Paintings-old painting or new painting?
If you are submitting a painting to William Charles Gallery for appraisal keep in mind that the gallery only appraises works executed before 1940. If your painting is signed and dated that takes the guesswork out of the picture, so to speak. If it's not dated the next simplest thing to check, if it is an oil on canvas, is to observe how the canvas is attached to the stretcher. Newer paintings will have staples and older ones will have nails. If the painting was executed on canvas board sometimes the name and address of the company that manufactured the board will be on the back. If there is a zipcode in the address then you know the painting was executed post-1960. Generally one with a decent eye can tell if a canvas board is old just by looking at the lettering and overall design of the board. Older ones look old and have an antiquated feel about them. The company's name is usually on a paper label and the paper, if it's old, is yellowed or sepia toned. Here's a couple of label illustrations:
Tips to consider when examining antique art objects
In the upcoming weeks I will be sharing tidbits about antique prints & paintings to assist you in differentiating between the old and new, decorative and valuable, original and reproduction. First thing to remember is that there are no hard, fast rules. Quite the contrary, there are plenty of conflicting rules. For instance, there is a well known and accepted axiom in the world of antiques that goes like this: "just because an object is 100 years old does not mean it is valuable". However, I can assure that if you are trying to decide between the purchase of two Cliffs of Dover paintings, one being 25 years old and the other being 125 years old, you will pay more for the latter. Then again, if the the 25 year old painting was executed by a well known artist and the other was painted by Joe Paintbynumbers Jr, you'll pay more for the former. Even if the former is half the size as Joe's. Got it? 
Don't worry, we will not concern ourselves with these ambiguities and will just stick with some simple tips to help you become a bit more knowledgable when looking at art.
This first post, using an etching by Alfred Hutty, will help discern whether a print is a commercially reproduced photolithograph or an original. The former is usually considered decorative and not worth much while the latter is considered an original work of art and may be valuable depending on the artist.
It will be very helpful if you own a magnifier, or lupe as it is called in the trade, and it should be at least 10x in power. The lupe will tell you immediately whether you are looking at a reproduction or an original. Simply place the lupe on the image area of the print (widest end down) and peer into the top of the lupe. You will see that everything has become magnified and if you see a series of tiny, equally spaced and shaped dots, you are looking at a reproduction print (photolithograph).
If it's an original you won't see any dots. If you do not have a lupe you will have to examine the print in a different way:Paramount is checking for a pencilled (or ink) artist's signature... usually found in the margin area.
This first post, using an etching by Alfred Hutty, will help discern whether a print is a commercially reproduced photolithograph or an original. The former is usually considered decorative and not worth much while the latter is considered an original work of art and may be valuable depending on the artist.
It will be very helpful if you own a magnifier, or lupe as it is called in the trade, and it should be at least 10x in power. The lupe will tell you immediately whether you are looking at a reproduction or an original. Simply place the lupe on the image area of the print (widest end down) and peer into the top of the lupe. You will see that everything has become magnified and if you see a series of tiny, equally spaced and shaped dots, you are looking at a reproduction print (photolithograph).
If it's an original you won't see any dots. If you do not have a lupe you will have to examine the print in a different way:Paramount is checking for a pencilled (or ink) artist's signature... usually found in the margin area.
- Check for an edition number which can be notated in different ways but most often it will look like this: 25/50.
Check the borders of the image for a slight indentation (platemark)
You should also check the condition of the print, assuming it is an original, as condition is an important factor in determining value
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CURVE BALLS...and there are many:
Sometimes you will find the artist's signature in the image area of the print as opposed to the margin area. This denotes that the signature, along with the image, has been reproduced and is not a hand signed signature. Again, if you have a lupe, inspection will find the tell-tale dots in the signature.
Additionally, sometimes you will find a decorative print that has the platemark in the margin that usually is found in originals. This is a practice to "lend" originality to a decorative print and it is called a false platemark. On the other hand, there are decorative prints with indented margins that have value, all depends on the artist. There are many exceptions to the rules which will require an investment of time to learn.
EDITION NUMBERS:
In the Hutty illustration ed-75 means that 75 impressions of this print were made. Usually the impression quanity is noted like this 25/75. The bottom number is the most important one as it tells you how many impressions were made and the smaller the number, the better. The top number is insignificant as it tells you that this is the 25th print the artist has signed and numbered. If you have a print that is numbered 1/75 it does not mean that this is the first print pulled of the 75. It could've been the last print pulled but the first print numbered.
CONDITION:
When appraising art one of the most important factors in determining value is the condition of the piece. There are obvious condition issues such as tears, stains, creases, or that mustache added to a female portrait but we are going to look at some not so obvious, but important, issues. Sometimes you will find a print that has been completely glued to a stiffer backing to accomodate matting and framing. The term for this practice is called, "laid down", and it does negatively affect value. Collectors seek prints in their original condtion hence laying them down alters their originality.
Tape. Sometimes tape too is used to hold a print in place for matting. (called hinging) The only acceptable tape to use for this purpose is linen tape as at some point it can be removed without leaving any stains or damage to the print. Masking tape, electrical tape, duct tape, scotch tape.. are all no-nos.
Here is an illustrative illustration of condition issues:
Finally, here is an illustration of a lithograph by Ester Brock-Bird with the edition numbers listed in the usual manner, signature and date. Note that lithographs do not have indented plate margins.
Additionally, sometimes you will find a decorative print that has the platemark in the margin that usually is found in originals. This is a practice to "lend" originality to a decorative print and it is called a false platemark. On the other hand, there are decorative prints with indented margins that have value, all depends on the artist. There are many exceptions to the rules which will require an investment of time to learn.
EDITION NUMBERS:
In the Hutty illustration ed-75 means that 75 impressions of this print were made. Usually the impression quanity is noted like this 25/75. The bottom number is the most important one as it tells you how many impressions were made and the smaller the number, the better. The top number is insignificant as it tells you that this is the 25th print the artist has signed and numbered. If you have a print that is numbered 1/75 it does not mean that this is the first print pulled of the 75. It could've been the last print pulled but the first print numbered.
When appraising art one of the most important factors in determining value is the condition of the piece. There are obvious condition issues such as tears, stains, creases, or that mustache added to a female portrait but we are going to look at some not so obvious, but important, issues. Sometimes you will find a print that has been completely glued to a stiffer backing to accomodate matting and framing. The term for this practice is called, "laid down", and it does negatively affect value. Collectors seek prints in their original condtion hence laying them down alters their originality.
Tape. Sometimes tape too is used to hold a print in place for matting. (called hinging) The only acceptable tape to use for this purpose is linen tape as at some point it can be removed without leaving any stains or damage to the print. Masking tape, electrical tape, duct tape, scotch tape.. are all no-nos.
Here is an illustrative illustration of condition issues:
Finally, here is an illustration of a lithograph by Ester Brock-Bird with the edition numbers listed in the usual manner, signature and date. Note that lithographs do not have indented plate margins.
Risk Free Appraisals
My name is Bill Herrmann and I have been selling antiques in Detroit since 1985. My antique shop, William Charles Gallery, is located in a quaint historical section of Detroit called West Village, but, as quaint as the section is, it's still in the recession's hardest hit city in the nation. So, with antique shops closing by the troves in this city I thought why not try a different means of generating income to survive?
I have amassed an extensive research library of antiques, art and art sales over the years and I love researching. I am betting that many of you have objects lying around that you've often wondered the value of.
At the bottom of this page you will find links to my website and contact information. Instructions for submitting art for appraisal are in the right hand column and if you have any questions you can post them here, email or call. Keep in mind that if I don't find any information on your item it doesn't mean that your item is not worth anything, it just means that I've found nothing in my research library... which is extensive. Best of all this is risk free to you..
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