a member, the personal representative of the last remaining member of the limited liability company or the assignee of all of the limited liability company interests in the limited liability company may vote to revoke the dissolution, subject to the approval of any other persons whose approval is required under the limited liability company agreement to revoke a dissolution, such a vote could result in holders of the Class B shares of a series (or more accurately the personal representative of such persons) potentially be deemed to have a “right to vote” and (ii) the Act may be amended in the future to mandate voting rights for all interests in a Delaware limited liability company in certain situations, and if this occurs, without the provision “other than as may be required by law,” the Company could be in a position where its operating agreement would be in violation of the Act.
A member that beneficially owns 5% or more of the Class A shares of a series (excluding shares beneficially owned by Masterworks) may irrevocably limit or eliminate its voting rights by providing an irrevocable vote limit certificate to the Company in substantially the form of Exhibit B to the operating agreement. In the event a member irrevocably limits or eliminates its voting rights, all of the Class A shares of a series beneficially owned by such member in excess of the voting limit applicable to such member shall no longer have any voting rights for so long as such shares are beneficially owned by such member or such member’s affiliates. Any member that irrevocably eliminates its voting rights or limits its voting rights such that under no circumstances would such shareholder, together with its affiliates, have the right to cast more than 10% of the total votes in an election of Managers or on any other matter put to a vote of the Class A shareholders of a series, shall not be named or have its address or ownership reported in the Company’s ongoing SEC filings, including the beneficial ownership table in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 1-K, unless such person is otherwise deemed to be an “affiliate” of the Company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. The determination of affiliate status for such purposes shall be made by the Board of Managers in its sole and absolute discretion and the Company or its transfer agent may require any shareholder that owns more than 10% of the Class A shares of a series to provide a legal opinion and or other information it deems necessary or appropriate to determine such person’s affiliate status. If any such 10% or more shareholder is deemed to be an “affiliate”, notwithstanding the limit on voting, such person’s name, address and ownership will be reported in the Company’s SEC filings, including the beneficial ownership table in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 1-K.
Whenever holders of Class A shares of a series are required or entitled to vote on any matter, except as otherwise provided, that vote may be taken at a meeting or may be taken via a written consent in lieu of a meeting.
The Company shall provide holders of voting shares with not less than five (5) nor more than sixty (60) days prior notice of any meeting or any action subject to a vote of holders of voting shares at a meeting shall require a quorum, in the form of votes actually cast (whether in person or by proxy), from at least a majority of the voting shares eligible to vote on such matter or such higher percentage of voting shares as may be required for such action. At any meeting or on any matter that is to be voted on or consented to by holders of voting shares, the then holders of our voting shares, may vote in person or by proxy, and such vote may be made, and a proxy may be granted in writing, by means of electronic transmission or as otherwise permitted by applicable law. Shares beneficially owned by Masterworks shall have no voting rights.
We have elected to be governed by paragraphs (b), (c), (d) and (e) of Section 212 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) and other applicable provisions of the DGCL, as though we were a Delaware corporation and as though holders of our voting shares were shareholders of a Delaware corporation. Such sections generally regulate proxies for any voting purposes. In the event that we become subject to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act, pursuant to and subject to the provisions of Rule 14a-16 under the Exchange Act, we may, but are not required to, utilize a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, as described in that rule, in conjunction with proxy material posted to an Internet site, in order to furnish any proxy or related material to holders of voting shares pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act. We currently intend to utilize the Masterworks platform to the extent possible for meetings of, and votes of our shareholders.
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Shareholder Distributions.
The Company does not expect to pay any distributions, other than a distribution following a sale of the Artwork of a series. There can be no assurance as to the timing of a distribution or that we will pay a distribution at all. There are no contractual restrictions on our ability to declare or pay dividends and if any are to be paid in the future, such decision will be at the discretion of our Board of Managers and will depend on our then current financial condition and other factors deemed relevant by the Board of Managers.
When Artwork is sold and the segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman receives the proceeds of such sale, the proceeds will be distributed as follows:
FIRST, payment will made to Masterworks (as a reimbursement) and or third parties in respect of any costs or expenses for which either the segregated portfolio or the series is responsible, if any;
SECOND, to the extent any funds remain undistributed, if the SPC Preferred shares have not been exchanged for Class A shares, such remaining funds will be distributed to the holder of the SPC Preferred shares for up to (but not exceeding) $20 per SPC Preferred share;
THIRD, to the extent any funds remain undistributed, such remaining funds will be distributed to the series and the series will, in turn, distribute such funds to the Class A shareholders on a pro rata basis up to (but not exceeding) $20 per Class A share;
FOURTH, to the extent any funds remain undistributed, 80% of such remaining funds will be distributed to the Class A shareholders pro rata and 20% of such remaining funds will be distributed to the Class B shareholders.
If the sale of the Artwork of a series were to result in a distribution to the holders of Class A shares of a series of equal to or greater than $20.00 per share (i.e. a “profitable sale”), Masterworks will exchange its SPC Preferred shares for Class A shares prior to a distribution to shareholders and receive proceeds as a holder of Class A shares of the series consistent with the mechanics set forth above.
If the sale of the Artwork of a series were to result in a distribution to the holders of Class A shares of a series of less than $20.00 per share (i.e. a “loss sale”), Masterworks shall receive up to $20.00 per SPC Preferred share, after which any remaining proceeds will be distributed to holders of Class A Shares of the series.
For the avoidance of doubt, if Masterworks exchanges its SPC Preferred shares for Class A shares of a series, Masterworks shall participate in a distribution or liquidation solely as a holder of Class A shares. In addition, the holder of the Class C share has no economic rights. Our Board of Managers may also determine at any time to declare a distribution to the Class B member of any series in the amount of the initial capital contribution to such series.
After all of such distributions are made, the applicable segregated portfolio and series will be dissolved. Further, following a sale of an Artwork, but prior to a distribution to shareholders, the Company may elect to redeem Class A shares of a series outstanding from Class A members of such series other than Masterworks for an amount per Class A share equal to the liquidation amount per Class A share as determined in accordance with our operating agreement, subject to certain conditions set forth in the operating agreement.
Limited Liability
The liability of each member of our Company shall be limited as provided in the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act and as set forth in the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC operating agreement. No member of our Company shall be obligated to restore by way of capital contribution or otherwise any deficits in its capital account (if such deficits occur).
The Delaware Limited Liability Company Act provides that a member of a Delaware limited liability company who receives a distribution from such company and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act shall be liable to the Company for the distribution for three years. Under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, a limited liability company may not make a distribution to a member if, after the distribution, all liabilities of the Company, other than liabilities to members on account of their Class A shares of a series and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the company, would exceed the fair value of the assets of the Company. The fair value of property subject to liability for which recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the Company only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the nonrecourse liability. Under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, an assignee who becomes a substituted member of a company is liable for the obligations of his assignor to make contributions to the Company, except the assignee is not obligated for liabilities unknown to him at the time the assignee became a member and that could not be ascertained from the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC operating agreement.
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Exculpation and Indemnification of the Board of Managers and Others
Subject to certain limitations, our operating agreement limits the liability of each member of the Board of Managers and its affiliates, any of our members, any person who is our officer and any person who serves at the request of the Board of Managers on behalf of us as an officer, member of the Board of Managers, managers of the Administrator, independent representative, partner, member, stockholder or employee of such person (referred to together as the “Protected Persons” or in the singular as the “Protected Person”).
Exculpation
No Protected Person shall be liable to us or the Administrator or any other member of our Company for any action taken or omitted to be taken by it or by other person with respect to us, including any negligent act or failure to act, except in the case of a liability resulting from such Protected Person’s own actual fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith, breach of fiduciary duty, reckless disregard of duty or any intentional and material breach of our operating agreement or conduct that is subject of a criminal proceeding (where such Protected Person has reasonable cause to believe that such conduct was unlawful). With the prior consent of the Board of Managers, any Protected Person may consult with legal counsel and accountants with respect to our affairs (including interpretations of our operating agreement) and shall be fully protected and justified in any action or inaction which is taken or omitted in good faith, in reliance upon and in accordance with the opinion or advice of such counsel or accountants. In determining whether a Protected Person acted with the requisite degree of care, such Protected Person shall be entitled to rely on written or oral reports, opinions, certificates and other statements of the members of the Board of Managers, officers, employees, consultants, attorneys, accountants and professional advisors of our Company selected with reasonable care; provided, that no such Protected Person may rely upon such statements if it believed that such statements were materially false.
Indemnification
To the fullest extent permitted by law, we will indemnify, hold harmless, protect and defend each Protected Person against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, including reasonable legal fees, costs and expenses incurred in investigating or defending against any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities or in enforcing a Protected Person’s right to indemnification under the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC operating agreement, and any amounts expended in respect of settlements of any claims approved by the Board of Managers (collectively referred to herein as the “Liabilities”), to which any Protected Person may become subject:
(i) | by reason of any act or omission or alleged act or omission (even if negligent) arising out of or in connection with the activities of our Company; |
(ii) | by reason of the fact that it is or was acting in connection with the activities of our Company in any capacity or that it is or was serving at the request of our Company as a partner, shareholder, member, members of the Board of Managers, managers of the Company or the Administrator, the independent representative, officer, employee, or agent of any Person; |
unless, such Liability results from such Protected Person’s own actual fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith, breach of fiduciary duty, reckless disregard of duty or intentional and material breach of our operating agreement or conduct that is subject of a criminal proceeding (where such Protected Person has reasonable cause to believe that such conduct was unlawful). |
Any indemnification provided under our operating agreement is limited thereunder to the extent of our assets only. Further, insofar as the foregoing provisions permit indemnification of members of the Board of Managers, officers or persons controlling us for liability arising under the Securities Act, we have been informed that, in the opinion of the SEC, this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Reimbursement of Expenses
We will reimburse (and/or advance to the extent reasonably required) each Protected Person for reasonable legal or other costs and expenses (as incurred) of such Protected Person in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending any claim, lawsuit or other proceeding relating to any Liabilities for which the Protected Person may be indemnified pursuant to our operating agreement and for all costs and expenses, including fees, expenses and disbursements of attorneys, reasonably incurred by such Protected Person in enforcing the indemnification provisions of our operating agreement; provided, that such Protected Person executes a written undertaking to repay us for such reimbursed or advanced costs and expenses if it is finally judicially determined that such Protected Person is not entitled to the indemnification provided by our operating agreement.
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Sale of the Artwork
Each series will own the Artwork for an indefinite period, but we may sell the Artwork of such series at any time following the final closing of the offering of such series. There is no guarantee that any such sale of the Artwork of a series will be successful, or if successful, that the net proceeds realized by shareholders of such series from such transaction will be reflective of the estimated fair market value of the shares of such series at such time. Masterworks may determine to sell the Artwork of a series without engaging a third-party intermediary, in which event, Masterworks would be entitled to recoup its costs of marketing and selling the Artwork by seeking reimbursement from the applicable series or by charging the buyer a sales commission in connection with such sale.
Amendment of Our Operating Agreement
Amendments to our operating agreement may be proposed only by or with the consent of the Board of Managers and must be approved by a majority vote of holders of the voting shares of all of the series voting as a single class, unless such amendment affects one or series disproportionately and adversely in relation to other series, in which case, the consent of holders of voting shares of such series adversely and disproportionately affected voting as a separate class shall be required for such amendment. However, the Board of Managers does not need consent of holders of voting shares to amend the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC, operating agreement in the following instances: (i) to evidence the joinder of a new member of the Company; (ii) in connection with the transfer of shares by members; (iii) as otherwise required to reflect capital contributions, distributions and similar actions (iv) to reflect the naming of new managers, officers or replacement of officers of the Company; or (v) as required to cause the Company to be treated as an association or as a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal (and applicable state and local) income tax purposes, (vi) in connection with the exchange or conversion of SPC Preferred shares of a segregated portfolio in which equity interests are owned by a series or Class B shares of a series, respectively, into Class A shares of such series, (vii) to create a new series and or issue shares of such new series, (viii) any change necessary to give effect to a merger or business combination that does not, in the determination of the Board of Managers, disproportionately or adversely affect the holders of Class A shares of any series, or (ix) any change the Board of Managers deems necessary or appropriate to enable trading of membership interests.
Termination and Dissolution
We will continue as a series limited liability company until terminated under the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC operating agreement. We will commence winding up upon the first to occur of the following (the “Dissolution Event”):
(1) Upon the determination of the members with the approval of the Board of Managers;
(2) Our insolvency or bankruptcy;
(3) The sale of all or substantially all of our assets; or
(4) The entry of a decree of judicial dissolution under Section 18 802 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act
The Dissolution Event shall be effective on the day on which such event occurs and immediately thereafter we will commence its winding up during which our affairs shall be wound up in accordance with the terms of the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC operating agreement.
Books and Reports
We are required to keep appropriate books of our business at our principal offices. The books will be maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on a basis that permits the preparation of financial statements in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the U.S. (“GAAP”). For financial reporting purposes and federal income tax purposes, our fiscal year and its tax year are the calendar year.
Term and Removal of Members of the Board of Managers
Our operating agreement provides that each member of our Board of Managers will serve as a Manager for an indefinite term, but that any Manager may be removed by a majority of the Board of Managers for any reason, or may choose to withdraw as a Manager, under certain circumstances.
Our operating agreement also provides that each member of the Board of Managers may be removed and or replaced and our Board can be reconstituted for any reason by the holder of the Class C share of a series, if any. The Class C share of a series will be issued to a Masterworks affiliate, if any. The Class C share of a series, once issued, can be transferred between Masterworks affiliated entities, including from one Masterworks affiliate to another. The Class C share of a series, once issued, may be redeemed or cancelled by mutual agreement between the holder of the Class C share of a series and the Company.
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In addition, our members may remove a member of the Board of Managers for “cause” only, following the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the issued and outstanding voting shares of all the series then existing as a single class excluding those beneficially owned by Masterworks. The term “Cause” is defined as:
● | The commission by the applicable member of the Board of Managers of fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct; | |
● | The conviction of the applicable member of the Board of Managers of a felony; | |
● | A material violation by the applicable member of the Board of Managers of any applicable law that has a material adverse effect on our business; and | |
● | The bankruptcy or insolvency of the applicable member of the Board of Managers. |
Anti-Takeover Effects under Delaware Law
We are a series limited liability company organized under Delaware law. Some provisions of Delaware law may delay or prevent a transaction that would cause a change in our control. Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which restricts certain business combinations with interested shareholders in certain situations, does not apply to limited liability companies unless they elect to utilize it. Our operating agreement does not currently elect to have Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law apply to us. In general, this statute prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination with an interested shareholder for a period of three years after the date of the transaction by which that person became an interested shareholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner. For purposes of Section 203, a business combination includes a merger, asset sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested shareholder, and an interested shareholder is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years prior did own, 15% or more of voting Class A shares of a series. The Board of Managers may elect to amend the Masterworks Vault 2, LLC operating agreement, subject to majority approval by the members holding the Class A shares of a series, at any time to have Section 203 apply to the Company.
Valuation of Artworks
Masterworks conducts a quarterly appraisal of the fair market value of each Artwork in accordance with Masterworks’ valuation policies and procedures. The estimated net asset value per Class A share of a series will be disclosed in a Current Report on Form 1-U.
Binding Arbitration under Our Subscription Agreement
By purchasing Class A shares of a series in an offering of a series, investors agree to be bound by the arbitration provisions contained in our subscription agreement which provide that arbitration is the exclusive means for resolving disputes relating to or arising out of the subscription agreement, the shares, the Masterworks Platform, and/or the activities or relationships that involve, lead to, or result from any of the foregoing. Please note that this arbitration provision does not apply to claims made under the federal securities laws or any dispute you may have with Masterworks Advisers, which can be settled through the arbitration rules of JAMS. Purchasers of shares in a secondary transaction would also be subject to the same arbitration provisions that are currently in our subscription agreement. Such arbitration provision limits the ability of investors to bring class action lawsuits or similarly seek remedies on a class basis for claims subject to the provision. If invoked, the arbitration is required to be conducted in New York, NY in accordance with New York law. The subscription agreement allows for either the Company or an investor to elect to enter into binding arbitration in the event of any covered claim in which the Company and the investor are adverse parties. While not mandatory, in the event that the Company were to invoke the arbitration clause, the rights of the adverse shareholder to seek redress in court would be severely limited. These restrictions on the ability to bring a class action lawsuit may result in increased costs and/or reduced remedies, to individual investors who wish to pursue claims against the Company.
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Waiver of Jury Trial under our Subscription Agreement
By purchasing Class A shares of a series in the offering of a series, by executing the subscription agreement investors agree to waive their rights to a jury trial in claims against the Company or Masterworks. However, this waiver of rights to a jury trial does not apply to claims made under the federal securities laws. Purchasers of shares in a secondary transaction would also be required to waive rights to a jury trial, except in connection with claims under the federal securities laws.
Exclusive Jurisdiction
Our operating agreement provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act, as amended, subject to and contingent upon a final adjudication in the State of Delaware of the enforceability of such exclusive forum provision. By purchasing Class A shares of a series in the offering of a series and by executing the subscription agreement, investors acknowledge that any complaint asserting a cause of action under the Securities Act is to be litigated in the federal district courts of the United States of America.
Qualification Rights
Masterworks will have the right to request that we qualify on Form 1-A, or a comparable form, the resale of any Class A shares of a series beneficially owned by Masterworks or any entity administered by Masterworks. There are no limitations or restrictions on the size or frequency of such qualification requests, other than pursuant to applicable law, provided that all costs associated with any such qualification shall be the responsibility of Masterworks. If Masterworks exercises its qualification rights and offers Class A shares of a series in a secondary offering pursuant to Regulation A, it may be more difficult to sell your Class A shares of such series and could adversely affect the price at which you can sell your Class A shares of such series on the Templum ATS. The qualification rights are set forth in the Company’s operating agreement.
Transfer Agent
The transfer agent and registrar for the Class A shares of each series is Equity Stock Transfer, LLC. The transfer agent’s address is 237 West 37th Street, Suite 602, New York, New York 10018. The transfer agent’s telephone number is 212-575-5757.
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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
Shares Eligible for Future Sale
There is currently no public trading market for the Class A shares of any series, and an active market, whether public or private, for these Class A shares may not develop or be sustained. We cannot predict the effect, if any, that market sales of the Class A shares of a series or the availability of Class A shares of a series for sale will have on the market price of the Class A shares of a series prevailing from time to time.
Upon the final closing of a series offering, the maximum number of Class A shares of such series offered will be outstanding, and 1,000 Class B shares of such series will be outstanding and will be owned by Masterworks. Such Class B shares may be converted into Class A shares of the same series based on the relative fair market values of the Class B shares and Class A shares at such time. In addition, Masterworks will earn SPC Preferred shares of each segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman that will be exchangeable for Class A shares of the series that owns equity interests in such segregated portfolio at an exchange ratio of 1 for 1. All of the Class A shares of a series sold in the offering of the series will be freely tradable under federal securities laws unless issued to our “affiliates” as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Class A shares of a series held by affiliates of the Company are “control” securities under U.S. federal securities laws and are subject to restrictions on transfer. If you hold more than 10% of the Class A shares of a series, you may be deemed an affiliate of the Company and may be unable to participate on the Templum ATS or otherwise freely transfer your shares. The Company or its transfer agent may require you to provide a legal opinion and or other information to determine your affiliate status.
Masterworks intends to sponsor offerings by entities formed to invest, directly or indirectly, in multiple works of art and any such entity, which would be deemed an “affiliate” of our Company, may invest in one or more series offerings. In the event any such affiliate invests in a series offering, the Class A shares of such series acquired by such entity would be “restricted” securities within the meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and such Class A shares of such series, together with any shares sold by Masterworks in private transactions that are exempt from the registration or qualification requirements of the Securities Act will bear a restrictive legend and will be subject to further transfer restrictions for one year from the time such shares are acquired from Masterworks or such affiliate by a non-affiliate. Masterworks has rights to require us to qualify the resale of any such Class A shares of a series, provided that they shall be responsible for all of the costs and expenses of any such qualification and or secondary offering.
Masterworks has agreed not to transfer any Class B shares of a series that it owns prior to the one-year anniversary of the final closing of the applicable series offering (other than transfers to affiliates), though Masterworks is permitted to pledge all of its Shares to unaffiliated third-party lenders and such lenders shall not be subject to the lock-up if they obtain ownership of the Shares in connection with a default by Masterworks on its indebtedness. After the one-year anniversary in the case of Class B shares of a series, Masterworks will have no restrictions on the disposition of any of its Shares, other than restrictions in our operating agreement, management services agreement and those imposed by applicable securities laws.
Rule 144
In general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect, Masterworks will be entitled to sell, within any three-month period, a number of Class A shares of a series that does not exceed the greater of:
● | 1% of the then-outstanding Class A shares of a series; and | |
● | The average weekly trading volume during the four calendar weeks preceding the sale, subject to the filing of a Form 144 with respect to the sale. |
Sales under Rule 144 by our affiliates are also subject to certain manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us. If Masterworks sells its shares in private transactions that are exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act to a non-affiliate other than pursuant to Rule 144, such non-affiliate will be able to sell such shares pursuant to Rule 144 after one year has elapsed from the time such shares were acquired from Masterworks and such sales shall not be subject to the volume restrictions set forth above.
We are unable to estimate the number of Class A shares of a series that will be sold under Rule 144 or pursuant to one or more future qualified offerings or the timing of such sales, since this will depend on the market price for the Class A shares of a series, the personal circumstances of the sellers and other factors. There is currently no public trading market for the Class A shares of any series, and an active market for these Class A shares may not develop or be sustained. Any future sale of substantial amounts of the Class A shares of a series in the open market may adversely affect the market price of the Class A shares of such series offered by this offering circular.
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Class A shares of a series by Holders (as defined below) as of the date hereof. For purposes of this section, under the heading “Material U.S. Federal Tax Considerations,” references to the “Company,” “we,” “our,” and “us” refer only to Masterworks Vault 2, LLC and or each series, and not to Masterworks Cayman which is a Cayman Islands segregated portfolio company. In this discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations, the term “segregated portfolio” refers to the segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman that will hold title to the Artwork of a specific series. This discussion is based on the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated or proposed thereunder, and all administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, all as in effect on the date hereof and all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect, or to different interpretation.
The U.S. federal income taxation of partnerships and partners is extremely complex, involving, among other things, significant issues as to the character, timing of realization and sourcing of gains and losses. This discussion does not address all of the U.S. federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to specific Holders in light of their particular circumstances or to Holders subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax law (such as banks, insurance companies, dealers in securities or other Holders that generally mark their securities to market for U.S. federal income tax purposes, tax-exempt entities, retirement plans, regulated investment companies, real estate investment trusts, certain former citizens or residents of the United States or Holders that hold the Class A shares of a series as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion or other integrated transaction) or U.S. Holders that have a “functional currency” other than the U.S. dollar. This discussion does not address any U.S. state or local or non-U.S. tax considerations or any U.S. federal estate (except as discussed below for Non-U.S. Holders), gift or alternative minimum tax considerations. Prospective investors are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Class A shares of a series with respect to their particular tax situations, including, in the case of prospective Holders subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws, with reference to any special issues that the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Class A shares of a series may raise for such persons. The activities of a Holder unrelated to such Holder’s status as a member of the Company may affect the tax consequences to such Holder of an investment in the Company.
The enactment of U.S. federal tax legislation in 2017 and the promulgation of final and proposed Treasury Regulations and other guidance thereunder has resulted in significant and complicated changes to the Code, and there remain significant uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of these rules. As further discussed below, resolution of certain of these uncertainties could have implications for the tax treatment of the Company’s structure and investments. All investors should consult with their advisors regarding the effect of these laws on their investment in the Company.
As used in this discussion, the term “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of a Class A share of a series that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation created or organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust (x) with respect to which a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all of its substantial decisions or (y) that has in effect a valid election under applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. As used in this discussion, the term “Non-U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of a Class A share of a series that is neither a U.S. Holder nor a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and the term “Holder” means a U.S. Holder or a Non-U.S. Holder.
If an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes invests in the Class A shares of a series, the U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to such investment will depend in part upon the status and activities of such entity and the particular partner. Any such entity should consult its own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to it and its partners relating to the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Class A shares of a series.
PERSONS CONSIDERING AN INVESTMENT IN THE CLASS A SHARES OF A SERIES SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE U.S. FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL AND NON-U.S. INCOME, ESTATE AND OTHER TAX CONSIDERATIONS RELATING TO THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF THE CLASS A SHARES OF A SERIES IN LIGHT OF THEIR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES.
Taxation of Our Company
Taxation of Masterworks Vault 2, LLC and each series thereof. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) issued Proposed Series LLC Regulations in September 2010 (Reg-119921-09) to settle treatment of Series LLCs and their series for income tax purposes and concluded that each series of a Series LLC is to be treated as a separate entity for federal income tax purposes. We expect that the Company and each series will be regarded for income tax purposes as separate entities. At present, we do not expect to seek a ruling from the IRS with respect to our treatment as separate entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes and no assurance can be given on the finalization of the proposed regulations or that the IRS will not at a later point in time take a contrary position. We expect that we will be treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes and not as associations or publicly traded partnerships subject to tax as a corporation. As a partnership, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. Instead, each Holder that is subject to U.S. tax will be required to take into account its distributive share, whether or not distributed, of each item of our income, gain, loss, deduction or credit. See “—Taxation of U.S. Holders of Shares.”
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An entity that would otherwise be classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes may nonetheless be taxable as a corporation if it is a “publicly traded partnership”, unless an exception applies. An entity that would otherwise be classified as a partnership is a publicly traded partnership if (i) interests in the partnership are traded on an established securities market or (ii) interests in the partnership are readily tradable on an alternative trading system or the substantial equivalent thereof. We expect that we will be publicly traded for purposes of these rules.
A publicly traded partnership will, however, be treated as a partnership, and not as a corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, if (x) 90% or more of such partnership’s gross income during each taxable year consists of “qualifying income” and (y) such partnership is not required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). We refer to this exception as the “qualifying income exception.” Qualifying income generally includes certain interest income, dividends, real property rents, gains from the sale or other disposition of real property, gains from the sale or other disposition of capital assets or other property held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes qualifying income and certain other forms of investment income.
We intend to operate such that we will meet the qualifying income exception in each taxable year. We do not expect that the Company or any series will earn any income in any taxable year other than qualifying income including (x) interest income with respect to certain short-term debt investments held by the Company and (y) an income inclusion followed by a distribution from a segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman in the year in which the Artwork of a series is sold. At present, we do not expect to seek a ruling from the IRS with respect to our treatment as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and no assurance can be given that the IRS will not take a contrary position. In the event that such a ruling is sought, and such ruling treats a sale of the Artwork of a series as qualifying income, we may structure each segregated portfolio as an entity disregarded from us for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in which case the tax consequences described herein could be materially different, as described below.
If we fail to meet the qualifying income exception (other than a failure that is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent and that is cured within a reasonable time after discovery) or if we are required to register under the 1940 Act, we will be treated as if, on the first day in which we fail to meet the qualifying income exception or are required to register under the 1940 Act, we had transferred all of our assets, subject to our liabilities, to a newly formed corporation in exchange for stock of such corporation, and then distributed the stock to the Holders in liquidation of their interests in us. This deemed contribution and liquidation should generally be tax-free to the Holders so long as we do not have liabilities in excess of the tax basis of our assets at such time. Thereafter, we would be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
If we were treated as a corporation in any taxable year, our items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit would be reflected in our tax return, rather than the returns of our Holders subject to U.S. tax, and we would be subject to U.S. corporate income tax on our taxable income. Distributions of cash or other property to a Holder with respect to the Class A shares of a series generally would be treated as a dividend to the extent such distribution was paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles), or in the absence of earnings and profits, as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of such Holder’s adjusted tax basis in such Class A share of a series, and then as capital gain. Accordingly, treatment as a corporation could materially reduce a Holder’s after-tax return and thus could result in a substantial reduction of the value of the Class A shares of a series.
The remainder of this discussion assumes that we will be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Taxation of Masterworks Cayman. Masterworks Cayman, which is a Cayman Islands segregated portfolio company, is referred to in this taxation section as “Masterworks Cayman,” and the specific portfolio that will hold title to the Artwork of a series is referred to as a “segregated portfolio.” Each segregated portfolio intends to be classified as an association taxable as a corporation and not as a partnership or disregarded entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Each series, as the holder of each respective segregated portfolio’s shares, will not be taxed directly on the earnings of such segregated portfolio. We intend to treat each segregated portfolio as a separate non-U.S. corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, although this treatment is not free from doubt. The remainder of this discussion assumes that each segregated portfolio is so treated.
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However, Holders may be required to report directly income earned by a segregated portfolio in certain circumstances. See “— Controlled Foreign Corporations” and “Passive Foreign Investment Companies”.
Subject to the discussion below under “Controlled Foreign Corporations” and “Passive Foreign Investment Companies”, distributions of cash or other property to us from a segregated portfolio (other than certain distributions of a segregated portfolio, shares or rights to acquire its shares) generally will be treated as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes (without reduction for any non-U.S. tax withheld from such distribution) to the extent of a segregated portfolio, current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes). To the extent the amount of such distribution exceeds such current and accumulated earnings and profits, it generally will be treated first as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of our adjusted tax basis in such segregated portfolio’s shares and then as capital gain.
If, following receipt of a ruling from the IRS, we elected to treat a segregated portfolio as an entity disregarded as separate from us, we would directly report any income, gain, loss or deduction of such segregated portfolio, and any distributions from such segregated portfolio would be disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Taxation of U.S. Holders of Shares
Below is a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to U.S. Holders of the Class A shares of a series.
Taxation of Holders of Shares on Our Profits and Losses. As a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. Instead, each Holder that is subject to U.S. tax will be required to take into account its distributive share, whether or not distributed, of each item of our income, gain, loss, deduction or credit. It is possible that in any year, a Holder’s tax liability arising from the Company could exceed the distributions made by the Company to such Holder. The Company will file a U.S. federal partnership information return reporting its operations for each year and provide a U.S. Internal Revenue Service Schedule K-1 and Schedule K-3 to each Holder. However, Holders may not receive such Schedule prior to when their tax return reporting obligations become due and may need to file for extensions or file based on estimates.
In addition to regular U.S. federal income tax, certain U.S. Holders that are individuals, estates or trusts are subject to a 3.8% tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which may include all or a portion of any interest income we earn that is allocable to such U.S. Holder.
Allocation of Profits and Losses. For each of our fiscal years, each Holder’s allocable share of our items of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit will be determined by Masterwork Vault 2, LLC’s amended and restated operating agreement (the “operating agreement”), provided such allocations either have “substantial economic effect” or are determined to be in accordance with such Holder’s interest in the Company. We believe that for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such allocations will be given effect as being in accordance with such Holder’s interest in the Company and we intend to prepare tax returns based on such allocations. If the allocations provided by our operating agreement were successfully challenged by the IRS, the resulting allocations to a particular Holder for U.S. federal income tax purposes may be less favorable than the allocations set forth in our operating agreement.
Section 706 of the Code provides that items of partnership income and deductions must be allocated between transferors and transferees of shares. We will apply certain assumptions and conventions in an attempt to comply with applicable rules and to report income, gain, loss, deduction and credit to Holders in a manner that reflects such Holders’ beneficial shares of our items. These conventions are designed to more closely align the receipt of cash and the allocation of income between Holders of Class A shares of a series, but these assumptions and conventions may not conform with all aspects of existing Treasury Regulations. If the IRS successfully challenges our conventions, our items of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit may be reallocated among the Holders of Class A shares of a series to the possible detriment of certain Holders. The Board of Managers is authorized to revise our method of allocation between transferors and transferees (as well as among Holders whose interests otherwise could vary during a taxable period).
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Adjusted Tax Basis of Class A shares of a series. A Holder’s initial tax basis in its Class A shares of a series will generally equal the amount such Holder paid for the Class A shares of a series plus such Holder’s allocable share of our liabilities, if any. A Holder’s adjusted tax basis will be increased by such Holder’s share of items of our income and gain and any increase in such Holder’s share of our liabilities. A Holder’s adjusted tax basis will be decreased, but not below zero, by distributions from us, such Holder’s allocable share of items of our deductions and losses and by any decrease in such Holder’s allocable share of our liabilities.
Holders who purchase the Class A shares of a series in separate transactions must combine the basis of those Class A shares of a series and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all of those Class A shares of a series. Upon a sale or other disposition of less than all of the Class A shares of a series held by such Holder, a portion of that tax basis must be allocated to the Class A shares of a series sold.
Restrictions on Deductibility of Expenses and Other Losses. A Holder may deduct its allocable share of our losses (if any) for U.S. federal income tax purposes only to the extent of such Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the Class A shares of a series it is treated as holding at the end of the taxable year in which the losses occur. If the recognition of a Holder’s allocable share of our losses would reduce its adjusted tax basis for its Class A shares of a series below zero, the recognition of such losses by such Holder would be deferred to subsequent taxable years and will be allowed if and when such Holder has sufficient tax basis so that such losses would not reduce such Holder’s adjusted tax basis below zero. In addition, the “at-risk” rules and the limitation on “excess business losses” could limit the deductibility of losses allocable to a Holder. We do not expect to generate income or losses from “passive activities” for purposes of Section 469 of the Code. Therefore, income allocated by us to a Holder may not be offset by the Section 469 passive losses of such Holder and losses allocated to a Holder generally may not be used to offset Section 469 passive income of such Holder.
In general, neither we nor any Holder may deduct organizational expenses. We may elect to amortize any organizational expenses ratably over fifteen years, or we may elect to capitalize such expenses. No deduction is allowed for offering expenses, including placement fees.
Treatment of Distributions. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, distributions of cash by us generally will not be taxable to a U.S. Holder to the extent of such U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its Class A shares of a series. Any cash distributions in excess of a U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis generally will be considered to be gain from the sale or exchange of the Class A shares of a series. Under current law, such gain generally will be capital gain and will be long-term capital gain if such U.S. Holder has held such Class A share of a series for more than one year at the time of such distribution, subject to certain exceptions.
Disposition of Class Shares. A U.S. Holder generally will recognize gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of the Class A shares of a series in an amount equal to the difference, if any, between the amount realized on the sale, exchange or other disposition and such U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in such Class A share of a series. A U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis will be adjusted for this purpose by its allocable share of our income or loss for the year of such sale or other disposition. Any gain or loss so recognized generally will be capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if such Holder has held such Class A share of a series for more than one year at the time of such sale, exchange or other disposition. Certain gain attributable to our investment in a segregated portfolio will generally be characterized as ordinary income rather than capital gain. See “—Controlled Foreign Corporations”. Net long-term capital gain of certain non-corporate U.S. Holders generally is subject to preferential rates of tax. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations.
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Holders who purchase the Class A shares of a series at different times and intend to sell all or a portion of the Class A shares of a series within a year of their most recent purchase are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of certain “split holding period” rules to them and the treatment of any gain or loss as long-term or short-term capital gain or loss. For example, a selling Holder may use the actual holding period of the portion of its transferred Class A shares of a series, provided such Class A shares of a series are divided into identifiable Class A shares of a series with ascertainable holding periods, the selling Holder can identify the portion of the Class A shares of a series transferred, and the selling Holder elects to use the identification method for all sales or exchanges of the Class A shares of a series.
Controlled Foreign Corporations. In general, a corporation organized outside the United States is treated as a controlled foreign corporation (“CFC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes in any taxable year in which more than 50% of (i) the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of such non-U.S. corporation entitled to vote or (ii) the total value of the stock of such non-U.S. corporation is owned (or is considered as owned) by “U.S. Shareholders” on any day during the taxable year of such non-U.S. corporation. A “U.S. Shareholder” with respect to a non-U.S. corporation is any U.S. person that owns (or is treated as owning) 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the non-U.S. corporation entitled to vote or 10% or more of the total value of such non-U.S. corporation’s stock. The Company and each of its series are expected to be treated as U.S. Shareholders of their respective segregated portfolios under current law. Accordingly, the remainder of this disclosure assumes that each segregated portfolio will be considered a CFC, and that each series will be considered a U.S. Shareholder of its subsidiary segregated portfolio.
U.S. Shareholders may have current inclusions of undistributed “Subpart F” income of each segregated portfolio or other income of any segregated portfolio that exceeds certain thresholds (“global intangible low-taxed income” or “GILTI”). Subpart F income generally includes passive income such as dividends, interest, net gain from the sale or disposition of securities and non-actively managed rents. The Subpart F income of a CFC is limited to the CFC’s earnings and profits for the taxable year. GILTI consists of a U.S. Shareholder’s pro rata share of a CFC’s earnings, other than Subpart F income and certain other excluded types of income, that exceeds a 10% return on such U.S. Shareholder’s pro rata share of the CFC’s tangible assets that were used to generate such income. U.S. Shareholders that are U.S. corporations may take a 50% deduction against GILTI, and a 37.5% deduction after 2025. These inclusions are treated as ordinary income (whether or not such inclusions are attributable to net capital gains). Thus, a U.S. Shareholder may be required to report as ordinary income its allocable share of a segregated portfolio’s Subpart F or GILTI income without corresponding receipts of cash and may not benefit from capital gain treatment with respect to the portion of the earnings (if any) attributable to net capital gains of a segregated portfolio. A U.S. Shareholder’s tax basis in its Class A shares will be increased to reflect any required Subpart F or GILTI income inclusions. Such income generally will constitute income from sources within the United States for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes. Amounts included as such income would generally not be taxable again when actually distributed. It is not expected that any segregated portfolio will earn any income in any taxable year other than gain from the sale of Artwork in the year in which the Artwork is sold (other than the applicable segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman to the extent either earns any royalty or other income). Therefore, the Company does not expect that there will be any material Subpart F or GILTI income of any segregated portfolio to be reported by U.S. Shareholders prior to a sale of the Artwork. However, the Company expects that gain from the sale of the Artwork would be treated as Subpart F income.
Because the Company expects each series to be treated as a U.S. Shareholder in a CFC for certain purposes other than for determining current inclusions, regardless of whether a segregated portfolio has Subpart F or GILTI income, any gain allocated to a U.S. Holder resulting from a segregated portfolio’s sale of Artwork, followed by the segregated portfolio’s liquidation (whether or not such U.S. Holder is a U.S. Shareholder) will be treated as ordinary income to the extent of such U.S. Holder’s allocable share of the current and/or accumulated earnings and profits of such segregated portfolio. In this regard, earnings should not include any amounts previously taxed to a U.S. Holder pursuant to the CFC rules, if any, or pursuant to rules governing the taxation of U.S. Shareholders of PFICs, further described below. Thus, if earnings on the sale of the Artwork that are attributable to Non-U.S. Shareholders are treated as first taxed under the PFIC rules, then such earnings may be treated as previously taxed under these rules.
If, following receipt of a ruling from the IRS, we elected to treat each segregated portfolio as an entity disregarded as separate from us, the CFC rules discussed above would not apply. Instead, we would directly report any income, gain, loss or deduction of the segregated portfolio, and any distributions from the segregated portfolio would be disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Passive Foreign Investment Companies. In general, a corporation organized outside the United States is treated as a passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes in any taxable year in which either (i) at least 75% of its gross income is “passive income” or (ii) on average at least 50% of the value of its assets is attributable to assets that produce passive income or are held for the production of passive income. Passive income for this purpose generally includes, among other things, dividends, interest, royalties, rents and gains from commodities transactions and from the sale or exchange of property that gives rise to passive income. In determining whether a non-U.S. corporation is a PFIC, a pro rata portion of the income and assets of each corporation in which it owns, directly or indirectly, at least a 25% interest (by value) generally is taken into account.
If a segregated portfolio is determined to be a PFIC, the PFIC rules are expected to apply to the U.S. Holders who are not otherwise a U.S. Shareholder of a CFC (“Non-10% U.S. Owner”), with respect to such segregated portfolios, based on proposed regulations issued by the IRS earlier this year. The PFIC rules are not expected to apply to U.S. Shareholders who are subject to current inclusions of Subpart F income with respect to any particular Segregated Portfolio.
Under the PFIC rules, if a segregated portfolio is a PFIC and a proper election (a “Pedigreed QEF Election”) has not been made to include the segregated portfolio’s income in the U.S. Holders’ income currently, gain on a disposition by a series of shares in such segregated portfolio or gain on the disposition of Class A shares by a U.S. Holder at a time when such series owned, directly or indirectly, shares of such segregated portfolio, as well as certain other defined “excess distributions,” would be treated as if the gain or excess distribution were ordinary income earned ratably over the shorter of the period during which the U.S. Holder held its Class A shares or the period during which the series, directly or indirectly, held shares in such segregated portfolio and would be subject to an interest charge. Under current law, each series would be the appropriate party to make Pedigreed QEF Elections in respect of the segregated portfolios, although the IRS has issued proposed regulations which, if finalized in their current form, would place this obligation on the U.S. Holders with respect to elections to be made following the date on which the regulations are finalized and take effect. Under the proposed regulations, Pedigreed QEF Elections made by a series under current law would remain in effect after the effective date of the final regulations.
Each series of the Company is expected to make a Pedigreed QEF Election on behalf of its Non-10% U.S. Owners in respect of its respective segregated portfolio to the extent that it is able to do so under applicable law. If a Pedigreed QEF Election is made with respect to a segregated portfolio, and if the PFIC rules take precedence over the CFC rules, Non-10% U.S. Owners would include the gain allocated to them from such segregated portfolio’s disposition of Artwork as capital gain, which, if the segregated portfolio’s holding period in such Artwork was more than one year, would be treated as long-term capital gains and, in the case of non-corporate Non-10% U.S. Owners, subject to the long-term capital gain rates applicable to collectibles.
If, following receipt of a ruling from the IRS, we elected to treat each segregated portfolio as an entity disregarded as separate from us, neither the CFC nor the PFIC rules would apply to each segregated portfolio.
Segregated portfolios as Disregarded Entities. If, following receipt of a ruling from the IRS, a series elected to treat a segregated portfolio as an entity disregarded as separate from such series, the CFC and PFIC rules discussed above would not apply. Instead, such series, as applicable, would directly report any income, gain, loss or deduction of such segregated portfolio, and its distributions from the segregated portfolio would be disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes. To the extent that a segregated portfolio were disregarded, the disposition by such segregated portfolio of Artwork with a holding period of more than one year would be treated as long-term capital gains to U.S. Holders, taxable to non-corporate U.S. Holders at the higher long-term capital gain rates applicable to collectibles.
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Taxation of Non-U.S. Holders of Class A shares of a series
Below is a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to Non-U.S. Holders of the Class A shares of a series and does not purport to address all of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be applicable to any particular Non-U.S. Holder. This discussion does not address the tax consequences of purchasing, holding or disposing of the Class A shares of a series to Non-U.S. Holders subject to special rules under U.S. federal income tax laws, such as non-U.S. governments and their controlled entities, non-U.S. pension plans, trusts, former U.S. citizens or residents and individual Non-U.S. Holders that have a “tax home” in the United States. The discussion assumes that a Non-U.S. Holder is not and will not be engaged in a trade or business within the United States, has and will have no U.S. source income apart from its investment in the Class A shares of a series, and, in the case of a Non-U.S. Holder that is an individual, has not been (and will not be) present in the United States for 183 days or more in any taxable year.
Interest, Dividends, Etc. A Non-U.S. Holder is subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or at a lower rate if provided by an applicable tax treaty and the Non-U.S. Holder provides the documentation (generally, IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E) required to claim benefits under such tax treaty to the applicable withholding agent) on its distributive share of any U.S. source interest (subject to certain exemptions), U.S. source dividends (including, in certain cases, dividend equivalent amounts) and certain other income received by us. We expect that distributions from a segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman will not be treated as U.S. source dividends for withholding purposes.
Effectively Connected Income. In general, a non-U.S. person that invests in an entity taxable as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes that is (directly or through entities treated as disregarded from their owners or as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes) “engaged in trade or business within the United States” is itself considered to be engaged in trade or business within the United States and is subject to U.S. federal income tax (including, possibly, in the case of a non-U.S. corporation, the “branch profits” tax), withholding and income tax return filing requirements with respect to its income effectively connected (or treated as effectively connected) with the U.S. trade or business (“ECI”). A non-U.S. person that fails to file a timely U.S. federal income tax return in respect of its ECI may subsequently be precluded from claiming deductions related to the ECI and may be subject to interest and penalties. We believe that our activities as currently contemplated generally will not involve being engaged in a trade or business within the United States, and as a result we expect that neither Masterworks Cayman nor any Non-U.S. Holder will be treated as deriving ECI as a result of our activities.
U.S. Federal Estate Taxes for Non-U.S. Persons. Individual Non-U.S. Holders will be subject to U.S. federal estate tax on the value of U.S.-situs property owned at the time of their death. The Class A shares of a series that are owned or treated as owned by an individual Non-U.S. Holder at the time of such Non-U.S. Holder’s death may be considered U.S.-situs property for U.S. federal estate tax purposes and may be subject to U.S. federal estate tax unless an applicable estate tax treaty provides otherwise. Prospective individual holders who are non-U.S. persons are urged to consult their tax advisors concerning the potential U.S. federal estate tax consequences with regard to the Class A shares of a series.
Administrative Matters
Tax Elections. The Board of Managers will have the authority to act on our behalf with respect to tax audits and certain other tax matters and to make such elections under the Code and other relevant tax laws as the Board of Managers deems necessary or appropriate. Accordingly, our Board of Managers can change our tax election to have the Company and each series taxed as a corporation in its sole and absolute discretion.
Nominee Reporting. Persons who hold the Class A shares of a series as nominees for another person are required to furnish to us (i) the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the beneficial owner and the nominee; (ii) whether the beneficial owner is (1) a person that is not a U.S. person, (2) a foreign government, an international organization or any wholly owned agency or instrumentality of either of the foregoing, or (3) a tax exempt entity; (iii) the amount and description of Class A shares of a series held, acquired or transferred for the beneficial owner; and (iv) specific information including the dates of acquisitions and transfers, means of acquisitions and transfers, and acquisition costs for purchases, as well as the amount of net proceeds from sales. Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including whether they are U.S. persons and specific information on Class A shares of a series they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account. A penalty is imposed by the Code for failure to report that information to us. The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of the Class A shares of a series with the information furnished to us.
Taxable Year. We currently intend to use the calendar year as our taxable year for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under certain circumstances which we currently believe are unlikely to apply, a taxable year other than the calendar year may be required for such purposes.
Partnership Audit Rules. We or the Holders may have potential tax liability in the event of an adjustment imposed as a result of a tax audit by the IRS. An audit resulting in an adjustment to any item of our income, gain, loss, deduction or credit (or adjustment of the allocation of any such items among the Holders), and any tax (including interest and penalties) attributable to such adjustment, may be determined and collected at the Company level in the year of such adjustment. In the event of any adjustment at the Company level, under the operating agreement, the Board of Managers will allocate such tax among the Holders as equitably determined by the Board of Managers, and each Holder may be required to contribute to the Company the amount of such tax allocated to it. As a result, a Holder may bear liability for the adjustment in an amount that exceeds the taxes that the Holder (or its predecessor in interest) would have paid if the adjustment had been applied at the Holder level. Alternatively, the Board of Managers may elect to send an adjusted Schedule K-1 to each person who was a Holder in the taxable year reviewed on audit (the “Push-Out Election”). In that event, each such person (whether a current or former Holder) may elect to pay any resulting tax (including interest and penalties) or, in the case of a person that is itself treated as a partnership or other flow-through vehicle for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such person may further push out the adjustment to the next tier of partners. Non-U.S. Holders may be required to file U.S. tax returns as a result of a Push-Out Election. There is some uncertainty regarding the interpretation and implementation of these partnership audit procedures.
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Treatment of Withholding Taxes. We will withhold and pay over any U.S. withholding taxes required to be withheld with respect to any Holder and will treat such withholding as a payment to such Holder. Such payment will be treated as a distribution to the extent that the Holder is then entitled to receive a cash distribution. To the extent that such payment exceeds the amount of any cash distribution to which such Holder is then entitled, such Holder shall be required to make prompt payment to us. Similar provisions would apply in the case of taxes withheld from a distribution to us.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding. If we are required to withhold any U.S. tax on distributions made to any Holder of Class A shares of a series, we will pay such withheld amount to the IRS. Amounts withheld generally will be reported annually to the IRS and to the Holders by the applicable withholding agent. Distributions made to a U.S. Holder may be subject to backup withholding, unless such U.S. Holder provides the appropriate documentation certifying that, among other things, its taxpayer identification number (“TIN”) is correct, or otherwise establishes an exemption. Such U.S. Holder should use an IRS Form W-9 for this purpose. If such U.S. Holder does not provide its correct TIN and other required information or an adequate basis for exemption, payments made to such U.S. Holder will be subject to backup withholding (currently, at a rate of 24%) and such U.S. Holder may be subject to a penalty imposed by the IRS. Exempt U.S. Holders (including, among others, all corporations) are not subject to these information reporting and backup withholding requirements, provided that, if required, they properly demonstrate their eligibility for exemption. In order for a Non-U.S. Holder to avoid backup withholding, such Non-U.S. Holder should submit the appropriate version of IRS Form W-8, attesting to such Non-U.S. Holder’s foreign status. The failure of such a Non-U.S. Holder to provide the appropriate IRS Form W-8 may result in backup withholding on some or all of the payments made to such Non-U.S. Holder. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules generally will be allowed as a refund or a credit against a Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability if the required information is furnished by such Holder on a timely basis to the IRS.
If you do not timely provide us with IRS Form W-8 or IRS Form W-9, as applicable, or such form is not properly completed, we may become subject to U.S. backup withholding taxes in excess of what would have been imposed had we received certifications from all Holders. Such excess U.S. backup withholding taxes may be treated by us as an expense that will be borne by all Holders on a pro rata basis (where we are or may be unable to cost efficiently allocate any such excess withholding tax cost specifically to the Holders that failed to timely provide the proper U.S. tax certifications).
The proper application to us of rules for withholding under Section 1441 of the Code (applicable to certain dividends, interest and similar items) is unclear. Because the documentation we receive may not properly reflect the identities of Holders at any particular time (in light of possible sales of Class A shares of a series), we may over-withhold or under-withhold with respect to a particular Holder. For example, we may impose withholding, remit that amount to the IRS and thus reduce the amount of a distribution paid to a Non-U.S. Holder. It may be determined, however, that the corresponding amount of our income was not properly allocable to such Non-U.S. Holder, and the withholding should have been less than the actual withholding. Such Non-U.S. Holder would be entitled to a credit against such Non-U.S. Holder’s U.S. tax liability for all withholding, including any such excess withholding, but if the withholding exceeded the Non-U.S. Holder’s U.S. tax liability, the Non-U.S. Holder would be required to apply for a refund to obtain the benefit of the excess withholding. Similarly, we may fail to withhold on a distribution, and it may be determined that the corresponding income was properly allocable to a Non-U.S. Holder and withholding should have been imposed. In that event, we may determine to pay the under-withheld amount to the IRS, and we may treat such under-withholding as an expense that will be borne by all partners on a pro rata basis (since we may be unable to allocate any such excess withholding tax cost to the relevant Non-U.S. Holder).
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Reportable Transactions
If the U.S. federal tax rules relating to “reportable transactions” are applicable to us (or any of the transactions undertaken by us), Holders that are required to file U.S. federal income tax returns (and, in some cases, certain direct and indirect interest holders of certain Holders) would be required to disclose to the IRS information relating to the Company and our transactions, and to retain certain documents and other records related thereto. Although we do not believe that the purchase of the Class A shares of a series is a reportable transaction, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not take a contrary position. In addition, an interest in the Company could become a reportable transaction for Holders in the future, for example if we generate certain types of losses that exceed prescribed thresholds or if certain other events occur. It is also possible that a transaction undertaken by us will be a reportable transaction for Holders. Substantial penalties may be imposed on taxpayers who fail to comply with these laws.
In addition, other tax laws impose substantial excise taxes and additional reporting requirements and penalties on certain tax-exempt investors (and, in some cases, the managers of tax-exempt investors) that are, directly or in some cases indirectly, parties to certain types of reportable transactions.
Certain Reporting Requirements
Certain U.S. Holders of the Class A shares of a series who either (i) invest (together with any person treated as related under certain U.S. tax rules) more than $100,000 in the Company during a 12-month period or (ii) hold, directly, indirectly or through certain attribution rules under the Code, at least 10% of the total voting power or total value of the Company or of any series, may be required to file Form 926, Return by a U.S. Transferor of Property to a Foreign Corporation, reporting certain transfers of cash or other property to foreign corporations. U.S. Holders that fail to comply with these reporting requirements may be subject to substantial penalties.
FATCA
Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act provisions of the Code and related U.S. Treasury guidance (“FATCA”), a withholding tax of 30% will be imposed in certain circumstances on (i) payments of certain U.S. source income (including interest and dividends) and gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition after December 31, 2018, of property that can produce U.S. source interest or dividends (“withholdable payments”) and (ii) payments made after December 31, 2018 (or, if later, the date on which the final U.S. Treasury regulations that define “foreign passthru payments” are published) by certain foreign financial institutions (such as banks, brokers, investment funds or certain holding companies) (“FFIs”) that are “attributable” to withholdable payments (“foreign passthru payments”). It is uncertain at present when payments will be treated as “attributable” to withholdable payments.
FATCA may also apply to certain non-U.S. entities held by or affiliated with us, including Masterworks Cayman.
Although the application of FATCA to a sale or other disposition of an interest in an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes is unclear, it is possible that the gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of an interest in the Company may be subject to tax under FATCA.
Each Holder should consult its own tax advisor regarding the application of FATCA to an investment in the Company.
Certain State, Local and Non-U.S. Tax Considerations
The foregoing discussion does not address the U.S. state and local or non-U.S. tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Class A shares of a series. Holders may be subject to certain U.S. state and local and non-U.S. taxation, and tax return filing requirements, in the jurisdictions of our activities or investments. Holders may not receive the relevant tax information prior to when their tax return reporting obligations become due and may need to file for extensions. Prospective Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding U.S. state and local and non-U.S. tax matters.
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ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS
State Securities – Blue Sky Laws
There is currently no public trading market for the Class A shares of any series, and an active market for these Class A shares may not develop or be sustained. Transfer of the Class A shares of any series may also be restricted under the securities or securities regulations laws promulgated by various states and foreign jurisdictions, commonly referred to as “Blue Sky” laws. Absent compliance with such individual state laws, the Class A shares of a series may not be traded in such jurisdictions. Secondary trades of Class A shares matched on the Templum ATS are intended to comply with Blue Sky laws either through a manual exemption in states where available, through a direct filing with the state securities regulators where required, or as isolated non-issuer transactions.
Restrictions Imposed by the USA PATRIOT Act and Related Acts
In accordance with the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, or the USA PATRIOT Act, the securities offered hereby may not be offered, sold, transferred or delivered, directly or indirectly, to any “unacceptable investor,” which means anyone who is:
● | A “designated national,” “specially designated national,” “specially designated terrorist,” “specially designated global terrorist,” “foreign terrorist organization,” or “blocked person” within the definitions set forth in the Foreign Assets Control Regulations of the United States, or U.S., Treasury Department; | |
● | Acting on behalf of, or an entity owned or controlled by, any government against whom the U.S. maintains economic sanctions or embargoes under the Regulations of the U.S. Treasury Department; | |
● | Within the scope of Executive Order 13224 — Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism, effective September 24, 2001; | |
● | A person or entity subject to additional restrictions imposed by any of the following statutes or regulations and executive orders issued thereunder: the Trading with the Enemy Act, the National Emergencies Act, the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the United Nations Participation Act, the International Security and Development Cooperation Act, the Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act of 1994, the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996, the Cuban Democracy Act, the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act and the Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs Appropriations Act or any other law of similar import as to any non-U.S. country, as each such act or law has been or may be amended, adjusted, modified or reviewed from time to time; or | |
● | Designated or blocked, associated or involved in terrorism, or subject to restrictions under laws, regulations, or executive orders as may apply in the future similar to those set forth above. |
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The validity of the securities offered by this offering circular will be passed upon for us by Joshua B. Goldstein, General Counsel of Masterworks, LLC, 225 Liberty Street, 29th Floor, New York, New York 10281.
Our combined consolidated financial statements for the period May 24, 2023 through June 2, 2023 included in this offering circular have been audited by AGD Legal, S. C., an independent public accounting firm, as indicated in their report with respect thereto, and have been so included in reliance upon the report of such firm given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
The fair market value appraisal report included in this offering circular has been prepared by a USPAP-compliant appraiser of Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC, and approved by the valuations committee of Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC, as indicated in the report with respect thereto, and has been so included in reliance upon such persons expertise in artwork appraisals.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed an offering statement on Form 1-A with the SEC under Regulation A of the Securities Act with respect to the Class A shares of each series offered by this offering circular. This offering circular, which constitutes a part of the offering statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the offering statement or the exhibits and schedules filed therewith. Statements contained in this offering circular regarding the contents of any contract or any other document that is filed as an exhibit to the offering statement are not necessarily complete, and each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the full text of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the offering statement. The offering statement, including its exhibits and schedules, may be inspected without charge at the public reference room maintained by the SEC, located at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549, and copies of all or any part of the offering statement may be obtained from such offices upon the payment of the fees prescribed by the SEC. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the public reference room. The SEC also maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The address of the site is www.sec.gov.
The Administrator will answer inquiries from potential investors in series offerings concerning any of the series, the Company, the Administrator and other matters relating to the offer and sale of the Class A shares under this Offering Circular. The Company will afford the potential investors in the Class A shares the opportunity to obtain any additional information to the extent the Company possesses such information or can acquire such information without unreasonable effort or expense that is necessary to verify the information in this Offering Circular.
Any statement contained herein or in any document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of the Offering Circular to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or replaces such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed to constitute a part of the Offering Circular, except as so modified or superseded.
Masterwork also maintains a website at the website address of Masterworks located at www.masterworks.com. You may access these materials at our website free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Information contained on the Masterworks website is not a part of this offering circular and the inclusion of our website address in this offering circular is an inactive textual reference only.
After the completion of this Tier II, Regulation A offering, we intend to become subject to the information and periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. If we become subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, we will file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Such periodic reports, proxy statements and other information will be available for inspection and copying at the public reference room and on the SEC’s website referred to above. Until we become or never become subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, we will furnish the following reports, statements, and tax information to each holder of Class A shares of a series:
1. | Reporting Requirements under Tier II of Regulation A. Following this Tier II, Regulation A offering, we will be required to comply with certain ongoing disclosure requirements under Rule 257 of Regulation A. We will be required to file: an annual report with the SEC on Form 1-K; a semi-annual report with the SEC on Form 1-SA; current reports with the SEC on Form 1-U; and a notice under cover of Form 1-Z. The necessity to file current reports will be triggered by certain corporate events, similar to the ongoing reporting obligation faced by issuers under the Exchange Act, however the requirement to file a Form 1-U is expected to be triggered by significantly fewer corporate events than that of the Form 8-K. Such reports and other information will be available for inspection and copying at the public reference room and on the SEC’s website referred to above. Parts I & II of Form 1-Z will be filed by us if and when we decide to and are no longer obligated to file and provide annual reports pursuant to the requirements of Regulation A. | |
2. | Annual Reports. As soon as practicable, but in no event later than one hundred twenty (120) days after the close of our fiscal year, ending on the last Sunday of a calendar year, the Administrator will cause to be mailed or made available, by any reasonable means, to each holder of Class A shares of a series as of a date selected by the Administrator, an annual report containing our financial statements for such fiscal year, presented in accordance with GAAP, including a balance sheet and statements of operations, company equity and cash flows, with such statements having been audited by an accountant selected by the Company. The Company shall be deemed to have made a report available to each holder of Class A shares of a series as required if it has either (i) filed such report with the SEC via its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval, or EDGAR, system and such report is publicly available on such system or (ii) made such report available on any website maintained by us and our affiliate and available for viewing by holder of Class A shares of a series. | |
3. | Tax Information. As soon as practicable following the end of our fiscal year, which is currently January 1st through December 31st, we will send to each holder of Class A shares of a series such tax information as shall be reasonably required for federal and state income tax reporting purposes. |
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MASTERWORKS VAULT 2, LLC
Offering of Series Class A Ordinary Shares
Representing Series Class A Limited Liability Company Interests
OFFERING CIRCULAR
Index to Exhibits
* Previously filed
** Filed herewith
# Certain confidential portions (indicated by brackets and asterisks) of this exhibit have been omitted from this exhibit
II-1 |
Pursuant to the requirements of Regulation A, the registrant has duly caused this Post-Qualification Amendment No. 3 to Form 1-A to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on August 2, 2023.
MASTERWORKS VAULT 2, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Joshua B. Goldstein | |
Joshua B. Goldstein | ||
General Counsel and Secretary |
Pursuant to the requirements of Regulation A, this Post-Qualification Amendment No. 3 to Form 1-A has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on August 2, 2023.
Name | Title | |
* | Chief Executive Officer of Masterworks Vault 2, LLC | |
Nigel S. Glenday | (Principal Executive Officer) | |
* | Chief Financial Officer and Member of the Board of Managers of Masterworks Vault 2, LLC | |
Nigel S. Glenday | (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | |
/s/ Joshua B. Goldstein | General Counsel, | |
Joshua B. Goldstein | Secretary and Member of the Board of Managers of Masterworks Vault 2, LLC | |
* | Member of Board of Managers; | |
Eli D. Broverman | Independent Manager of Masterworks Vault 2, LLC |
*By: | /s/ Joshua B. Goldstein | ||
Joshua B. Goldstein | |||
Attorney-in-fact |
II-2 |
Exhibit 6.1
Exhibit 6.27
Exhibit 11.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Offering Statement on Form 1-A of Masterworks Vault 2, LLC of our report dated June 21, 2023, relating to the consolidated financial statements of the Company as a whole and each listed Series. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Offering Statement.
/s/ AGD Legal, S. C.
Cancun,
Quintana Roo
August 2, 2023
Exhibit 11.3
CONSENT OF MASTERWORKS ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, LLC
We hereby consent to the inclusion in this Offering Statement on Form 1-A of Masterworks Vault 2, LLC of the fair market value appraisal report dated July 14, 2023, relating to the artwork beneficially owned by Series 326. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Offering Statement.
/s/ Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC
New York, New York
August 2, 2023
EXHIBIT 12.1
August 2, 2023
Masterworks Vault 2, LLC
225 Liberty Street, 29th Floor,
New York, New York 10281
Re: Masterworks Vault 2, LLC Offering Statement on Form 1-A
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I have acted as counsel to Masterworks Vault 2, LLC, a Delaware series limited liability company (the “Company”) in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission of a offering statement on Form 1-A (the “Offering Statement”) under Regulation A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Offering Statement includes offerings of various series of membership interests (each a “Series”), a series designation (each, a “Series Designation” and, collectively, the “Series Designations”) for each of which will be in the form filed with the Offering Statement and attached to the Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of the Company (as amended, the “Company Operating Agreement”), prior to the issuance thereof.
The Offering Statement relates, among other things, to the proposed issuance and sale by the Company (the “Offering”) of the membership interests of a Series in the form of Class A ordinary shares, for a purchase price of $20.00 per share, as designated on Schedule A to this opinion letter (the “Shares”), as further described in the Offering Statement.
This opinion letter is being delivered in accordance with the requirements of Item 17(12) of Form 1-A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
In connection with rendering this opinion, I have examined the originals, or certified, conformed or reproduction copies, of all such records, agreements, instruments and documents as I have deemed relevant or necessary as the basis for the opinion hereinafter expressed. In all such examinations, I have assumed the genuineness of all signatures on original or certified copies and the conformity to original or certified copies of all copies submitted to me as conformed or reproduction copies.
I have reviewed: (a) the certificate of formation of the Company; (b) the operating agreement of the Company; (c) the form of series designation; (d) the offering circular; (e) the form of subscription agreement; and (f) such other corporate documents, records, papers and certificates as I have deemed necessary for the purposes of the opinions expressed herein.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing and to the other qualifications and limitations set forth herein, I am of the opinion that the Shares, when issued and delivered in the manner and/or the terms described in the Offering Statement as filed (after it is declared qualified), will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
I express no opinion with regard to the applicability or effect of the law of any jurisdiction other than, as in effect on the date of this letter, (a) the internal laws of the State of Delaware and (b) the federal laws of the United States. I express no opinion as to laws of any other jurisdiction. I assume no obligation to revise or supplement this opinion should the laws be changed after the effective date of the Offering Statement by legislative action, judicial decision or otherwise.
I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Offering Statement and to the reference to my name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Offering Statement. In giving this consent, I do not hereby admit that I am in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act.
Sincerely yours,
/s/ Joshua B. Goldstein | ||
Name: | Joshua B. Goldstein | |
Title: | General Counsel |
SCHEDULE A
Series of Masterworks Vault 2, LLC
Series | Maximum Class A Shares | |
Series 326 | 388,500 |
Exhibit 99.2
CERTAIN CONFIDENTIAL PORTIONS OF THIS EXHIBIT HAVE BEEN OMITTED AND REPLACED WITH “[***]”. SUCH IDENTIFIED INFORMATION HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THIS EXHIBIT BECAUSE IT IS (I) NOT MATERIAL AND (II)WOULD BE COMPETITIVELY HARMFUL IF PUBLICLY DISCLOSED.
Fair Market Value Appraisal
Client
Series 326, a series of Masterworks Vault 2, LLC
Intended User
Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC on behalf of the above-named Client.
Intended Use
To determine fair market value as outlined in the Scope of Work.
Effective Date of Appraisal Report
July 14, 2023
Issuance Date of Appraisal
July 27, 2023
Table of Contents
Certification of Masterworks Appraiser | 2 |
About Masterworks | 3 |
Scope of Work | 3 |
Definition of Value | 4 |
Method of Research | 4 |
Method of Examination | 4 |
Assignment Conditions | 4 |
Approach to Value | 5 |
Opinion of Value | 5 |
Global Art Market Overview | 5 |
Subject Artwork | 8 |
Fair Market Value | 8 |
Artist Background | 9 |
Valuation Narrative | 9 |
Comparable Sales | 10 |
Sources of Data | 12 |
Appraisal Terminology and Definitions | 13 |
Statements and Disclosures | 18 |
Appendix | 19 |
Fair Market Value Appraisal for Use by Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC Effective Appraisal Report Date: July 14, 2023 | Page 1 |
Certification of Masterworks Appraiser
I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief:
● | The statements of fact contained in this Appraisal Report are true and correct. | |
● | The reported analyses, opinions, and conclusions are limited only by the reported assumptions and limiting conditions, and are my personal, impartial, and unbiased professional analyses, opinions and conclusions. | |
● | I have no present of prospective interest in the property that is the subject of this report and no personal interest with respect to the parties involved. | |
● | In my role at Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC, I provide on-going valuation and consultation regarding the Masterworks Portfolio; in this context, I performed an initial review of the Artwork prior to its acquisition by Masterworks. | |
● | I am an employee of Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC, which serves as the administrator to the owner of the Artwork. Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC receives revenue for the administration of the Artwork and, its affiliate, Masterworks Gallery, LLC holds a financial interest in the corporate entity that owns the Artwork. However, I personally have no bias with respect to the property that is the subject of this report or to the parties involved with this assignment. | |
● | My engagement in this assignment was not contingent upon developing or reporting predetermined results. | |
● | My compensation for completing this assignment is not contingent upon the development or reporting of a predetermined value or direction in value that favors the cause of Masterworks, the amount of the value opinion, the attainment of a stipulated result, or the occurrence of a subsequent event directly related to the intended use of this appraisal. | |
● | My analyses, opinions, and conclusions were developed, and this report has been prepared, in conformity with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. | |
● | I have not made a personal inspection of the property that is the subject of this report, but relied instead on photographs and documentation (including a condition report) provided by the seller. | |
● | No one provided significant personal property appraisal assistance to the person signing this certification, aside from Jessica Maliszewski, who assisted with research and appraisal development. Other valuation assistance was provided by Masterworks’ Valuations Committee, which is composed of myself, Masha Golovina (the EVP of Acquisitions), and Francisco Meyo (Controller, Investment Entities). |
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Abigail Athanasopoulos | |
Director
of Appraisals Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC |
Fair Market Value Appraisal for Use by Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC Effective Appraisal Report Date: July 14, 2023 | Page 2 |
About Masterworks
Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC acts as manager for individual Delaware LLCs that own, through a segregated portfolio of Masterworks Cayman SPC, a single artwork as its sole investment which have been offered and sold as securities pursuant to an exemption from registration under Rule 251(a)(2) of Regulation A under the Securities Act of 1933. For the purposes of this Appraisal Report only, and unless otherwise indicated in a specific instance, this organizational structure shall be referred to as “Masterworks.”
Scope of Work
The following appraisal report (“Appraisal Report”) was prepared by Masterworks for use in determining the Fair Market Value of the subject artwork (the “Artwork”). Masterworks internally prepares quarterly appraisals of the artworks managed by Masterworks (the “Masterworks Portfolio”), which serve as inputs for the quarterly assessment of the Estimated Net Asset Values (“NAV”) of each investment vehicle.
This appraisal was prepared in accordance with the 2020-2021 Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (“USPAP”) developed by the Appraisal Standards Board of the Appraisal Foundation, by a USPAP-complaint appraiser from the Masterworks Appraisals team and approved by a committee of three individuals, including Abigail Athanasopoulos, ASA, Director of Valuations, Masha Golovina, EVP of Acquisitions, and Francisco Meyo, Controller, Investment Entities (the “Valuations Committee”) although it is noted that there are potential conflicts of interest given that all members of the Valuations Committee are employees of Masterworks, and Masterworks retains an ownership and other pecuniary interests in the Artwork. This valuation is valid as of the Effective Date, and does not take into account any sales of comparable works or market movement that occur after the Effective Date.
Masterworks Vault 2, LLC, on behalf of its Series 326, has agreed to acquire the Artwork, and this Appraisal Report is intended for use by Series 326 and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as “Series 326”). The Appraisal Report has been prepared on behalf of Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC in its capacity as administrator to Series 326.
Fair Market Value Appraisal for Use by Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC Effective Appraisal Report Date: July 14, 2023 | Page 3 |
Definition of Value
The definition of fair market value is set forth in IRS Section 1.170 and 20.2031-1 which states that: “The Fair Market Value is the price at which the property would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither being under any compulsion to buy or to sell and both having reasonable knowledge of relevant facts.” (According to Technical Advisory Memorandum [TAM] 9235005 [May 27, 1992], fair market value should include the buyer’s premium) 20.2031 (b) continues “the fair market value of an item of property includible in the decedent’s gross estate is not to be determined by a forced sale price. Nor is the fair market value of an item of property to be determined by the sale price of that item in a market other than that in which such item is commonly sold to the public, taking into account the location of the item wherever appropriate.”
Method of Research
In preparing this Appraisal Report, research was conducted in the Masterworks offices. The offices are equipped with an extensive library relevant to the artworks held in the Masterworks’ collection. Research involved but was not limited to: i) detailed research of comparable transactions occurring at public auction via third-party, on-line artwork-focused databases including Artprice and Artnet; ii) review of an internal database of similar works and works by the same artists that have been previously offered to Masterworks for purchase; iii) review of historical market trends within the specific artist market, the market for similar (or comparable) artwork based on internally-compiled market indices, and the broader art market; iv) review of past condition reports, photos, previous appraisals, sales transactions, auction catalogues and other documentation related to the Artwork; iv) review of general art market intelligence and observations acquired by the Appraisal team through the attendance of auction previews, art fairs exhibiting comparable works, gallery and museum exhibitions and v) art historical research pertaining to the artist and the subject artwork using Masterworks’ Reference Library and resources available at the New York Public Library, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Watson Library and the Frick’s Art Reference Library among others. Sources for art market data include third-party online transaction databases, physical auction catalogues, sales (or offers) made to Masterworks by dealers and other general market observations and intelligence.
Method of Examination
The Artwork was last physically inspected by Masha Golovina and Aidan Meier for Masterworks on June 28, 2023, with the most recent condition report issued on November 1, 2022; it is assumed that the artwork has had no visible apparent change in its condition since that time.
Assignment Conditions
During the preparation of this Appraisal Report, the Masterworks Appraiser(s) relied on photographs and descriptions of the Artwork retained in Masterworks’s collection files to confirm the work’s physical characteristics. Relevant information regarding comparable sales is included in this report or, in the case of confidential private sale data, maintained in the Appraisal work file at the offices of Masterworks. The Masterworks Appraiser(s) may not have personally examined the comparable works referenced in the Appraisal Report, and thus relied on the information available through online databases, auction catalogues, private dealers and/or galleries. Not all comparables have current condition reports for review.
● | Extraordinary Assumptions: An extraordinary assumption is defined by USPAP as “an assumption, directly related to a specific assignment, as of the effective date of the assignment results, which, if found to be false, could alter the appraiser’s opinions or conclusions.” The appraised value assumes the clear title, good condition, and authenticity. While members of the Valuations Committee may have viewed the work prior to acquisition by Masterworks, the Valuations Committee did not inspect the property in person during the preparation of this report, and thus relied solely on images and descriptions retained in Masterworks’ files and assumed this information to be accurate. The Valuations Committee may not have been able to examine the comparable works used for this assignment and thus relied on information available through online databases, auction catalogues, private dealers and or galleries. When no condition report was available for comparable works, the object is assumed to be in good condition. | |
● | Hypothetical Conditions: A hypothetical condition is defined by USPAP as “a condition, directly related to a specific assignment, which is contrary to what is known by the appraiser to exist on the effective date of the assignment results but is used for the purpose of analysis.” No hypothetical conditions have been applied to this Appraisal Report. |
Fair Market Value Appraisal for Use by Masterworks Administrative Services, LLC Effective Appraisal Report Date: July 14, 2023 | Page 4 |
● | Limiting Conditions: The following Limiting Conditions exist in this assignment. Such conditions may limit the appraisers’ expertise in specific areas as well as the perceived responsibilities of the assignment. Some are also considered to be Extraordinary Assumptions and were taken by the appraiser as facts. If these Limitations and Extraordinary Assumptions are found to be untrue, the appraiser’s opinions, including the opinions of value may be affected. |
○ | The Appraisal Report is limited in that the appraiser is not an authenticator. This is also considered an Extraordinary Assumption as they assume the works are authentic. | ||
○ | This Appraisal Report is limited in that the appraiser is not a conservator. As such, they did not prepare a professional condition report for the subject work. This is also considered an Extraordinary Assumption as they assume the work is in good condition. |
Approach to Value
The Artwork was evaluated based on the “Sales Comparison Approach.” This method of valuation involves analysis of recent sales involving similar objects, also referred to as comparable sales, which have sold within the market that is most common for each object. In the context of the Artwork, comparable sales generally include sales of other artwork (or the Artwork itself) created by the same artist, with similar dimensions, creation period range and subject matter as the Artwork. Comparable sales may have taken place at public auction or in private sale, if such private sales information is verifiable. The Appraiser(s) may adjust the valuation of the Artwork, otherwise derived from past comparable sales, based on a historical price appreciation benchmark for similar works by the artist or the artist’s market overall.
The “Income Approach” and the “Cost Approach” were also considered for this appraisal. While the subject work is an income producing asset, such income is not part of the scope of the assignment and thus the “Income Approach” was not applied. The “Cost Approach” was also considered and since its application was not relevant to the assignment’s scope of work, it was not applied.
Opinion of Value
The values expressed herein are based on the best judgment and opinion(s) of the Masterworks Appraiser(s). These values are not a representation or warranty that the items will realize those values if offered for sale in an appropriate market. The values expressed are based on current information on the date the Appraisal Report was made. No opinion is expressed as to any past value, nor, unless otherwise expressly stated, as to any future value.
Global Art Market Overview
In the wake of the global economic collapse in the fall of 2008, the art market began a slow and steady march towards recovery. However, whereas the previous height of the market, 2007 through spring 2008, saw broad types and quantities of artwork able to find buyers, the post-2008 climate brought more rarified collector interest in primarily top-level examples.
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Following the 40% decline in sales turnover from 2007 to 2009, as supply contracted in the fallout from the global financial crisis, a strong recovery in the US and emerging Chinese markets restored global growth, with total art sales reaching $65 billion in 2011. In the two years that followed, the strong performance of the US market boosted total sales volume to $68.2 billion in 2014, an historic peak that demonstrated the market had doubled in size since 2004.1
From 2015-2016, the global art market declined as geopolitical uncertainty, increasing volatility in the global financial markets, slower economic growth, and slumping hedge funds contributed to a more cautious and careful market. As a result, there was a 7% decline in global sales in 2015 and an even larger 11% decline in 2016, thereby negating the gains of 2013 and 2014.2
In 2017, the market appeared to bounce back with $63.7 billion in total sales — a 12% increase from 2016, where total sales topped at $56.9 billion, but still fell short of the 2014 peak. This uptick was largely due to the explosion of global wealth. According to Art Basel’s 2018 Art Market Report (prepared annually by Dr. Clare McAndrew), the combined wealth of High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI) hit $63.5 trillion in 2017, the highest point in world history and up nearly 50% from 2010.3 The auction sector in particular saw the biggest market boost in 2017, compared to previous years, as total sales rose 27%, a growth due largely to a handful of works at the very high-end selling for multi-million dollar prices. The Post-War and Contemporary (PWC) category has been the largest of the auction sectors since 2011 and in 2017, held a 46% share of the auction market by sales value.4
In 2018, total auction sales reached $67.4 billion, up 6% from the previous year. This second year of positive growth brought the market to its second highest level since 2008 and advanced values by 9% over the previous decade, from 2008 to 2018. Despite the increase in overall sales, McAndrew suggested in her 2019 report that the overall mood of the market in 2018 was generally less optimistic, as many wider economic and political issues continued to weigh heavily on the sentiment of investors and global consumers.5 This apprehension drove some risk-averse buyers and sellers toward private sales in the dealer market, which saw growth of 7% in 2018. However, the auction market also advanced 3%, primarily at the top-end.6
The 2020 Art Basel and UBS annual Global Art Market Report indicated an overall market plateau in 2019, due in part to continued geopolitical conflict, trade disputes and political upheavals, all contributing to a generally more cautious market. Additionally, the increasing power of influential galleries, such as Gagosian, Pace, David Zwirner and others, to broker private deals continued to offer a viable alternative to public auction for secondary market sales.
2020 proved to be a truly unprecedented year, when the COVID-19 health crisis began in the first quarter, prompting global shutdowns and social distancing efforts, which began in late March 2020. According to the 2021 Art Basel and UBS annual report, global art sales reached $50.1 billion in 2020, a 22% decrease from 2019, but still above the 2009 recession low.7 The US market retained its position as the leader and driver of sales, with a 42% share, followed by Greater China and the United Kingdom, each with approximately 20%, respectively.
The COVID pandemic forced auction houses, galleries and art fairs to abandon in-person activity, which accelerated digital initiatives. McAndrew notes that online art sales doubled in value from 2019, reaching a record high of $12.4 billion (a 25% share of the market’s total value) in 2020.8 Online sales were primarily spurred by Millennial HNW collectors, with upwards of 30% of those surveyed spending over $1 million on art, making use of online viewing rooms offered by art fairs, galleries and the ability to view and purchase works through social media channels.9
1 Statistics pulled from Art Basel and UBS Art Market Reports 2016-2020.
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid.
5 Ibid.
6 Ibid.
7 Dr. Clare McAndrew, The Art Market 2021, Art Basel and UBS, pp. 30-31.
8 Ibid.
9 Adapted from Art Basel’s highlights of the 2021 Mid-Year Art Market Review, which can be accessed here:
https://www.ubs.com/global/en/our-firm/art/collecting/art-market-survey.html#artmarketreport2021.
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2021 saw the continuation of the pandemic-related challenges, yet according to Dr. McAndrew’s 2022 Art Basel and UBS annual report, the global art market recovered strongly in the last year, with total turnover (including both auction and private market sales) reaching an estimated $65.1 billion, up 29% from 2020, with values surpassing pre-pandemic levels in 2019.10 McAndrew states that all segments in the art market grew in 2021, but the auction sector in particular achieved strong results: public auction sales increased by 47% while private sales brokered by auction houses were up just over one third from the previous year. The private market also ended the year well, with 18% growth year-on-year. The US market retained its dominant market share, with 43% worldwide sales by value (an increase of 33% from 2020). Greater China came in second with 20% (up 35% from the previous year), and the United Kingdom rounded out the top three with 17% market share (an increase of 14% from 2020).11
Dr. McAndrew’s 2023 Art Basel and UBS annual report indicates that the Global Art Market continued to strengthen in 2022, up 3% from the previous year to an estimated $67.8 billion. Unlike in 2021, however, there was greater variance in performance by sector, region, and price resulting in a less pronounced growth rate overall. Compared to the 19% growth in sales during 2021, 2022 saw only a 1% growth (up to $37.8 million from $37.3 million the previous year), which was most acutely observed in the higher end of the market. While public auction sales decreased in 2022 by 1% to $26.8 billion, the segment of the market for paintings trading at $10 million and higher increased in value, and the dealer sector grew by 7%. The US continued to dominate, with its market share by value increasing by 2% to 45%. The United Kingdom moved into second place, accounting for 18% of sales, while Greater China’s share decreased to 17%. The US art market continued to grow in 2022 with an 8% increase from 2021 to $30.2 billion (its highest level to date), due largely to fervent activity at top tier auction sales. E-commerce and online sales continued to decrease compared to 2021, although they remain much higher than pre-Covid levels.12
Post-War & Contemporary Art Auction Market
PWC, together with the Modern art sectors, continues to constitute the largest portion of the global auction market, a claim firmly held since 2011. During 2021, the PWC sector alone accounted for 55% of total global art sales by value, which was stable from 2020, and 56% by volume (up 1% from 2020). Total sales for the sector reached $6.7 billion in 2021, which advanced 42% year-on-year with the total number of lots also increasing by 13%. The United States maintained its position as the largest center worldwide for PWC sales (47%), followed by Greater China (24%) and the United Kingdom (13%). While the bulk of the transactions by volume (91%) in the sector sold at lower price levels ($50,000 and below), works priced in excess of $1 million accounted for the majority of value in 2021 (64%). This proves once again that top examples achieve top prices. The highest-priced lots sold predominately in New York and the major auction houses dominated, with Christie’s and Sotheby’s accounting for nearly three-quarters of total sales values. 2021 was a notable year for the sales of living PWC artists, with multiple price records set at auction. Further, the market for living artists accounted for $3.3 billion in total sales, a 44% increase from 2020 and the highest level in five years.13
In 2022, the PWC and Modern art sectors accounted for over three quarters (76%) of the value of sales in the fine art auction market, although PWC was down slightly from 2021 to 54%, which seems to indicate that the market is slowly self-correcting following the boom associated with the recovering market of 2021 (which surpassed the previous peak in 2014). The market for ‘ultra-contemporary’ artists has been particularly robust this past year, with auction sale records for such artists as Matthew Wong (1984-2019), Avery Singer (b. 1987), and Christina Quarles (b. 1985), although this market sector also decreased from 2021. The US remains the largest market by region in this sector, with shares increasing in 2022 to 48% (up 8%). Marquee sales, such as The Paul Allen sale at Christie’s in New York, which included seven of the top fifty lots in this segment of the market, accounted for the lion’s share of this growth. While 92% of artworks in this sector were priced below $50,000, artworks over $1,000,000 accounted for 59% of total value (remaining substantially above what it was in 2019). The total number of lots sold in this segment decreased by 11% compared to 2021, with total value decreasing by 7%.14
While there is not yet enough data to get a sense of the temperature of the art market in 2023, the year started off slow, but acquired some traction with the PWC sales in February and March at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillip’s. Christie’s 20th/21st Century Evening Sale in London (February 28, 2023) totaled $137 million (exceeding the low estimate of $122 million) with a 91% sell-thru rate and top prices achieved by Cecily Brown (b. 1969) and Liu Ye (b. 1964). Sotheby’s Modern & Contemporary Art Evening Auction on March 1, 2023 brought in approximately $165 million with 83% sold by lot with top prices achieved by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) and Gerhard Richter (b. 1932). Phillips’ 20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in London (March 2, 2023) brought in approximately $24.5 million (low estimate of $18.9 million) with 100% of lots sold, with top sales occurring for ultra contemporary artists, including Cecily Brown, that are hard to source in the primary market. Sotheby’s 50th anniversary evening sales in Hong Kong made a combined $194 million with 87% of lots sold; the Modern sale made $59.2 million (89.5% of lots sold) and the Contemporary sale made $86 million (95.3% of lots sold). Although the general sense was that attendance was low and prices weren’t quite as robust as the auction houses had hoped, this is not uncommon for these “mid-season”sales and overall performance has contributed to a positive outlook overall for the May sales.
10 Dr. Clare McAndrew, The Art Market 2022, Art Basel and UBS, pp. 14.
11 Ibid.
12 Dr. Clare McAndrew, The Art Market 2023, Art Basel and UBS, pp. 17-18.
13 Ibid., pp. 161-165.
14 Dr. Clare McAndrew, The Art Market 2023, Art Basel and UBS, pp. 184-191.
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Subject Artwork
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Clyfford Still
X P X H X - X 6 X 9 X
1946
Oil on canvas
Signed, inscribed, and dated on the lower left; signed, titled, and dated on the reverse
62 x 43 in. (157.5 x 109.2 cm)
Fair Market Value
$9,500,000
Condition
Good
Provenance
The Artist
Diane Still Rocha, San Francisco (acquired by descent from the artist)
Private Collection, United States, 2010
Private Collection
Acquired from the above by Masterworks
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Exhibition History
Denver, Clyfford Still Museum, Drawing/Painting/Process, October 2013 - February 2014 London, Royal Academy of Arts; Bilbao, Guggenheim, Abstract Expressionism, September 2016 - June 2017, illustrated, p. 158, no. 26 Evanston, Block Museum, William Blake and the Age of Aquarius, September 2017 - March 2018, illustrated, pp. 156-157, no. 107
Artist Background
Clyfford Still (b. 1904, Grandin, North Dakota, d. 1980, Baltimore, Maryland) was a key member of the first generation of Abstract Expressionists. Still graduated from Spokane University in 1933 and went on to earn his MFA from Washington State College. Unlike most of his peers who already lived in New York, he developed his Abstract Expressionist painting practice on the West Coast while teaching in Washington State College, Pullman, between 1938 and 1942. Still quickly became recognized for his color field paintings inspired by wild Canadian prairies that feature rough, contrasting shapes of color, thick layers of paint applied with a palette knife, and sometimes exposed sections of raw canvas. In 1943, he held his first solo exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Art. That same year, he briefly taught at the Richmond Professional Institute before moving to New York in 1945. The artist became associated with Peggy Guggenheim’s gallery Art of This Century and Betty Parsons gallery; however, he quickly grew critical of the commercial art world and left both galleries by the early 1950s. While in New York, Still collaborated with Mark Rothko and other artists to develop the school Subjects of the Artist. In 1961, Still moved to Maryland to further distance himself from the art world. The artist’s critical view of the art world led him to limit the lending and exhibiting of his paintings, however, an impressive survey of Still’s work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1979 became the largest exhibition dedicated to a living artist in the museum’s history. Still continued to paint in Maryland until his death in 1980.
Clyfford Still’s disavowal of the art world has led many of his paintings to remain under the ownership of his estate at the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver, Colorado. Nevertheless, he was the subject of a retrospective at Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo in 1959. He has also been the subject of solo exhibitions at the Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia (1963) and Marlborough-Gerson Gallery in New York (1969–70). He was awarded the Award of Merit for Painting from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2972 and the Skowhegan Medal for Painting in 1975. With approximately 94% of the artist’s oeuvre still in the collection of the Clyfford Still Museum, his signature abstract expressionist paintings are both rare and desirable. His auction records are led by 1949-A-No. 1 (1949), which sold for $61,682,500 at Sotheby’s New York on November 9, 2011, 1947-Y-No. 2 (1947), which sold for $31,442,500 at Sotheby’s New York on November 9, 2011, and PH-125 (1948-No.1) (1948), which sold for $30,712,500 at Sotheby’s New York on May 12, 2021.
Valuation Narrative
The Painting is characteristic of Clyfford Still’s Abstract Expressionist paintings, which feature jagged, contrasting shapes of color thickly applied with a palette knife. Still drew inspiration from the wild Canadian prairie, integrating irregular, organic compositions and earth tones. Dating from an early period of the artist’s oeuvre, the Painting is a large-scale vertical abstraction with irregular, jagged edged applications of colored paint, including areas of brown, yellow, red, and pink pigments, running vertically on a textured black background. Paintings from this period have historically performed exceedingly well at auction and currently account for the artist’s top seven auction results.
In recent years, there have been three similar paintings sold at auction. On April 21, 2021, a larger and later painting with a relatively sparse composition, “PH-568” (1965), 112.25 x 89.25 inches, sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong for the HKD equivalent of $16,245,240. Another much larger painting from the 1960s, “PH-407” (1964), 114 x 75 inches, sold at Phillips New York on December 7, 2020 for $18,442,500. Finally, on July 9, 2020, a smaller painting “PH-306” (1946/47), which is from the same period as the Painting and related in terms of format and composition, sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong for the HKD equivalent of $8,276,049.
Most recently, the Painting was offered at public auction with an in-house guarantee at Christie’s New York on November 17, 2022 with a presale estimate of $12,000,000-$18,000,000; it was withdrawn prior to the sale. Withdrawals can occur for a variety of reasons, including insufficient buyer interest in excess of the reserve price at the time of the sale. Masterworks subsequently acquired the Painting from [***] in a private transaction. Masterworks believes the acquisition price of the Painting is not a reliable indicator of Fair Market Value considering that the definition of Fair Market Value/Fair Value requires a lack of compulsion to buy or sell, that the sale occur within the relevant market (IRS Section 1.170 and 20.2031-1), and that it meets the requirements of an “orderly transaction.”15
The current Fair Market Value was thus determined in relation to the aforementioned auction sales, particularly “PH-306” (1946/47), with differences in size, period, complexity and execution taken into consideration.
15 Inadequate market exposure in line with what is usual and customary for the asset type, marketing to a single market participant, and when value is an outlier compared to other recent market transactions may all indicate that it was not an orderly sale (ASC 820-10-35-54I)
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Comparable Sales
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Title: X P X H X - X 6 X 9 X Year Made: 1946 Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 62 x 43 inches Date
of Sale: November 17, 2022 Sale Location: Christie’s, New York Lot: 38 Estimate: $12,000,000 - $18,000,0000 Realized Price: Lot Withdrawn
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Title: PH-568 Year Made: 1965 Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions:112 ¼ x 89 ¼ inches Date
of Sale: April 19, 2021 Sale Location: Sotheby’s, Hong Kong Lot: 1124 Estimate: HKD 105,000,000 - HKD 145,000,000 ($13,520,745 - $18,671,505) Realized Price: HKD 126,158,000 ($16,245,240)
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Title: PH-407 Year Made: 1964 Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 114 x 75 inches Date
of Sale: December 7, 2020 Sale Location: Phillips, New York Lot: 14 Realized Price: $18,442,500
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Title: PH-306 Year Made: 1946 Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 53 ¾ x 28 inches Date
of Sale: July 9, 2020 Sale Location: Sotheby’s, Hong Kong Lot: 1122 Estimate: HKD 54,000,000 - HKD 84,000,000 ($6,967,512, - $10,838,352) Realized Price: HKD 64,141,500 ($8,276,049)
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Sources of Data
Auction Houses: Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Phillips
Online Databases: Artprice, Artnet, AskArt, Mutual Art and the Baer Faxt Auction Database
Appraiser Qualifications
Abigail Athanasopoulos, Director of Appraisals, is an Accredited Senior Appraiser with the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) and an Accredited Member of the International Society of Appraisers (ISA) with over seventeen (17) years of experience appraising fine art. Prior to her position with Masterworks, she was the Founder & Principal of Spectrum Appraisals, LLC, a comprehensive art appraisal and advisory firm providing clients with highly competent and unbiased fair market value and replacement value appraisals for a wide variety of intended uses. She previously worked as a senior appraiser and project manager for Appraisal Resource Associates, Inc., and a gallery associate at D. Wigmore Fine Art, New York; she has also recently served on ASA’s executive committee and is an active member of ArtTable (a professional organization dedicated to advancing the leadership of women in the visual arts). Ms. Athanasopoulos holds a B.A. in Art History from Wellesley College and has completed extensive coursework in Appraisal Studies through both NYU’s Appraisal Studies Program and Pratt Institute (in association with the American Society of Appraisers), from which she obtained a Certificate in Fine & Decorative Arts Appraisal Studies. She is “qualified” per IRS guidelines and is compliant with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) through March 11, 2024.
Jessica Maliszewski, Fine Art Appraiser, is an Accredited Member of the Appraisers Association of America (AAA) specializing in Post-War, Contemporary and Emerging Art. A member of the AAA for six (6) years, Ms. Maliszewski is Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) compliant through June 27, 2025, and presently serves on the Membership Committee. As a Fine Art Appraiser, she has completed appraisals for clients nationally and internationally for purposes of insurance, tax and estate planning, charitable donations, and equitable distribution. Though predominantly working in Post-War, Contemporary and Emerging Art since 2008, Ms. Maliszewski has further experience in valuing and cataloging a wide variety of fine and decorative objects. In addition to her appraisal work, Ms. Maliszewski has eighteen (18) years of experience in New York and London, working in collections management and research, and working for art consultancies, art fairs, museums, galleries, and artist studios. Ms. Maliszewski holds a B.A. with a concentration in Art History from Northeastern University, an M. Litt in the History of Art and Connoisseurship in Fine and Decorative Arts from Christie’s Education in London, and completed extensive coursework in appraisal studies through New York University’s Appraisal Studies Program and the Appraisers Association of America.
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Appraisal Terminology and Definitions
Appraisal: As defined in the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), “the act or process of developing an opinion of value; an opinion of value.” According to the USPAP, value can “be numerically expressed as a specific amount, as a range of numbers, or as a relationship (e.g., not more than, not less than) to a previous value opinion or numerical benchmark (e.g., assessed value, collateral value).” It should be noted that the USPAP states that using any other term for an appraisal does not remove the work from being in compliance with USPAP; it is an appraisal if an opinion of value is given.
Appreciation, Appreciation Rate: Appreciation, in general terms, is an increase in the value of an asset over time. The increase can occur for a number of reasons, including increased demand or weakening supply, or as a result of changes in inflation or interest rates.
Buyer’s Premium: The percentage of the bid or “hammer” price paid by the buyer to the auction house when purchasing an item. The fee usually ranges between 5% and 25% of the hammer price.
Bought In (BI): Occurs at auction when an object does not meet its reserve price and fails to sell.
Catalogue Raisonné: A scholarly catalogue that should include all the known works of an artist or all of his or her known works in a specific medium at the time of the catalogue’s compilation. Essential information identifying the works is included, making the catalogue a definitive reference book.
Certificate of Authentication/Authenticity: An official document that certifies that the piece in question is correct, of the period, and by the artist designated. Some states (including New York) require specific information be included on a certificate of authentication.
Clear Title: Refers to ownership of property that is free from encumbrance, obstruction, burden or limitation.
Comparables: Those objects selected by the appraiser as being similar to one being appraised. An examination and analysis of sales figures for similar works or comparable objects allows the appraiser to arrive at an appraised value for the object under consideration.
Condition: Term referring to the physical state of a property and must be noted in an appraisal document.
Conservation: The treatment and preventive care of an object so that its condition does not deteriorate and will remain stable; the preservation of a work of art involving careful maintenance and protection of an object, using materials and procedures that will have no adverse effect on it.
Cost Approach: A valuation approach used to determine the value of an object based upon the cost of re-creating the identical piece. This approach may be applied to the decorative arts when the methods of construction or materials used are replicable.
Craquelure: The result of natural movement of the support (canvas) and or the shrinking of the medium during the aging process of painting. It usually appears on the surface in a spider web-like series of cracks. The surface can be stabilized by reclining the canvas and filling the cracks.
Crazing: The fine and random cracking that extends only through the surface of pottery, porcelain, stone, or concrete. Crazing can appear along or perpendicular to the length of a piece, only in polygonal shapes, or as random spider webs and is due to differential contraction between the surface and interior sections, often as a result of changes in temperature. It has no significance in terms of structure or durability, and does not by itself constitute a cause for rejection. It can, however, mark the beginning of disintegration. All ceramic and concrete products and many natural stones under varying conditions of moisture and temperature are frequently subject to crazing. In some Asian potteries and porcelains, crazing is admired and produced in a deliberate and regulated manner.
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Fair Market Value (FMV): As per Treas. Reg. Section 1.170A-I (c)(2) “the fair market value is the price at which the property would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither being under any compulsion to buy or sell and both having reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts.”
Foxing: Brown spots caused by iron particles in the paper that “rust” and discolor the paper when it is exposed to humidity. Sometimes, mold is mistaken for foxing.
Hammer Price: The actual (final) bid price at auction; it does not include the buyer’s premium.
Hypothetical Conditions: According to USPAP, those conditions that are contrary to the conditions that actually exist, but are supposed for the purpose of reasonable analysis. Hypothetical conditions assume conditions contrary to known facts about physical, legal or economic characteristics of a subject property or about conditions external to the property, such as the market conditions or trends, or about the integrity of data used in an analysis. Appraisals of damaged or destroyed objects employ hypothetical conditions. A hypothetical condition may be used in an assignment only if 1) the use of the hypothetical condition is clearly required for legal purposes, for purposes of reasonable analysis or for purposes of comparison; 2) the use of the hypothetical condition results in a credible analysis; and 3) the appraiser complies with the disclosure requirements set forth in USPAP for
hypothetical conditions.
Income Approach: A valuation approach used to determine the value of a work of art or object that will be used to generate future income. This is most often done through leasing, rental or the creation of reproductions but not through a one-time only sale with transfer of title and/or copyright.
Inherent Vice: Extreme conditions of temperature, light, and humidity contribute to an object deteriorating or destroying itself. The resulting loss of value is caused by the inherent nature of the object rather than the result of an external cause or a casualty.
Inpainting: Similar to overpainting, a technique commonly used by conservations to restore a painting that has suffered the loss or deterioration of paint on a canvas or other medium. It generally implies work that is well done with a minimum of intervention by the conservator.
Lined: A term that usually refers to a painting on canvas that has been supported by another layer of canvas due to the deterioration of the original support.
Loss of Value: The difference between the value of the property that has suffered damage prior to damage and the value of the property after that damage has been repaired.
Market Analysis: The study of market conditions for a specific type of personal property; sometimes both the retail and wholesale markets must be examined and analyzed.
Medium: 1.) The material from which an object or artwork is made or on which it is produced; it may include paper, canvas, board, cel (acetate), bronze; 2.) The specific tool and material used by an artist; e.g., brush and oil paint, chisel and stone; 3.) The mode of expression used by an artist; e.g., painting, sculpture, graphic arts, etc.; 4.) A liquid that may be added to a paint to increase its manipulability without decreasing its adhesive, binding or film forming properties.
Most Appropriate Market or Marketplace: The venue in which an appraiser determines that an object can be sold most easily and at the highest price. In the case of personal property, when comparables are scarce, it frequently references the most appropriate market, which can be a combination of auction and private gallery sales.
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Net Asset Value (NAV): The net asset value (NAV) represents the net value of an entity and is calculated as the total value of the entity’s assets minus the total value of its liabilities. Most commonly used in the context of a mutual fund or an exchange-traded fund (ETF), the NAV represents the per share/unit price of the fund on a specific date or time. NAV is the price at which the shares/units of the funds registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are traded (invested or redeemed). For Masterworks purposes the NAV is calculated as (x) the most recent appraised Fair Market Value of the artwork as of the Effective Date of this Appraisal, less (y) the pro forma value attributable to Class B profits interests implied based on such fair market value (if any), divided by (z) the number of outstanding Class A shares of the applicable issuer entity, inclusive of shares issued to Masterworks pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement, as of the date of the estimated net asset value.
Net Value: A term commonly used in matters of equitable distribution to indicate the market value of personal property exclusive of any sales commissions or any other costs that would reduce the value of the property.
No Commercial Value (NCV): A term that usually refers to an object or a group of objects, usually in estate situations, for which it is not reasonable to assign a monetary value; for example, a mattress and a box spring.
Offering Amount: For Masterworks’ purposes, the aggregate total value of all Class A shares in a given Artwork as reflected in the final offering circular filed with the SEC.
Offering Circular: A document describing the terms of an offering of securities representing an investment in the Artwork.
Original Cost: Also known as the historical cost or the cost of acquiring an item of personal property.
Offering Date: For Masterworks’ purposes, the date at which the final offering circular is filed with the SEC.
Overpainting: A term that refers to restorative work on a painting in which is applied over already dry areas of paint. It sometimes includes the original artist’s glazes. Overpainting is similar to inpainting, but inpainting only fills in areas of missing paint without covering the original paint.
Oxidation: The binding of oxygen to a metal to form rust or the binding of oxygen to wood to darken it.
Personal Property: Defined by USPAP as “identifiable, tangible objects that are considered by the general public as being “personal”; for example, furnishings, artwork, antiques, gems and jewelry, collectibles, machinery and equipment.”
Pre-Existing Damage: Any wear, tear, repairs or other changes to new condition seen on an item of personal property prior to its evaluation in a damage and/or loss of value situation.
Preservation: Related to conservation and restoration, preservation actions are taken to prevent further changes to or deterioration of objects, sites or structures.
Primary Market: A market created either by the maker or the maker’s agent when an object is sold for the first time, usually in galleries or stores. The secondary market is the venue for the sale of an object between a seller and a buyer when neither of them have participated in the creation or initial sale of the object. In the instance of multiples, a valid secondary market cannot exist while the maker or his agent retains a supply of the original offering.
Primary Source: Material, used in research and data comparisons, that is gathered from first-hand witnesses and includes auctions attended, galleries, art fairs and stores visited as well as actual comparables witnessed by the appraiser.
Provenance: The history of an object that may include its past ownership as well as its exhibition and catalogue history.
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Qualified Appraisal: An appraisal will be treated as a qualified appraisal within the meaning of IRS Code §170 (f)(11)(E) if the appraisal complies with all the requirements of §1.170A-13(c) of the existing regulations (except for the extent the regulations are inconsistent with § 170 (f)(11)), and is conducted by a qualified appraiser in accordance with generally accepted appraisal standards. See sections 3.02(2) and 3.03 of Notice 2006-96. An appraisal will be treated as having been conducted in accordance with generally accepted appraisal standards within the meaning of §170 (f)(11)(E)(i)(II) if, for example, the appraisal is consistent with the substance and principles of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (“USPAP”).
Qualified Appraiser: (1) Appraisal designation. An appraiser will be treated as having earned an appraisal designation from a recognized professional appraiser organization within the meaning of §170 (f)(11)(E)(ii)(I) if the appraisal designation is awarded on the basis of demonstrated competency in valuing the type of property for which the appraisal is performed. (2) Education and experience in valuing the type of property. An appraiser will be treated as having demonstrated verifiable education and experience in valuing the type of property subject to the appraisal within the meaning of §170 (f)(11)(E)(iii)(1) if the appraiser makes a declaration in the appraisal that, because of the appraiser’s background, experience, education and membership in professional associations, the appraiser is qualified to make appraisals of the type of property being valued. (3) Minimum education and experience. An appraiser will be treated as having met minimum education and experience requirements within the meaning of §170 (f)(11)(E)(iii)(1) if the appraiser has successfully completed college or professional level coursework that is relevant to the property being valued, has obtained at least two years of experience in the trade or business of buying, selling, or valuing the type of property being valued, and has fully described in the appraisal the appraiser’s education and experience that qualify the appraiser to value the type of property being valued.
Recto: The front side of a picture.
Refinished Condition: When a piece has been stripped or skinned of its original patina and has received a new finish.
Related Use Rule: An IRS rule that is applied to charitable contributions and states that to receive the full allowable tax deduction, a donor must donate property to an institution whose mission explicitly includes the acquisition and use of such property.
Replacement Value: The amount it would cost to replace an item with one of similar and like quality purchased in the most appropriate marketplace within a limited amount of time.
Reproduction: Refers to a piece made as an exact copy of an original period piece, but is not made to deceive.
Resale Value: The price at which an item can be sold in the marketplace.
Reserve: The minimal amount for which a consignor agrees to sell a work at auction. By law, the reserve must not exceed the low estimate.
Restoration: A process whereby, if an object has lost a part and that missing part or piece is replaced or restored to simulate the original, the object can be returned as closely as possible to its original condition.
Sales Comparison Approach: the most commonly applied valuation approach ǁhen appraising personal property, in which appraised value is based on achieved prices for similar works by the same artist or artisan of equal standing and related reputation (alternatively called Comparative Market Data Approach, Market Data Approach or Comparable Market Data Approach.)
Secondary Market: Refers to the marketplace in which a used object is bought and sold. Once an item is no longer available from the original source, it is considered a secondary market item. The term usually refers to the auction market and is in no way associated with the value or the condition of the object. The secondary market is the venue for the sale of an object, through an auction or a gallery, between a seller and a buyer, neither of whom has participated in the creation or initial sale of the object. In the instance of multiples, a valid secondary market cannot exist while the maker or his agent retains a supply of the original offering.
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Secondary Source: an article or book that discusses information that was first presented somewhere else. Examples of secondary sources utilizing exact primary sources in research and data comparison are Artnet, ArtFact, P4a, Gordonsart, Art-Sales-Index, newel.com and other internet research tools.
Statement of Assumptions & Limiting Conditions: Terms or concepts generally linked together in most appraisals. An assumption is that which is taken to be true. An extraordinary assumption is an assumption, directly related to a specific assignment, that, if found to be false, could alter the appraiser’s opinions or conclusions. A limiting condition refers to the conditions that limit the appraiser’s examination or research of the appraised items and the appraisal assignment. Hypothetical conditions are those that are contrary to what exists, but are supposed for the purpose of analysis.
Tertiary Market: A marketplace that occurs in a forced sale situation such as a liquidation or salvage sale.
Ultraviolet Light (UV): Short, high-energy, invisible light waves beyond violet in the light spectrum, with a length of 250 to 400 nanometers.
Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP): The appraisal standards covering the development and communication of appraisers’ opinions and conclusions published by the Appraisal Standards Board of The Appraisal Foundation. First published in 1987, these standards apply to all disciplines of appraising.
Verso: The backside of a picture.
Work Size: The dimensions of works on panel or board. When the word “sight” is used in conjunction with work size, it refers to the dimensions of the visible image of the work.
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Statements and Disclosures
This Appraisal Report consists of 22 pages and must be presented in its entirety to be valid. This document is prepared as described in the Scope of Work using the Sales Comparison approach to arrive at Fair Market Values as of the stated effective valuation date. It is to be used solely by the intended users listed in this Appraisal Report for that purpose and can be relied upon by the intended user as described in the Scope of Work.
Unless otherwise stated herein, this Appraisal Report is based only on the readily apparent identity of the item(s) appraised, and no further opinions or guarantee of authenticity, genuineness, attribution, or authorship is made. However, in appraising the subject property, the Appraiser(s) found no reason to question the authenticity of the article(s), except as noted. To the knowledge of the Appraiser(s), no laboratory testing has been performed on the subject property.
Unless otherwise stated herein, the appraised value(s) are based on whole ownership and possessory interest undiminished by any liens, fractional interests or any other form of encumbrance or alienation.
This Appraisal Report is made at the request of the parties named for their use. The Appraisal Report is not an indication or certificate of title ownership. The identification of the interest of the requesting parties is simply represented to the Appraiser(s) by such parties and no inquiry or investigation has been made nor is any opinion given as to the truth of such representation.
The value(s) expressed herein reflect the professional judgment and opinion of the Appraiser(s)and are not a representation or warranty that the item(s) will realize that value if offered for sale at an auction or otherwise. The value(s) expressed are based on current information on the assigned effective valuation date stated on the cover page of this report. No opinion is hereby expressed as to any future value(s), nor unless otherwise stated, as to any past value(s).
Masterworks is active in bidding in the auction market. If there is a sale of a work that Masterworks has purchased at public auction that qualifies as comparable to the Artwork, the comparable sale may be included in the comparable data set at the discretion of the Appraiser(s), provided that the related party nature of the comparable sale will be noted in the appraisal.
The market level selected for this assignment is based on the subject property’s current use and alternative uses as relevant to the type and definition of value and the intended use of the Appraisal Report. As such, the Appraiser(s)considered the most common marketplace(s) given the purpose of this appraisal assignment.
The Appraiser(s) are not required to give testimony, be present in any court of law, or appear before any commission or board by reason of this Appraisal Report without reasonable prior notice. Should this report be challenged in any way, not limited to litigation, it is understood the Appraiser(s) are prepared to defend this Appraisal Report, if required. Appearance and testimony at deposition, trial, or alternative dispute resolution proceedings and the necessary preparations thereof are considered to be new and separate assignments.
Possession of this Appraisal Report, or a copy thereof, does not include the right of publication without the written consent of Masterworks. This Appraisal Report, or any part thereof, including the identity of the Appraiser(s), shall not be made public through advertising, public relations, news releases, sales, or other distributive or information media without the written consent of Masterworks.
Copies of this Appraisal Report and written and electronic notes pertaining to the appraisal assignment will be kept in the offices of Masterworks for a minimal period of five (5) years after the date of issue or two (2) years after final disposition of any judicial proceedings involving the Appraiser(s), whichever period expires last. The Appraiser(s) make every effort to store records pertaining to the Appraisal in a safe and secure environment. However, the Appraiser(s) are not responsible for acts of nature, war, terrorism, or other unexpected catastrophes which may affect the safekeeping of this Appraisal Report.
All matters regarding the duties, responsibilities, and liabilities of the Appraiser(s) are in accord with the Valuation Standards and Professional Practices as outlined by the Appraisal Foundation in the 2020-2021 Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (extended through December 31, 2023) and the Principles of Practice and the Code of Ethics of the Appraisers Association of America.
Submission of this Appraisal Report concludes this appraisal assignment.
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Appendix
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