Buyer beware when purchasing art


Scamming Art Dealers and Galleries There are too many scams to mention when it comes to the art business. Art is inherently difficult to value. It can be as bad, or worse than buying a used car from a "Fast Freddie" car lot. With art, the value is always relative. If you ever watched the antiques road show, the experts are guessing what something will go for at auction. There is no way to be certain. It's also a tricky thing to insure. Here are a few pointers when purchasing art: Do your homework. Get all the information you can and look it up online. E- Bay isn't a bad place to start. If a print you're looking to purchase by the Chinese Picasso is selling for $6000 retail at a gallery and people are selling the same limited edition piece and can't get a $100 bid, you might want to think twice, or buy it online instead. Retail is usually about the most you will ever pay, or should ever pay for art. If there is nothing available on the secondary markets online, then you might be looking at something that is in demand, or is in limited supply. Either case is a good sign. Only deal with reputable dealers. Watch out for the snake in the grass. Art dealers will try to get you to make an impulse buy. For God's sake, watch out for getting cornered in a viewing area. Dealers will barricade you in and talk your ears off, or let you ramble on about yourself. Then not let you out of the viewing area until they get your credit card. Watch out for aggressive techniques and telemarketing by art dealers. They will play your heart strings and use guilt trips for all the time they spent with you. If they are being aggressive, think twice. They obviously have much to gain. Don't be afraid to haggle. You can almost count on taking off 10% in a retail environment. If they are the publisher, the margin is even more significant because they are manufacturing and more than likely have an exclusive contract with the artist. Ask for 10- 15% off minimum. Because a gallery "publishes" art, doesn't mean they are reputable. It just means they are making tons of money on the piece in a retail setting. It also means they can control any order placed for a piece, so if another gallery has an order placed for a piece, they can slow shipment in favor of their own galleries, etc. They will always try to get you to name the price first, that puts the ball in their court in the negotiation. Don't listen to sales techniques like, "It's priced at opening price." That is neither here nor there. They will sell the piece for whatever they can get. Even if it's an 8000% mark-up. I have seen it. If they publish a machined silk screen using less than archival inks and architectural molding instead of actual carved wood molding. Find out exactly how much you are paying for any framing, $1000 is a steep price for a plaster frame. If it's hand carved wood, than the frame might have value. Inspect the art very closely before you purchase and always check the frame closely for damage. If they have had the piece for any amount of time it may have been taken in and out of storage, taken off the wall many times. Also check the glass, and make sure it is glass, not plastic. If it is Plexiglas, that it's pvc free. Try to avoid buying demo models. If they have been on display for any extended period they might have faded, especially anywhere near a window or door. Check closely for embedded dirt. Be especially careful with water- bourne acrylic paintings. When they get dirt embedded into them, you can't remove the particulates, without marring the artwork. Don't be impulsive when purchasing art. Don't be manipulated to purchase because it won't be there in a day, unless it's priced very well, it's one of a kind and you've done your homework. They will try to get you to put a deposit down , so you will have to come back. Be sure to get the price, the title, the number in the edition and any other important info like the provenance. A colorful history can add value to a piece of art. Then go online and see how much it's going for on E Bay. Do your homework and you won't be disappointed when you look at your wall.

Scamming Art Dealers and Galleries

There are too many scams to mention when it comes to the art business. Art is inherently difficult to value. It can be as bad, or worse than buying a used car from a "Fast Freddie" car lot.

With art, the value is always relative. If you ever watched the antiques road show, the experts are guessing what something will go for at auction. There is no way to be certain. It's also a tricky thing to insure.

Here are a few pointers when purchasing art:

Do your homework. Get all the information you can and look it up online. E- Bay isn't a bad place to start. If a print you're looking to purchase by the Chinese Picasso is selling for $6000 retail at a gallery and people are selling the same limited edition piece and can't get a $100 bid, you might want to think twice, or buy it online instead.

Retail is usually about the most you will ever pay, or should ever pay for art. If there is nothing available on the secondary markets online, then you might be looking at something that is in demand, or is in limited supply. Either case is a good sign.

Only deal with reputable dealers. Watch out for the snake in the grass. Art dealers will try to get you to make an impulse buy.

For God's sake, watch out for getting cornered in a viewing area. Dealers will barricade you in and talk your ears off, or let you ramble on about yourself. Then not let you out of the viewing area until they get your credit card.

Watch out for aggressive techniques and telemarketing by art dealers. They will play your heart strings and use guilt trips for all the time they spent with you. If they are being aggressive, think twice. They obviously have much to gain.

Don't be afraid to haggle. You can almost count on taking off 10% in a retail environment. If they are the publisher, the margin is even more significant because they are manufacturing and more than likely have an exclusive contract with the artist. Ask for 10- 15% off minimum.

Because a gallery "publishes" art, doesn't mean they are reputable. It just means they are making tons of money on the piece in a retail setting. It also means they can control any order placed for a piece, so if another gallery has an order placed for a piece, they can slow shipment in favor of their own galleries, etc.

They will always try to get you to name the price first, that puts the ball in their court in the negotiation.

Don't listen to sales techniques like, "It's priced at opening price." That is neither here nor there. They will sell the piece for whatever they can get. Even if it's an 8000% mark-up. I have seen it. If they publish a machined silk screen using less than archival inks and architectural molding instead of actual carved wood molding.

Find out exactly how much you are paying for any framing, $1000 is a steep price for a plaster frame. If it's hand carved wood, than the frame might have value.

Inspect the art very closely before you purchase and always check the frame closely for damage. If they have had the piece for any amount of time it may have been taken in and out of storage, taken off the wall many times. Also check the glass, and make sure it is glass, not plastic. If it is Plexiglas, that it's pvc free.

Try to avoid buying demo models. If they have been on display for any extended period they might have faded, especially anywhere near a window or door.

Check closely for embedded dirt. Be especially careful with water- bourne acrylic paintings. When they get dirt embedded into them, you can't remove the particulates, without marring the artwork.

Don't be impulsive when purchasing art. Don't be manipulated to purchase because it won't be there in a day, unless it's priced very well, it's one of a kind and you've done your homework.

They will try to get you to put a deposit down , so you will have to come back.

Be sure to get the price, the title, the number in the edition and any other important info like the provenance. A colorful history can add value to a piece of art. Then go online and see how much it's going for on E Bay.

Do your homework and you won't be disappointed when you look at your wall.