Whether you are an established collector of fine art or just looking to purchase a piece for your living room, shopping online for fine art can be a fulfilling experience. Unlike a gallery or auction house, the internet has unlimited inventory space where you can find everything from sculptures and vases to paintings and abstract displays. You can find genuine art from well known artists or buy direct from an up and coming artist. Sites from the well known Sotheby’s Auction House to an Ebay seller page all can be places to find fine art. This article outlines some tips and things to watch out for when shopping online for fine art so that you don’t end up with a fake piece of art and a lot less money.
Authenticity:
This is probably the most important part in searching for and deciding to purchase a piece of art. If the deal is too good to be true you may be looking at a fake. Reputable sites will guarantee the authenticity of the fine art and allow a return policy. This will allow a buyer to receive the artwork and inspect it for authenticity. If you are purchasing a well known piece, research online what makes the piece authentic. It may be the artist signature, a marking somewhere on the piece, or an original flaw in the art itself. If you decide to purchase the piece, consider taking it to an art expert to have it checked out, but again make sure the site allows you to return the piece as a site that does not allow returns is often a red flag.
If you are purchasing a piece directly from the artist, try to find others that know of the artist’s work and see if you are getting a fair price on the piece. If possible, speak with the artist or the site selling the work or even better, visit a gallery that sells that artist’s work to get a better feel for their authentic work. Many artists that sell direct are more then happy to answer questions and concerns and are often eager to put their artwork in your hands.
The condition of the artwork is also important when deciding whether to purchase a piece of fine art. Whether at an online auction house or at an online store, the price should be considered carefully when purchasing the piece. A good site will show multiple high resolution pictures of the fine art, a great site will invite potential buyers to view the piece in person. The seller of the art should offer a description of the piece and all available information about the piece such as when it was created, the artist’s name, and the physical condition of the piece. Remember that even small damages to a piece can shave hundreds, even thousands off the value of a fine art piece and a good art dealer will work hard to protect and maintain the artwork they have in stock.
Some auction houses and fine art galleries will keep a known record of previous owners and even storage conditions of the piece as well as a history of where the piece was originally purchased from. This is good information to have as not only will it give a potential buyer background information on the piece, but also help establish it’s authenticity.
Security:
Whenever shopping online, a secure site is a must when entering sensitive information like your credit card number. Fine art sites are no exception. The easiest way to see if a site is secure is to look for a padlock icon in the lower right hand corner of your browser window. This means the site is secure and also most likely encrypted as well. Reputable sites will always be encrypted. Use a service like PayPal if allowed by the site, to completely hide your credit card/bank account information from the seller. Any good online store will also send you a receipt by e-mail and an option to track your package as it travels through the mail system.
Sometimes you might just want a fine reproduction of your favorite piece of art; after all there is only one real Mona Lisa in the world. A reproduction always costs less then the original piece, but this doesn’t mean you should get a sub par quality product. Whether it is a reproduction of a sculpture or a painting, many reproduction companies and artists work hard to make the reproduction as real as possible. Reproductions range from exact replicas of the original, to reprints put on everything from posters and mugs to postcards and quilts. Make sure you are getting the full picture of what you might purchase. The seller should always indicate whether or not you are getting an original or a reproduction and there are fraudulent sellers that will try to pass off replicas as the real deal.
There is nothing wrong with an accurate replica or a poster of your favorite fine art, just make sure that you are paying for what you expect because many people have and continue to be duped into paying big money for a piece that they thought was an original. The best replicas and prints are limited edition ones each with a unique number; this ensures that they are true replications of the original and that care and time went into making them. This also ensures that it is clearly indicated that the piece is not an original piece of fine art.
Reputation:
A site’s reputation can go a long way when deciding whether or not to purchase fine art from them. Have you heard of the site or the auction house/gallery behind the site before? Do you know anyone who buys fine art who might be able to recommend a good online fine art gallery? You should browse the site to see the rest of the collection available. Look around for any awards or official recognition the site may have received from the art community or notice that the site is tested daily for security. If buying from a private dealer or artist, research them online first. Many private dealers and artists sell direct on sites such as EBay; through this site you can check the buyer feedback about that seller, see how much they’ve sold, and compare prices. Never purchase fine art or even prints and reproductions from a site that doesn’t appear secure, offer returns, or seems suspicious.
We’ve looked at multiple areas to consider when buying fine art online as well as quite a few tips on things to consider and look for when shopping online for fine art. Don’t hesitate to ask questions or to seek expert opinions from an art expert. Always do your research before clicking the buy button because not only will you be happier with your purchase after researching it, you’ll be certain that you are getting exactly what you’ve paid for.
