Everything You Need to Know About Antique Paintings for Sale and Otherwise | Bradenton | Lakewood | Ellenton
- Posted on 15th December 2016
- in Antique Art, Antique Paintings
- by Alan
Are you an antique painting enthusiast? Whether you are interested in a specific artist or simply appreciating all beautiful artwork, antique paintings can make a great addition to any home art collection. In addition to serving as a valuable investment, the right antique painting can dramatically alter the appearance of a room while serving as a beautiful conversation starter. Whether you’re trying to find where to sell antique paintings or you want to buy a new painting, there is some helpful information that can make the process easier.
Valuable Information Can Be Found on the Back of the Painting
When you examine original antique art paintings for sale, you can get a lot of information about the piece by checking out the back. One crucial piece is the stretcher, the group of four wooden bars placed together to form a rectangle or square. The canvas will be wrapped around the stretcher bars to make it taut, and the way the canvas is secured to the stretcher can tell you the age of the canvas. If the painting is attached to the stretcher with nails, your canvas probably dates to around 1940 or earlier. However, if the artwork is secured with staples, you can feel confident the canvas was stretched sometime after the early 1940s.
Know the Difference Between an Original and a Reproduction
Searching for antique paintings for sale, you must know how to tell an original from a reproduction. There are a few helpful tips to follow:
- Reproductions print copyright information in small letters, often with a copyright symbol.
- Reproductions are usually done on cardboard, fiberboard, or paper and will be lightweight, thin, and stiff.
- If a painting is done on canvas, hold it to the light and view it from behind. It is likely a reproduction if you can easily see the image from behind.
Antique Art Paintings Can Be Sold at a Variety of Venues
From private art dealers to your neighbor’s house down the street, there are many places to find unique antique paintings. If you want something specific, the Internet might be your best resource. Sites like Live Auctioneers or eBay are good places to find the particular painting you seek. However, if you are looking for eclectic and exciting pieces, a trip to a local antique store or estate sale may yield some surprising finds.
Know the Value
Before you put money into purchasing an antique painting, you must know its value. An appraiser or antique dealer with experience in fine art can tell you if a potential piece is authentic as well as the value. At Sarasota Antique Buyers, for example, we provide customers with a market analysis of their item – the amount they would likely sell for at auction. You may want the seller to provide you with a certificate of authenticity for famous works to ensure you get the real deal.