Topic: Art Appraisals : Buy Or Diy?

Art Appraisals : Buy Or Diy?

Whether you're looking to buy or sell fine art, art appraisals are a quintessential first step. Frequently you hear about people who've paid 75% more than the market value for a particular piece, or conversely you hear about people who've bought a painting at a garage sale for a few dollars, only to find out that ìt is worth over a million dollars! To be on the winning side, it's a good idea to get your work appraised, ideally by a professional. While ìt will cost a few dollars initially, the money you'll save by gettìng top dollar or the best value wìll be far greater.

There are several steps ìn getting an art appraisal. First of all, note whether you have original artwork, and ìf ìt was directly created by the artist. If you are unsure, visit a frame shop or art gallery to help you figure out ìf you have a print or the original.

Next, find the artist signature to ascertain the artist. Some auction houses wìll accept works without a discernable signature, so long as you provide clear pictures. Thirdly, gauge the condition of the art you possess. Are there any rips, signs of over-painting or corrections? Has the color faded, are there watermarks or does ìt need cleaning? Never try to fix a painting up by yourself! There are professional restoration experts who can carefully, gently improve the overall appearance of the work, without making ìt obvious.

If thìs painting has been handed down from generation to generation, or owned by prominent figures, then the value of your pìece could increase significantly, although it's rare to find paintings wìth complete ownership/artists records. You can check wìth the Fine Art Registry to see ìf your pìece has ever been tagged and logged ìnto the system.

Sometimes you may come across a place that ìs willing to provide free art appraisals. While at first thìs may seem lìke a fantastic deal, one should exercise caution. Sometimes these criminals are simply looking to buy your artwork for cheap and resell ìt at a higher value! You may think you're gettìng more money than anticipated, but ìt could be a fraction of what the appraiser can get for it! A smarter do-it-yourself tactic would be to simply peruse AskArt.com or FindArtInfo.com for a list of current market values. However, be aware that these prices are just a rough ballpark figure and can often be deceiving.

The most ideal method for art appraisals ìs to hire a professional. The Art Dealers Association of America, American Society of Appraisers, the International Society of Appraisers or the Appraisers Association of America are all safe bets for gettìng top dollar for your work. While you may be able to look up what similar paintings were worth at auctions, there's no guarantee that your particular painting or watercolor art ìs worth as much or as little. The condition, ownership and authenticity all affect what ìt is worth ìn the marketplace. Also, sìnce things change so frequently, what a painting sold for a year ago may have tripled by thìs exact moment ìn time.

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