Discussion
Had a little windfall recently and thought we would buy some nice pieces of art, so tripped around a couple of galleries yesterday with my youngest (because she's more knowledgeable than me). I expected to be left alone to browse, but in one gallery I had a guy really trying to push me towards some prints by Bob Dylan, they were individually signed and he talked about how they were going up in value year on year. I showed some interest so he ushered me into an ante room where there was an original poster designed by Picasso, up for over 4k, again a wonderful investment opportunity.
I left (since when he's called me a couple of times) to think it all over, while I'm not looking at any of this as an investment I wondered just how do galleries put a price on this stuff, how you'd ever realise any gain (sell it on) and how much of it is pure bull. Anyone out there with the inside track, are these places full of charlatans and should I just pop into an Arena store and buy some posters instead?
I left (since when he's called me a couple of times) to think it all over, while I'm not looking at any of this as an investment I wondered just how do galleries put a price on this stuff, how you'd ever realise any gain (sell it on) and how much of it is pure bull. Anyone out there with the inside track, are these places full of charlatans and should I just pop into an Arena store and buy some posters instead?
Blue62 said:
Had a little windfall recently and thought we would buy some nice pieces of art, so tripped around a couple of galleries yesterday with my youngest (because she's more knowledgeable than me). I expected to be left alone to browse, but in one gallery I had a guy really trying to push me towards some prints by Bob Dylan, they were individually signed and he talked about how they were going up in value year on year. I showed some interest so he ushered me into an ante room where there was an original poster designed by Picasso, up for over 4k, again a wonderful investment opportunity.
I left (since when he's called me a couple of times) to think it all over, while I'm not looking at any of this as an investment I wondered just how do galleries put a price on this stuff, how you'd ever realise any gain (sell it on) and how much of it is pure bull. Anyone out there with the inside track, are these places full of charlatans and should I just pop into an Arena store and buy some posters instead?
Buy art you like and will enjoy owning. Unless you have studied the market trends and know exactly what you are doing (or are in the market for a Van Dyck or two) you could get badly stung with an "investment". Remember when all the Rolf Harris paintings were booming....I left (since when he's called me a couple of times) to think it all over, while I'm not looking at any of this as an investment I wondered just how do galleries put a price on this stuff, how you'd ever realise any gain (sell it on) and how much of it is pure bull. Anyone out there with the inside track, are these places full of charlatans and should I just pop into an Arena store and buy some posters instead?
Have a wander around your local auctioneers fine art sale.That`s like going to the wholesaler rather than a retailer.
Buy a painting you will hang and enjoy but don`t expect rapid returns. I`m no expert but we had one of the TV auctioneers in our wine club for 20 years and this was discussed many times.
I have a Northern artist great oil which I would break even on after 8 years and a Lowry signed print which looks like a winner.
Buy a painting you will hang and enjoy but don`t expect rapid returns. I`m no expert but we had one of the TV auctioneers in our wine club for 20 years and this was discussed many times.
I have a Northern artist great oil which I would break even on after 8 years and a Lowry signed print which looks like a winner.
Art valuation is as subjective as the art itself and is driven simply by the degree of one person's desire to own it.
If I painted a red dot on a blue background and put it up for auction and got sold for £1,000 then any future, similar work I do would be pegged at around the £1,000 mark. That's it. One person was prepared to pay £100 more then the person who would have been prepared to pay £900.
Some galleries create demand and boost value by hosting exhibitions of certain artist and PRing the backside out of it to create wider interest.
Some galleries place art in films and TV shows to create or boost value.
But fundamentally it just comes down to the value the buyer places on having it.
Galleries can be pushy if they sense a sale for the simple reason they don't exactly sell stuff on a daily basis.
As above, unless you are buying art as an investment, buy what you like whether its £10 from a boot sale or £10,000 from Sotherby's.
If I painted a red dot on a blue background and put it up for auction and got sold for £1,000 then any future, similar work I do would be pegged at around the £1,000 mark. That's it. One person was prepared to pay £100 more then the person who would have been prepared to pay £900.
Some galleries create demand and boost value by hosting exhibitions of certain artist and PRing the backside out of it to create wider interest.
Some galleries place art in films and TV shows to create or boost value.
But fundamentally it just comes down to the value the buyer places on having it.
Galleries can be pushy if they sense a sale for the simple reason they don't exactly sell stuff on a daily basis.
As above, unless you are buying art as an investment, buy what you like whether its £10 from a boot sale or £10,000 from Sotherby's.
swerni said:
TEKNOPUG said:
Buy art you like and will enjoy owning. Unless you have studied the market trends and know exactly what you are doing (or are in the market for a Van Dyck or two) you could get badly stung with an "investment". Remember when all the Rolf Harris paintings were booming....
DickI'm not looking for an investment, I know very little about art so I'd be better off having a punt in the bookies. This is about buying stuff we like, I'm just a little taken aback at the hard sell tactics and the barrage of calls and texts since, suggesting a deal could be done. I've always haggled a bit when buying in galleries but this latest experience on more expensive stuff (by my standards) has surprised me.
I think they're called dealers for a reason 
I remember going to a (well known) gallery near me around 12 years ago. General mooching but spotted a Damian Hirst 'dot' print for £495 in the corner and decided that whilst not my cup of tea, that I would buy it. Spoke to the bloke who said that he was sorry, but that was the last one he had and that he wanted to keep it on display. He told me not to worry though, as he'd call up Damian and ask him to run off/sign a few more copies.
At this point I decided that if they could be rattled off so quickly, why on earth would I buy one? So I walked away.
Obviously they are £10k+ now...
My other win was receiving a phone call around the same sort of time from the very nice man at the gallery that I normally buy stuff from. He told me that he'd just received a load of prints buy an exciting new artist who was 'going places'. Went to see him for a 'private viewing' after hours, and was confronted by prints of a girl chasing a balloon, a rat with a love heart, something to do with a Tesco bag amongst others. Why on earth would I want THAT on my wall at home I told him? I seem to remember that they were £295 each framed...
I remember going to a (well known) gallery near me around 12 years ago. General mooching but spotted a Damian Hirst 'dot' print for £495 in the corner and decided that whilst not my cup of tea, that I would buy it. Spoke to the bloke who said that he was sorry, but that was the last one he had and that he wanted to keep it on display. He told me not to worry though, as he'd call up Damian and ask him to run off/sign a few more copies.
At this point I decided that if they could be rattled off so quickly, why on earth would I buy one? So I walked away.
Obviously they are £10k+ now...
My other win was receiving a phone call around the same sort of time from the very nice man at the gallery that I normally buy stuff from. He told me that he'd just received a load of prints buy an exciting new artist who was 'going places'. Went to see him for a 'private viewing' after hours, and was confronted by prints of a girl chasing a balloon, a rat with a love heart, something to do with a Tesco bag amongst others. Why on earth would I want THAT on my wall at home I told him? I seem to remember that they were £295 each framed...
Thought about stuff like this??? http://www.oldworldauctions.com/img_detail.asp?lot...
Looks amazing framed and hung.
Looks amazing framed and hung.
Agree with TEKNOPUG. Buy something that you really like. To ensure it is something we will not tire of we usually ask ourselves "Does it get under our skin?", then we wait a week or more and ask the same question again. If the answer is still yes, we buy. Mind you, this method can mean you very occasionally miss a nice piece.
Edited by CR6ZZ on Wednesday 17th February 21:18
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