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Q: I've bought several pieces of art at charity auctions and am thinking about buying more. Selling prices are usually less than at regular auctions and substantially less than at galleries. Do you have any tips or strategies for buying art in this manner?
A: Don't get too excited about these bargains you think you're getting. Charity auction art can be uneven in quality and sometimes just plain inferior. Dealers, artists, and collectors who donate to these sales frequently do so for tax or social reasons and tend to consign art that they're tired of looking at, have had trouble selling, is minor or unimportant, is not in perfect condition, or has been lying around for years because it's not what collectors want. Think about it-- would you be more inclined to donate an item that's readily salable for a good cash price or one that few people want and no one will pay a decent price for?
If you're bidding on art that's problematic or undesirable in some way, it's naturally going to sell for less and may not be a bargain at all. Given this scenario, getting a "bargain" should be less of a concern than figuring out whether the art is worth owning in the first place. If you pay a low price for something few people want, do you call that a good buy? Probably not.
Not all charity auction art is inferior, however. Marvelous pieces often get donated and these are the ones you should keep your eye out for. One notable exception to the inferiority rule is when museums or other institutions that own large amounts of art deaccess from their collections in order to raise money. They sometimes donate great art simply because it does not fit their collecting interests or long term goals. What's minor or irrelevant to them may be highly desirable to collectors. The tendency is for institutional deaccessions to be better bidding risks than art that comes from private donations or for-profit galleries.
In order to maximize your effectiveness at charity art auctions, always do your research ahead of time. Never assume that a work of art is automatically worth owning. Find out where everything comes from--most auctions publicize donors' names in exchange for their donations. Pay particular attention to pieces that come from respected galleries, collectible artists, institutions, museums, and major collectors. These are often the most worthwhile items to chase after. Inspect all items carefully before the auctions, and confine your bidding to quality, collectible examples. Staying sober is also a good idea-- many charity auctions serve copious amounts of food and drink immediately before bidding begins in order to loosen people up who may otherwise be judicious in their spending. Airline miles sell, art purchases, art sells, arts sale, buy car, buy cars, buy cars for sale, buy classifieds, buy for sale, buy used car, buy used cars, classifieds sell, purchase arts, resell art, sale sell, sell auction, sell books, sell car, sell cars, sell classified ads, sell equipment, sell for cash, sell for sale, sell side, sell swg credits, sell textbooks, sell ticket, sell tickets, sell used books, sell used car, sell used cars, sell used cds, selling arts, trade sell
Q: I've bought several pieces of art at charity auctions and am thinking about buying more. Selling prices are usually less than at regular auctions and substantially less than at galleries. Do you have any tips or strategies for buying art in this manner?
A: Don't get too excited about these bargains you think you're getting. Charity auction art can be uneven in quality and sometimes just plain inferior. Dealers, artists, and collectors who donate to these sales frequently do so for tax or social reasons and tend to consign art that they're tired of looking at, have had trouble selling, is minor or unimportant, is not in perfect condition, or has been lying around for years because it's not what collectors want. Think about it-- would you be more inclined to donate an item that's readily salable for a good cash price or one that few people want and no one will pay a decent price for?
If you're bidding on art that's problematic or undesirable in some way, it's naturally going to sell for less and may not be a bargain at all. Given this scenario, getting a "bargain" should be less of a concern than figuring out whether the art is worth owning in the first place. If you pay a low price for something few people want, do you call that a good buy? Probably not.
Not all charity auction art is inferior, however. Marvelous pieces often get donated and these are the ones you should keep your eye out for. One notable exception to the inferiority rule is when museums or other institutions that own large amounts of art deaccess from their collections in order to raise money. They sometimes donate great art simply because it does not fit their collecting interests or long term goals. What's minor or irrelevant to them may be highly desirable to collectors. The tendency is for institutional deaccessions to be better bidding risks than art that comes from private donations or for-profit galleries.
In order to maximize your effectiveness at charity art auctions, always do your research ahead of time. Never assume that a work of art is automatically worth owning. Find out where everything comes from--most auctions publicize donors' names in exchange for their donations. Pay particular attention to pieces that come from respected galleries, collectible artists, institutions, museums, and major collectors. These are often the most worthwhile items to chase after. Inspect all items carefully before the auctions, and confine your bidding to quality, collectible examples. Staying sober is also a good idea-- many charity auctions serve copious amounts of food and drink immediately before bidding begins in order to loosen people up who may otherwise be judicious in their spending. Airline miles sell, art purchases, art sells, arts sale, buy car, buy cars, buy cars for sale, buy classifieds, buy for sale, buy used car, buy used cars, classifieds sell, purchase arts, resell art, sale sell, sell auction, sell books, sell car, sell cars, sell classified ads, sell equipment, sell for cash, sell for sale, sell side, sell swg credits, sell textbooks, sell ticket, sell tickets, sell used books, sell used car, sell used cars, sell used cds, selling arts, trade sell