How to sell Art and when is the best time?

[shiny!]

I have a painting that I might like to sell at some point. The artist isn't terribly famous, but he is represented in a few prestigious galleries. Mine is an early work of his which he traded me for some of my work many years ago, when we were in an exhibit together. His style has changed considerably since then.

What's the best way to sell a painting? Is now a good time to sell, or will there be more demand for art later on when/if inflation gets bad?

[jpatter666]

Re: How to sell Art and when is the best time?

I have a painting that I might like to sell at some point. The artist isn't terribly famous, but he is represented in a few prestigious galleries. Mine is an early work of his which he traded me for some of my work many years ago, when we were in an exhibit together. His style has changed considerably since then.

What's the best way to sell a painting? Is now a good time to sell, or will there be more demand for art later on when/if inflation gets bad?

Art is notorious finicky and unless you really know what you're doing hard to make what you spent on it.

A few pointers:
1 ) If the artist has passed, then naturally more valuable
2 ) Unless the artist is sufficiently well-known, an earlier piece not typical of his "known" work may not bring a good price. People want the famous stuff.
3 ) Do an EBay and some web searches to get a feel for what the piece may bring.
4 ) Unless you feel the piece is worth a substantial amount of money, you'll probably do better selling on Ebay or Craigslist

[shiny!]

Re: How to sell Art and when is the best time?

Art is notorious finicky and unless you really know what you're doing hard to make what you spent on it.

A few pointers:
1 ) If the artist has passed, then naturally more valuable
2 ) Unless the artist is sufficiently well-known, an earlier piece not typical of his "known" work may not bring a good price. People want the famous stuff.
3 ) Do an EBay and some web searches to get a feel for what the piece may bring.
4 ) Unless you feel the piece is worth a substantial amount of money, you'll probably do better selling on Ebay or Craigslist

It was a trade, so I didn't spend any money on it. His pieces sell for approx. $4000 at the LewAllen Gallery in Santa Fe. He does modern art now, but mine is a religious still life of a Catholic motif. (I like the flowers in it. He does gorgeous impasto...)

He's still young, so God-willing he will be around a long time. If I had the money I'd be collecting his work, not selling it. Even if it doesn't appreciate in value, I like his stuff so much.

I've bought stuff on Ebay but haven't a clue how to sell there. They have things like escrow but I don't know how it all works.

[jpatter666]

Re: How to sell Art and when is the best time?

It was a trade, so I didn't spend any money on it. His pieces sell for approx. $4000 at the LewAllen Gallery in Santa Fe. He does modern art now, but mine is a religious still life of a Catholic motif. (I like the flowers in it. He does gorgeous impasto...)

He's still young, so God-willing he will be around a long time. If I had the money I'd be collecting his work, not selling it. Even if it doesn't appreciate in value, I like his stuff so much.

I've bought stuff on Ebay but haven't a clue how to sell there. They have things like escrow but I don't know how it all works.

Gallery prices are substantially higher than what you can expect.

Documentation -- a letter, any details on the piece will help the price. You might want to try for a local sale via Craigslist.

[shiny!]

Re: How to sell Art and when is the best time?

Gallery prices are substantially higher than what you can expect.

Documentation -- a letter, any details on the piece will help the price. You might want to try for a local sale via Craigslist.

Thank you very much. I guess a Craigslist sale would be safe enough if we met in a bank lobby.

Are some times better for Art sales than others? During periods of inflation or fears of inflation, perhaps?

[jpatter666]

Re: How to sell Art and when is the best time?

Thank you very much. I guess a Craigslist sale would be safe enough if we met in a bank lobby.

Are some times better for Art sales than others? During periods of inflation or fears of inflation, perhaps?

Only top-notch art has holding value during inflationary times. Everything else IMO *loses* value. Because if you're buying art as an investment you want pieces that are guaranteed to appreciate. That usually translates into Old Masters where the supply is highly limited and the demand high.

Everything else is subjective to whether the buyer "likes" it enough to pay the asking price.

[shiny!]

Re: How to sell Art and when is the best time?

Only top-notch art has holding value during inflationary times. Everything else IMO *loses* value. Because if you're buying art as an investment you want pieces that are guaranteed to appreciate. That usually translates into Old Masters where the supply is highly limited and the demand high.

Everything else is subjective to whether the buyer "likes" it enough to pay the asking price.

Thanks, jp. I'll just keep it, then. It's pretty and I like looking at it.

I used to work for a family in Santa Fe that had been collecting Native American art for about 30 years. Whenever they found an artist they particulary liked, they would commission pieces from him. Mainly pottery, baskets, sand paintings and kachina dolls. They had a collection of pottery from three generations of potters from the same family, and the largest collection of sand paintings in the world. Basically, once Elmer's glue got invented, artists had a good way of making their sand paintings permanent. This family commissioned the most talented sand painters to paint every theme they could. There was no great value in the stuff when they started collecting, but over the years other people caught on and Native American art became very popular. These people never bought art with the idea of what it might be worth someday, they just bought what they liked. Over 800 extraordinary pieces. Their house was like a museum.

After many years, they offered their entire collection to several museums in NY, including the Met, the Whitney and MoMA. None of them were interested... they stuck their noses up in the air and said they didn't handle "crafts". They didn't have a clue! This wasn't "crafts", it was an amazing collection of modern art. The Museum of Northern Arizona offered to house the collection. It's the Beenhouwer Fine Art Collection.

[jpatter666]

Re: How to sell Art and when is the best time?

Thanks, jp. I'll just keep it, then. It's pretty and I like looking at it.

I used to work for a family in Santa Fe that had been collecting Native American art for about 30 years. Whenever they found an artist they particulary liked, they would commission pieces from him. Mainly pottery, baskets, sand paintings and kachina dolls. They had a collection of pottery from three generations of potters from the same family, and the largest collection of sand paintings in the world. Basically, once Elmer's glue got invented, artists had a good way of making their sand paintings permanent. This family commissioned the most talented sand painters to paint every theme they could. There was no great value in the stuff when they started collecting, but over the years other people caught on and Native American art became very popular. These people never bought art with the idea of what it might be worth someday, they just bought what they liked. Over 800 extraordinary pieces. Their house was like a museum.

After many years, they offered their entire collection to several museums in NY, including the Met, the Whitney and MoMA. None of them were interested... they stuck their noses up in the air and said they didn't handle "crafts". They didn't have a clue! This wasn't "crafts", it was an amazing collection of modern art. The Museum of Northern Arizona offered to house the collection. It's the Beenhouwer Fine Art Collection.

I hear you -- we also collect Native American pieces. Amazing dream catchers and a Paha Ska buffalo hide painting that knocks people's socks off. But being in DC we often visit the National Museum of the American Indian. We have better pieces IMO....

[shiny!]

Re: How to sell Art and when is the best time?

I hear you -- we also collect Native American pieces. Amazing dream catchers and a Paha Ska buffalo hide painting that knocks people's socks off. But being in DC we often visit the National Museum of the American Indian. We have better pieces IMO....

Cool!

[Woodsman]

Re: How to sell Art and when is the best time?

Shiny, are you willing to share images of your work? I'd love to see it.

[shiny!]

Re: How to sell Art and when is the best time?

Shiny, are you willing to share images of your work? I'd love to see it.

That's very kind of you, Woodsman. It's nothing great. I used to make little bronze miniatures, and glazed tile murals, religious themes for churches, temples and the like. None of the photos are on disk, but I'll see if they can be scanned...