Saturday, August 21, 2010

highwaymen art appraisal policy

I charge a simple flat fee of $ 100.00 per painting.

For larger collections, I always offer a discount.

In most cases, I can create them with images sent by email.

There are exceptions, of course, because prints are known to exist for several of the artists, including Sam Newton, Livingston Roberts, Charles Walker and R L Lewis.


An internet hignwaymen "highjacker" has captured images from various websites and created prints of Harold Newton's work and is offering for sale mousepads and clocks featuring them.

Because of such practices , this is my official disclaimer:

I may need to physically inspect the paintings which is always preferable in any case.

You can get free appraisals in many places by many people. They may or may not be accurate regardless of the so-called credentials and societies they may have paid a fee to belong too. No matter how high-profile these appraisers may appear, very few would be accurate if you showed them a Roy McLendon painting with a shack and some people on canvas, and a similar scene on upson board.

Other appraisers may or may not wish to buy your painting which could influence their evaluation.

I am willing to buy, sell, trade and authenticate and appraise. If your painting is for sale it will not lower my evaluation.

My services have been used by other dealers, museums and the retail public.
References are available.

Buying depends on many factors, especially whether or not I like your painting as an easily salable property. Having sold thousands of highwaymen paintings over the last decade and a half, I know which ones are easy or difficult to sell.

That helps me to appraise their value realistically. The liquidity factor, let's call it.

As an example, here's a recent email I sent a potential customer: copy/paste

Hi, each artist has his own market.
And although every painting is unique, there exists a lot of repetition.

There are several prices for each piece based on scene desirability by the public.
Consumer demand has been watched closely for the last 15 years.

A liquid price, which means I write a check to you and we're done.
If you choose this option, I return the appraisal fees.
A fair wholesale asking price which is a little higher than what I would pay.
A fair retail price, higher still. What I would expect the market to bear.
What you could expect at auction minus commissions.
And the high retail insurance value I use for the certificates.

Upon payment, I give you these numbers and create the certificates.

There are willing buyers at fair wholesale. Fortunately I know a few.
Retail buyers are more difficult to find. And they are picky.

BOB

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