#Week #Thrifting #Dont #Afraid #Buying #Art #WorthPoint
Ever since I first heard WorthPoint’s VP of Editorial Content, Eric Bradley, share his tips for finding amazing art from the thrift store, I’ve always hoped that I could thrift an artistic find of my own! But dipping your toe into the art world can certainly feel like a daunting task. After all, there’s just so much to know about art. How’s a collector or reseller supposed to gauge the value of a drawing or painting if they don’t even know what they’re looking at?
That’s why I’m so excited to show off this recently thrifted artwork. It’s a great example of thrifted art that has value, and it offers a great lesson in what to look for in your art, even if you don’t know anything about art.
First, look for a signature. Even if you can’t read the signature, or it’s a name you don’t recognize, just having a signature is the first step toward learning the story behind the artwork and the artist. In my case, this thrifted drawing had a signature, a date, and a number scrawled in the corner.
Dates are another sign that a piece of art might be worth buying because, of course, it helps you determine a piece’s age. And, a series number can help determine rarity. For instance, if your print is marked “4 of 50,” you can safely assume that there are only fifty prints that the artist made, which adds another dimension of rarity to your find.
And, like any collectible, condition is so important when it comes to art, especially if it’s by a lesser-known artist. Although professionals, curators, and collectors around the world would appreciate the value of restoring, for instance, a priceless Rembrandt, a restoration of a lesser-known artist might not be worth the money. So, if you’re looking to make money off your thrifted art, you’re probably better off going with items that are already in good shape. Use a loupe to look closely for damage and see if the frame is also in decent shape.
My newly thrifted artwork checked all of these boxes, but it also checked the most important box of all: I like it! When thrifting for art, it’s important to make sure it’s a piece you enjoy, especially if you’ll be storing it in your living room until it sells. To check out my new favorite find and to learn more thrifting tips, check out the full episode of This Week in Thrifting.
In addition to her role as HIP’s curator of photography, Allison Radomski is a writer and filmmaker. She spends her days hunting for analog cameras, scoring her own movies in her laundry closet, and building her collections of Polaroids and handkerchiefs. She has degrees in cinema & media studies and religious studies from the University of Chicago.
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