Longtime art dealer and historian (as well as Merrin Institute Vice President and DOROT Organization board member) Samuel Merrin is an expert on identifying value in a piece of art. As director of the Merrin Gallery in New York City, Samuel Merrin has followed in his father Edward’s footsteps as an absolute authority on pre-Columbian and ancient South American works of art, and he continues to make impressive additions to his gallery, no matter the effort or cost.

Particularly fond of antiquities, Samuel Merrin, has been known to fight very hard to get a quality piece. In one instance, indicative of Merrin’s passionate nature, the educated dealer made a bid on a T’ang dynasty clay horse sculpture on auction at Sotheby’s New York for $937,500. Merrin’s bid, double the estimated price of the piece, certainly showed the collector’s commitment to securing impressive works for his collection; however, it was not done impulsively. As a studious and thoughtful art expert, Samuel Merrin knew the market was trending toward Chinese art and subsequent purchasing patterns proved his instincts were correct.

Understanding trends in the art world is no easy task, and Samuel Merrin is certainly one of the best observers in his field. One instance of Samuel Merrin’s abilities in this regard can be observed through his auction record of the early 1990s. As the prices of ancient art declined throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, shifting the ancient art dealing world from seller focused to buyer focused, there were only some areas which continued to maintain their appeal. Specifically, Latin American and pre-Columbian art were the best examples of antiquities which escaped the downward trend. Seeing an opportunity to assert himself as a leader in this area, Samuel Merrin, with his usual gusto, single-handedly purchased 21 works of art in one night at Sotheby’s Auction House for a total of $883,025. At the time, Samuel Merrin’s massive purchase was a record-breaking amount.

It might be a cliché to say, but Samuel Merrin is a man who knows what he wants. Whether it is a piece of art for the Merrin Gallery or the very place where he lives, Samuel Merrin is not the type of person to settle for anything. With regard to his home, Samuel Merrin’s tenacity is recalled again. At a time when his New York City apartment building, The Apthorp, was converting into condos and forcing many angered renters out with exorbitant price increases, Samuel Merrin, who enjoyed his home, remarked to New York Magazine that, “It’s [the price] certainly on the top-end, but on the other hand, this is a top-end building. Once all the things are put into place, this is going to be that type of building. My daughters can play in the courtyard. I can drive my car right in there! I’m in love with the look of the building. Maybe I shouldn’t be saying that now, but I’m in love with it.” Where other residents were outraged by “insane” prices, Samuel Merrin was willing to admit that The Apthorp was what he wanted.

An even more important truth about Samuel Merrin, however, is that, despite his drive and focus to get what he wants, he isn’t a selfish person. As a prominent member of the art world, Samuel Merrin understands he can use his position to act as a steward of goodwill and charity. In this vein, Samuel Merrin has extended his gallery for use as a meeting place for information on the subject of the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda. This village, based on the Yemin Orde Youth Village in Israel, provides a place of support and kindness for the children affected by the massive genocide occurring in Rwanda.