Shot myself in the foot and it hurts!

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Dave

Dave

SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Joined
Jun 11, 2004
Posts
13,355
Loc
Edwardsburg, MI
Yep, shot myself in the foot and killed a nice size order.

Picked up a couple nice Costigan etchings from a customer to re-frame. Original frames were pre-1950. Customer told me on phone they were valuable "drawings" and gave me a printout of recent sales prices in the tens of thousands of dollars for Costigan paintings.

I saw they were etchings but said nothing at the original pick-up except that the "prints" had some visible damage from being framed up against the glass.

Took them back and unfit them. One was hide glued down to the backing board and the mat. Came apart OK. The other had some physical damage to the image area and also a bleach-like water ring.

Emailed photos and explained that way back then preservation framing wasn't common and the etchings (not drawings) were damaged and somewhat devalued giving an insurance guesstimate of $ 500- 1000 each.

This customer has had many thousands of dollars done the last few years and always uses full preservation framing with MG glass etc. The designs I worked up were about $ 400 each.

Got back to me and has to discuss with family whether or not to proceed due to the lesser value than they thought these pieces had. I suggested that if cost was an issue that they could be done for substantially less and still look nice.

Haven't heard back yet.

I know I did the right thing, at least ethically... and I know that I scored some brownie points somewhere but I hope I don't have to totally bury the order.

:(

I sure hope they don't want me to put them back in the dirty old frames with the scummy glass and the corrugated backing!

:(:(
 
The only thing that I think you blew it on was giving any kind of opinion as to the value of the prints.

For me, I am a framer not an art appraiser. I can recognize when something has value or is a chinese knock off, but actually assigning a dollar figure is not something that I do.

A few years ago I had a good customer bring in 4 Audubons that she had purchased at a yard sale. She thought they were the real deal, I had to burst her bubble when I told her that originals don't have lines and numbers on the back of them (calendar pages). We still reframed them, but they went from Munn frames to Eric Schuster mouldings. I guess that dates how long ago this was. :)
 
A clear conscience is a soft pillow, etc...
 
Dave, you are of course in different position;I wouldn't be able to put any value on it.
Sometimes it's good to 'only' do the framing and not have to deal with the value/appraisal part.
 
Preparing a condition report including suggestions for treatment is pretty much SOP for anything of perceived value. It's a bit CYA, but it does help in the decision making process for the customer.
Dave, you may have shot down the deal, but I'm sure the customer appreciates your candor. I don't have problems with ballparking values as long as I'm very familiar with the artist and what the market for their work is doing. Only verbal, and only ballpark...I have an appraiser who will provide written evaluations if needed.
 
I think you did the right thing.
You can't win them all. It's an everyday occurrence in most shops when customers think they have a valuable item to frame and don't, money wise. Like most said here we are not bonafide appraisers of art and can only give what our advice is worth.
Since this customer does fairly upscale work with you they value your expertise and workmanship and will come back with better orders.

I was thinking you shot yourself in the foot with a pneumatic tool. Ouch!
 
I also use outside appraisers where the work is not familiar to me. I will do insurance appraisals where I am quite familiar with the artist's values but will not normally do market appraisals. Insurance appraisals are basically arriving at a relatively high price for the art work for insurance purposes so that they can be listed on policies.

I am most familiar with Indiana artists from the area dating from the early 1900's and also do some brokerage of such work. Having been in the art supply family business started in 1911 many of these artists through the years bought supplies from us and traded artwork for supplies.
 
Well... it's a good thing you didn't tell them their sports jersey was worthless!!:party:
 
:shutup:
 
framah said:
Well... it's a good thing you didn't tell them their sports jersey was worthless!!:party:
Click to expand...

Ok.... and how is this thread different than the one I posted a week ago?
SEE! Its good to have some knowledge of what comes in your door!! :D

For the record I never said it was worthless! JUST KRAPPY! :p
 
You screwed up Dave.

Move on.... Kill Bill 2 was good, but not that good... just would have been better
that night in the boat house.... and that deep into the bottle....

Oh. Sorry. The prints? Nah, you did right. . . Right now you stink like the bottom of the cesspool.... but give it a few days.... we'll be calling you Rosie.

Thedudeabides.
 
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