Art collectors hoping to steer clear of volatile markets—at least for the moment—may find what they’re seeking in the art of the past. Beginning June 3, New York becomes ground zero for such material, as back-to-back auctions of antiquities and Old Masters unfold at Sotheby’s and Christie’s. Unlike contemporary art, these two categories have fared relatively well during the recent economic malaise, realizing average prices nearly double those they earned in 2003, when markets began to heat up.

By comparison, the average price for the high-end contemporary works that fill the evening sales has dropped by more than two-thirds. In fact, Old Master artworks auctioned in January brought on average almost as much as the contemporary lots the following month. This relative equality is new: Even in 2003, contemporary works brought nearly eight times as much as Old Masters. This month’s sales, with such star consignments as the Pieter De Hooch picture that LACMA is putting on the block at Sotheby’s on the 5th, give buyers who are increasingly looking back a lot to look forward to.