The rise of the collectorator

A new breed of buyer has taken over the auction world. John Albrecht, managing director of Leonard Joel in Melbourne, has defined this part-investor, ''part-interior decorator'' species as ''the collectorator''.

This is, as he outlines in Leonard magazine, ''the new dominant buyer in the marketplace once dominated by the traditional collector - the collectorator is the new buyer that combines sophisticated aesthetics with an eye for all periods and designs.

''The collectorator treats his or her entire living environment as an opportunity to showcase visually fascinating and stimulating items with utility and space in mind.''

Albrecht says this new demographic - younger and very savvy about what they do and don't want - has emerged during the past two years.

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Females of the collectorator species are now more likely to be bidding on the floor, with great confidence, and are obviously after a signature piece for a room.

''They are after a look as well as a history,'' says Albrecht. This explains the increasing popularity of modernist furniture and post-1950s design objects.

Leonard Joel has embraced this scene during the past decade while, in Sydney, Shapiro Auctioneers specialises in it.

In December, Shapiro sold a 1953 Grant Featherston Z300 chaise longue for $8800 IBP, and a Piero Fornasetti ''Zebra'' cabinet for $19,200 IBP.

In the same issue of Leonard is Albrecht's list of ''twelve interesting things we sold in 2013''. These range from a Matchbox model of a 1967 Mercury Cougar (sold for $5612 IBP) to a pair of Joe Colombo 1963 Elda black leather chairs (sold for $9760 IBP).

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The rise of the collectorator