The average buyer isn't looking to find a rare Picasso or Chagall at an estate sale, and if you go hunting with the right attitude you can luck out and find something interesting for your own abode or to resell.
Here are 9 tips to help you on your art hunting adventures at estate sales:
- Location: Older, wealthy neighborhoods are your best bet for finding quality art.
These areas usually have homes t hat are well appointed and decorated with plenty of art hanging on the walls. - Be willing to pay a bit more: Keep in mind that paintings, sculptures, pottery and ceramics are usually one of the more sought after objects at moving sales, so the prices tend to be higher than some of the other goodies lying about.
- Don't cheap out: Go ahead and haggle, but don't go and blow a deal on a great piece to get a discount of only a few dollars.
If you really like it, just grab it before someone else does. - Consider condition:Even if you like the pretty pastoral scene depicted in the print you are looking at, don't buy it if it has water damage, tears or is in otherwise rough condition.
If you are madly in love with a painting that has some condition issues go ahead and buy it, but be warned that repair costs can be substantial and certainly far more than what you've just paid for it. - Be ready to clean:Just because a piece of pottery looks a little dull and dusty doesn't mean that it isn't a worthy buy.
Sometimes a little elbow grease is all you need to spiff something up a bit. - Sometimes the frame is worth more than the picture: Don't ignore an otherwise hideous painting that might be sitting in a stunning gilded frame.
There is big money in wood frames, and the bigger and more ornate the better.
Brisk business can be had reselling pretty frames. - Consider a facelift: If an attractive painting or print might be a great addition to your collection, don't avoid buying it because it is in a tacky, cheap looking frame.
Buy it and consider changing the mat or reframing it in something that is more to your taste and style. - Signatures: If your piece of art has a signature on it, it can certainly be helpful in finding out a bit more about it.
Yank out your mobile device and see if you can quickly gather any information about the artist.
Likewise, flip your piece of art over to check to see if there are any labels or stamps on it that might help you identify the object's value or provenance. - Ask for Proof: Never hesitate to ask if the seller has proof of authenticity or a receipt for the piece of art you are interested in buying.
Turn it over and see if there is a label that might give you more clues about the artwork.
These will help you in terms of gathering evidence that it is authentic and help you determine what true value is.