“19th-century art, for instance, dropped in value since we started to appreciate abstraction and modern art more.”

If you have an original work by Frederic Church, Thomas Eakins, Winslow Homer, Frederick Remington, John Singer Sargent, or even John J. Audubon, just to mention a few 19th Century American artists, it’s still worth a fortune. A first edition printed book of Audubon’s bird paintings has sold for $11 M. The good stuff will always have high value.