As legal jockeying continues in Detroit’s bankruptcy, the city and the Detroit Institute of Arts have jointly hired a New York art investment firm whose personnel could be called as expert witnesses to push back against creditors trying to force a sale of art in court.

Artvest Partners, a well-known company that advises attorneys, dealers, insurers, other art world professionals and collectors, has been engaged to provide a price range for the entire 66,000-piece collection at the city-owned DIA and assess the viability and practicality of selling art or otherwise monetizing the collection, said Bill Nowling, spokesperson for Detroit emergency manager Kevyn Orr.