Valuing Art prints

BFFrames

Grumbler in Training
Joined
Mar 19, 2020
Posts
1
Location
Hawkinsville, GA
Business
Bragg's Fine Frames
Hello we are new to the forum. We opened our business in 2015 after we inherited it in 2014 and we have been flying by the seat of our pants working it part time since then. We were able to join the PPFA and do some research. Now we are to the point that I am at least able to work the store full time. We have approximately 2500 vintage prints. All signed and numbered, most have COA's with them. The ones that do not I am not always able to read the artist's signature. Can you give me some advice on where to go to find current values on this? In 2014 we had an estate auctioneer tell us to just give the art away it wasn't worth anything. Mind you he didn't look at any of the pieces, just the large amount of items in climate controlled storage at the time.
 
I know of only one member of the G that is an appraiser.
Without specific information on the prints, it's really hard to give any advice, but generally prints have not fared well in the current market, and vintage prints (Victorian, etc) have lost a good deal of their customer base. Your auctioneer may have been right.
 
Ditto what Wally said. Over the years there have been numerous threads about this and the consensus is that unless you have something very special most are better suited to be used as wrapping paper or wall paper than sellable art. The resale ship for art prints sailed some time ago.

One suggestion is to give the art away to anyone that has it framed. Make a bin of it with a sign, "Art Free with a Frame" or some such.
 
Same here. The local auctioneer will not handle prints.

The assault on art came in waves:

- abuse of the limited edition concept by Kincaid, and to a lesser degree, the Batemans of the nature art world
- China, with its cheap originals, sold by the
- big boxes
- giclee printing, then cheap high-volume giclee printing
- and now cheap giclees on canvas, with no frames, or with cheap plastic frames.
- finally, kids are storing their “art” on the cell phones
 
Some signed, limited edition prints still have a value. But usually they are of a 'niche market' interest.
And then it depends very much on the condition. Any creases, dings, trimming, fading will reduce the
value drastically. In the '90s I did a lot of aviation prints that were co-signed by various WWII veterans
of note. Most of these guys have since passed so the prints are even more collectable. The Holy Grail
one was a Robert Taylor one co-signed by Adolf Galland and Douglas Bader. Published about 1980
these prints were nothing too special at the time and most were framed very cheaply to sell at air shows.
I doubt if any mint copies exist. The last one I saw was stuck to hardboard with what appeared to be
wallpaper paste. No mat.

Had one in this week which was a rare thing. David Shepherd's Summer of 1940 which depicts a lot of
airmen lolling about next to their aircraft waiting to scramble. I have to reframe it and what it's worth
is largely down to how much masking tape/doublestick is on it. ☹

Most so-called limited editions, signed or not, are basically worth what someone is willing to pay.
If they want them at all. Tastes change over the generations.
 
I found a good place to start is eBay. Just to see what is selling and what not and for what price. Plus you can see how many are on the market. Just checking those listings might give you a fair idea.

Without knowing exactly what you have, no one can truly give you advice.
Who knows, you might have that one that is worth a lot.
 
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