Fine Art Paintings’ Rising Prices and 5 Rules for Buying & Selling Paintings and Fine Art

Wallace Weir Fahnestock (Vermont, 1877-1962) original oil on canvas of offered at 31 Gallery

Why has the price of good art continued to rise regardless of what the economy does? If you’re like me, you might have wondered why this is true. I have seen the figures, and it’s evident that good art has been the best investment over the years, surpassing most other types of financial investments. When I see paintings selling for 250 Million or more, I can’t help but believe this is true.

“Follow the growing trends,” was one of the first lessons I learned as a stockbroker, so in applying this to the Antique and Fine Art field, you’d have to say the trend is definitely up, and that’s where we should be dealing.

I have encouraged all our members to study and do research on art and artists that interest them. Personally, I have made more money with my art purchases than from any other items. This being so, I suggest you spend the time necessary to educate yourself in the field of art. This doesn't mean for you to abandon all you other research, but to include it whether or not it’s your favorite area. I try to be familiar with a great number of artists, but I spend extra amounts of time studying groups of artists, such as Kentucky Artists or Artists of the West. Choose whatever interests you most.

So why is good art selling at the skyrocketing prices it does? I think I might have partly figured one reason after I attended a very large Art Show yesterday. As I walked through booth after booth, I realized all the works seemed the same to me. There were lots of large canvases and bright colors, but one just faded into the next. Then I had a strange thought: These must be props for department store windows. Sounds crazy, I know. I guess what I was really thinking was that these pieces were so very commercial and lacking in artistic mastery. Nothing made me say, Wow! The pieces selling at this large art show had selling prices from $500-$3,000 and I truly believe if someone tried to re-sell one of these a year from now, they’d be lucky to sell it for $150.

Then a thought hit me. Where are we going to get great works of art in the future? The lack of contemporary works to appreciate in the future or the lack of works that will be sought after by future collectors was evident to me. It will have to be from the secondary markets. This only reinforced my belief in the trend showing the prices of good art, purchased in the secondary markets, escalating with no end in sight.

This is also why we should pursue good artwork to sell. I hope you won't think this is just an old man’s opinion. Good art will last over time, but bad art will always be bad art. What does an up trend in the art market mean for 31 Club Members? Your time spent becoming knowledgeable in the art area will be time well spent and profitable. Having said that, below you’ll find some general rules and guidelines for buying and selling fine art.

5 General Rules to Buying and Selling Paintings and Fine Art

1. Oil Paintings, as a rule, bring the most money.

2. Size matters. Larger paintings usually bring the most money, but not always.

3. Watercolor Paintings and Drawings follow oil paintings for value in that order. Prints are usually last in value.

4. The Artist’s record of sales prices is very important, and his mark (the highest price paid for one of his pieces) will usually be very important in the future prices for his work.

5. Buy the best art you can afford.


Remember, these are general rules, and with any rule, there are always exceptions. Keep this in mind as a guideline and always do your research.

The secondary market for high quality artworks is where you and I can affect our future plans in the art and antique business most. When we buy the best art we can afford, we will always have customers. It may take a little more time to present a piece to the point where a customer will see it, but when he does, he will pay the asking price. This is the function of the 31 Club Gallery and Marketplace. Over the last couple of weeks, we sold a $5,000 painting and a vase for $3,750. Now is the time to start having the marketplace represent your quality pieces, because buyers are searching our site for good works of art and other high quality antiques & collectibles.

Put a Turbo Charge on your Antique & Collectible Treasure Hunting Skills. Join Daryle Lambert's 31 Club.

Get FREE MENTORING. Learn the Fine Art and Antique Industry Insider Secrets that can help you make money trading in these treasures. Then Learn to Grow Your Money Exponentially Buying and Selling only Antiques, Fine Art, and Collectibles with Daryle's Strategic Business Plan. Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Dealers, making more money than they thought possible. Join Daryle Lambert's 31 Club, today.

My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. Join Today!

Check out the new Paintings and new items in our Gallery and Marketplace here.

Exposure Sells Your High Quality Antiques - Even in This Economy

Dimitar Manev, "Woman & Goat", is a new listing at 31 Club's Gallery & Marketplace. Manev, well known and exhibited in Europe, will be represented in America by 31 Inc.

Exposure of Your Antique Items is Key to Getting it Sold

We’ve talked about buying antiques and fine art, and I’ve shared with you the importance of buying right in my book, as well as in the Blog. But once you’ve made your purchases, your items must be exposed to the potential buyer. Exposure will be the key to getting your item sold.

We’ve been busy building up the 31 Gallery & Marketplace for this very purpose. The adjustments Jeremy has been making to our website should make each item searchable on a search engine and greatly increase the exposure of your item. Over the past year, our website ranking has steadily increased, and today our site has an excellent ranking.

So, while many of you have written, called and shared your latest purchases, now’s the time to get busy selling so you can keep your money churning. Become familiar with the 31 Gallery & Marketplace. We hope to see your items listed here. The more items we list, the greater viewership we will have. I believe that there will be no better place to sell your true treasures than on your own club website, and the amount of money saved will allow you to complete your “Million Dollar Race” even that much faster.

Picasso, Chagall, Dubord, and Vickery may be a few listed artists you’ve become familiar with in your search, and yesterday I stated that the 31 Club was in negotiation to purchase a collection. Well, the negotiations are over and your Club is now in the possession of either lithographs or originals by these artists. Although some are lithographs, they are still much in demand, because each is signed by the artist. One of the greatest things about each piece is that they are professionally framed and ready to hang in the most discriminating home. Throw in a few pieces of Lalique and a slag lamp with this sale, and I say we had one whale of a day! You will see these items listed on the market place as soon as I can find the time to list them.

I’m not the only one in the buying mood based upon the e-mails and calls I’m getting. Keep up the great work and keep e-mailing us. Keep up the great work and keep your emails coming.

Yesterday, a member asked me when I buy. My answer was, “Whenever the opportunity presents itself.” I have no special buying time. It might be tomorrow or not for a few weeks, but when it does come, don’t be bashful. Yesterday was our time to buy. When you consistently hand out business cards and speak to people everyday about your business, you’ll soon start getting calls, in every season of the year.

Antiques, Fine Art & The Economy

I’ve been very pleased on how fast our members are being able to distinguish the better pieces from the common ones. I hope you’re spending your time becoming increasingly more familiar with the items that meet your personal preferences, keeping your eye on the trend and taking notice of what others are buying. And they are buying, regardless of how bleakly the evening news paints the picture of the U.S. economy.

There is more money pouring into this country than ever in our history. With the dollar so undervalued, America is the best place in the world right now to make investments; particularly in rare and valuable tangible items given the volatility of the stock markets.

Now that we’re in an economic slowdown here in the U.S., other countries are prospering like never before. They’ve got more money to burn than they know what to do with, and they’re looking to buy here for pennies on the dollar. They’re very interested in the rare and valuable antique and fine art items we’re dealing in and are gobbling them up. Yes, indeed! Ours is an international business, and people from other parts of the world know it’s “Betty’s Bargain Basement” in America right now. And they’re coming here with empty suitcases in hand. Let’s plan to have what they’re looking for on hand.

Let’s not forget that there’s more wealthy people in our country than ever before, as well. And they’re still buying. My friend, Murray out in California, just told me about an extraordinary day his wife had selling china at a department store in Beverly Hills.

A lady walked in stating she’d like to purchase a set of China. Murray’s wife assisted her and at the end of the day, this woman’s grand total was $125,000. Who says people don’t have money for discretionary spending? Just think, if we could have shown her a set of Antique Meissen, we could’ve made a wonderful sale, and the customer could have owned something of great value, now and most likely, in the future.

So, don’t let the ten o’clock news upset you too much. Your time to shine will come soon enough when you make the necessary steps through the 31 Club Plan.
Put a Turbo Charge on your Antique & Collectible Treasure Hunting Skills. Join Daryle Lambert's 31 Club.

Get FREE MENTORING. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets that help you increase your profits. Then Learn to Grow Your Money Exponentially Buying and Selling only Antiques, Fine Art, and Collectibles with Daryle's Strategic Business Plan. Our Members are Newbies to Seasoned Dealers, making more money than they thought possible. Join Daryle Lambert's 31 Club, today.

My 220 page book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is FREE with your membership. Join Today!

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