Mr. Baumgartner
I know that some of you who haven't been following my blog will be confused but I will try my best to help you understand. A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to purchase several Kentucky paintings by Carl Brenner and Harvey Joiner. These paintings needed to be freshened up so I delivered them to Mr. Baumgartner of “Baumgartner Fine Art Restoration” on Michigan Avenue in Chicago to have his magic applied to them. In a blog I compared waiting to get these paintings back to waiting on my wife to deliver our first child. I have to admit that the excitement and anxiety were still with me as I took that long drive from the suburbs to downtown Chicago.
The first question that I asked upon entering the door of the restorer was "Are they all right?" and flashes from the past came streaming to my mind because that was the same question that I asked the doctors. Mr. Baumgartner assured me that everything was all right and then it was time to see for myself. First I approached the smaller of the paintings which was a scene from the mountains by Harvey Joiner. It was truly beautiful but I knew that I had left the best for last. As my eyes landed on the very large Carl Brenner it almost took my breath away. I am not sure that I have ever seen a more beautiful painting in my life plus the hand carved frame that encompassed the painting was gold gilded and approximately six inches wide. Nothing can really compare with the first time I saw my son but this came close.
Yes, this business is based on making money, but I have found that the side advantages you receive by buying antiques and collectibles often are more rewarding than the payout you receive when your treasures are sold. If you stay the course in this business there will be treasures that pass through your hands and the money made on them will warm your heart but there will be a few that you will never forget. I can think of two that fit that classification for me and they are the Fredrick Morgan painting I sold at Christie's for over $100,000 and the Carl Brenner that I just picked up today. Yes, I will be selling the Brenner but I promise you it will never be far from my mind when I am thinking of beautiful works of art.
There are several lessons to be learned from the above information. First, let me repeat that if you can buy several items at the same time usually the price for each will be reduced. This was true of the paintings I purchased. Being able to purchase six paintings and two other items, I was able to negotiate a favorable price for the lot which was much better than if I had purchased each piece separately. Second, quality is still king and if you can find quality items be sure to take advantage and buy them while they are in front of you. If I had waited I am sure that there would have been other individuals that would have bought this or that separate piece leaving me with nothing to purchase. But the best lesson is that you can't keep everything the tickles your eye. Yes, I am having a hard time separating myself from the Brenner painting but I am on a quest to win the million dollar race and if I keep all the great pieces I buy then the finish line will never be crossed. My rule for myself is that I never keep anything until the total price for the lot that I purchased has returned me 100% profit or more. Then I might pull a painting or vase aside to keep.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment