What am I doing wrong?

Create a Post
S

suzy

True Grumbler
Joined
Feb 24, 2001
Posts
54
Hi. I have posted 2 new topics in the last few days. I have noticed that no one wants to respond to my question. Please , all you pros out there, what am I doing wrong? Am I putting up somesort of red flag , so nobody replies?///Thx, sue.
 
Usually a lack of replies means either:
</font>
  • The question is so broad that nobody knows where to start </font>
  • Nobody knows the answer </font>
Speaking only for myself, I have no idea how to go about appraising art or even finding someone who does. I probably should - since I get asked that question by customers from time-to-time - but I don't.

Sorry.
 
Don't worry Suzy, this is a pretty tough group to bust into. They ignore me all the time too. But I'm pretty near 1,000 posts after a year and I have found eventually they obviously break down and respond to you. Keep your chin up. Don't show your weaknesses by whining too early on, you will scare them off. Once you get to know them you can whine all you want, I am a prime example.

For the record I don't have any answers for you either, wish I did. I'm sure someone out there in Grumbleland will though.
 
One thing I really try, is to never have a customer or phone call go away "empty handed". No matter how hair-brained the question, I try to at least send them to another source.

If I had a customer call about appraisals I would probably tell them to call the local art museum or check the yellow pages for an antique appraiser. Sometimes they can do both art and antiques.

Betty
 
Just where are our manners?

I can only think of a few possible explanations:

1) We are all waiting for Ron to answer in his inimitable fashion.

2) You actually found the few questions here to which nobody knows the answer!

3) We are all waiting for Ron to answer.

4) The few folks who do know the answers only check in every few days...

5)We are all waiting for Ron to answer!

Do what others do, just bring your topic back to the top and make another plea!
 
Okay, Suzy, here's the deal. I wasn't going to say anything, but since you asked. I did notice one of these at the end of each of your last two posts.

red-flag.gif


I thought it was a signal for an IRS audit, so I skipped the threads altogether.
 
I would like to assure you that your are not being ignored; just don't have any answers but will make an attempt. I have had good luck with obtaining values by posting to the HitchHikers with the name of the piece and the artist. I would say that I have had responses about 50% of the time. I have not tried it on the grumble. You will find that appraisal people will want to be compensated for such an estimate. Try the grumble and the HHers. Also try entering the artists name on a search engine and see what happens. I had an orignal oil painted in 1640 in the shop a while back and found the artist listed in a museum in Milan Italy (Giovanni Francisco Penni) a contemporary of and friend of Raphael. Quite a discovery that a bit of research uncovered. The owner thought that it was reproduction.

I pays to research when you can.

Jack Cee
 
I would refer them to a local museum. They usually know where to find these people. When they get a piece into the museum, they need a value placed on it for insurance purposes. Hope that helps.
 
You might find that providing more information about who you are might help. I personally will not reply to any one on this forum who will not properly identify themselves. From your personal profile you would not meet my personal posting criteria and I do not think I am the only one on this forum who feels this way.

The only thing you have really provided is an e-mail address.

You do not tell us where you are located or what you do and what type of store you have. I am curious to know why so many particpants on this forum hide behind "handles". What embarrasses you so much about about yourself and your business that you do not want to tell us who you are ?

a fully identified
Alan Sturgess
 
Suzy,
Appraising art is whole different animal than framing it. I used to have a great guy here in town that was a semi-retired art appraiser, who was a specialist in Victorian era paintings, etc. It was wonderful to be able to send customers to him. Unfortunately, he passed away, and so now I tell people to call one of the metroplex Museums, or one of the appraisers listed in the yellow pages. I wish that I had the name of someone specific that I could send them to, but I don't want to recommend someone I know nothing about. Always hovering around the bottom of my "to do" list is "find good appraiser"!

Leslie

P.S. It is nice to have more information about fellow grumblers, but that does not keep me from answering harmless questions. I figure there are lots of lurkers we know nothing about anyhow. I think the others would just take you more seriously if you added a little more info. I think the fact that it is the Busy Season for everyone was closest to the point.
 
Appraising art is a little like restoration. It is good to know a little about how to get the information you need, but you should really leave the formal appraisal to an expert on the particular artist, period, style or region. You usually can get price information on a known artist if they have an auction record. If an artist does not have an auction record, but they have traceable sales through a gallery, you will have your work cut out for you.

Even if you are able to find prices for similar work, unless you are very familiar with the artists work, you can only give a range of value. Not all work created by an artist of the same size and subject will have the same value. Artists have good days and bad. In addition, the value of art can be cyclical. An artist who was hot 10 years ago, or sold at auction at the peak of the market may not bring the same money today. Often, it depends on who shows up at the auction. I would look for consistent sales.

I am no expert, but I do know there is an awful lot to learn on this subject. Can you recognize a forgery? I am familiar with several artists work, and I like to think I can recognize a good authentic work, but when it comes to appraisals or authentication, I try to refer to the experts.

Below are a few links that may help get you some basic auction records and biographical information about an artist. There are a lot of great books and a couple of subscription based Internet businesses that are good references for prices, biographical information, and even some visual references. But, be careful what you tell a client a painting may be worth.

Artprice.com (Internet reference)

Askart.com (Internet reference - American artists)

DealersChoiceBooks.com (reference books & CDs)
 
Alan is right. Depending on the art it could be worth more regionally. For instance there is a gallery in Dubuque Iowa, (Germain Gallery) that does restoration and appraisals but really only appraises IA and IL artists. More complete profile information may get more people to step up and assist.
 
There is a company called "Skinner's something or other" :rolleyes: that has offices around the east coast. You may have heard of them from their big auctions. They have an office near here in central Mass, but you don't have to necessarily go there. I have had a few freinds contact htem off their web site and they will do "some" "preliminary" stuff via emails with images attached. Obviously if they have any doubt you'd have to make special arrangements, but they seem to be reliable with a large trained staff. Sorry I don't have the web site address here at work. I'll see if I can get it and post later.

Good Luck,
Cliff
 
Create a Post
Back
Top