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 appreciate 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 important piece is the stretcher, which is the group of four wooden bars placed tougher 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 painting is attached with staples, you can feel confident the canvas was stretched sometime after the early 1940s.

Know the Difference Between an Original and a Reproduction

If you are in search of antique paintings for sale, it is important that you know how to tell an original from a reproduction. There are a few helpful tips to follow:

• Reproductions typically have copyright information printed in small letters, often with a copyright symbol
• Reproductions re usually done on cardboard, fiberboard, or paper, and they will be lightweight, thin, and stiff
• If a painting is done on canvas, hold it up to the light and view it from behind. If you can easily see the image from behind, it is likely a reproduction

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 are looking for something specific, the Internet might be your best resources. Sites like Live Auctioneers or eBay are a good way to find the specific painting that you seek. However, if you are simply looking for eclectic and interesting pieces, a trip to a local antique store or estate sale may yield some surprising finds.

Know the Value

Before you put money into the purchase of an antique painting, it is important that you know the 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 – that is, the amount they would likely sell for at auction. You may want the seller to provide you with a certificate of authenticity for popular works to make sure that you are getting the real deal.