If you are reading this article, there’s a good chance that you may have an old painting at home which is a treasured possession that you’ve owned for years. Alternatively you might be curious about something you have either inherited, or found in a thrift store, charity shop, car boot sale or junk shop. Maybe you have a work of art lying unwanted in the attic or garage, or stashed behind a wardrobe. Whatever the circumstance, the point is that you need to know more about your old picture or painting.
This article will attempt to give you some practical advice on researching and marketing an old work of art. The vast majority of these paintings, prints, and etchings will have a relatively low market value and may be tricky to sell, but don’t give up just yet because there are many lost and forgotten masterpieces out there just waiting to be re-discovered.
Important! Do not remove an old picture from its frame as this can devalue the item.
How Much Is My Old Painting Worth?
Steps to researching and appraising antique art.
- First make sure it an original rather than a copy or a print. Examine with a magnifying glass to identify whether the piece was painted or printed
- If it is a print, it still may be worth something. If yours is a limited edition it will be worth more than a normal print.
- Do not remove the frame from an old piece of art. This can devalue or damage the work. Plus, the frame itself could be valuable.
- To identify the artist, look for a signature, initials, or monogram. There are a number of online resources with artist signatures for comparison.
- Use an on-line image search to check whether your painting is a copy
- Once you have identified your artist, check his or her other works on-line to see what they sell for.
- If your painting is valuable, reach out to us if you would like a formal valuation.
Source : https://hobbylark.com/collecting/How-much-is-my-old-painting-worth-How-to-research-and-sell-antique-pictures-and-paintings