The Estate Sale Diaries – Prologue

As I have read through the estate sale, yard sale, and thrifting blogosphere, I have come across accounts of avoiding “professional” sales in lieu of sales run by the (presumably unsuspecting and consequently low-pricing) owners.

Depending on the company, pricing and sorting of items can happen in the days and nights leading up to the sale weekend (when the team descends on the house) or over a month (if the “team” is the sole proprietor)

A professional sale does not automatically mean high prices.  If the prices do seem high, it often means that a professional has evaluated an item to ascertain its age, authenticity, and value.  In the world of antiques and collectibles, this process is known as appraisal and will cost you by the hour, possibly with an multi-hour minimum.  Prices are still negotiable at an estate sale; however, while the “best price” may be reasonable, it will not be a yard sale price.

In the world of estate sales, there are Professional Appraisers and Professional Sticker-Appliers.  The "professionals" in the second category are my favorite.  These are the sales of quality and substance that warranted bringing in a professional.  Unfortunately for the owner or family, it is at a Professional Sticker-Applier’s sale that I found a significant 17^th century French engraving in excellent condition.  My favorite part – I only paid $40.  The piece had lasted on the wall for two days of the sale because with only a bit of masking tape reading “60”, no one paid attention to what seemed like an overpriced decorative print.   I had a special weapon at my disposal, my mother, Madame Trent, who happens to be a Professional Appraiser.  Based on examination of its well-preserved condition and top-notch framing job as well as research into the engraver's other works in major collections, Madame Trent concluded she would have priced it at $800 – and certainly provided her own description on a price tag.

While I love outsmarting the Professional Sticker-Appliers, I help run sales for a Professional Appraiser.  Through The Estate Sale Diaries, I will take my readers behind the scenes into the world of estate sales.  I will share tips on negotiating, finding household necessities, beating out dealers at the same sale, and leaving a sale happy.  The Estate Sale Diaries will feature more profiles of Professional Appraisers, Professional Sticker-Appliers and unforgettable types of clients and customers.

Thanks to backgroundfairy.com for the frame image used in the header for "The Estate Sale Diaries" feature and for my blog header!

Thrift Stores: The Next Frontier for Museum Acquisitions or a Dumping Ground for Forgeries?

Daniel Buren "La Coupure" Installation Art at Musée Picasso, Paris.  Photo by Nell.

At the time of its sale in 2010, an original Picasso painting set a world record for a work of art at auction when it sold for $106,000,000 (yes, that is $106 MILLION dollars). In the past few weeks, I have heard several thrift veterans, to the awe of the news anchors, tout their best finds at thrift stores – signed Picasso prints. Authentic Picasso PRINTS are valued at up to $10,000 (depending on the size of the edition, the image, and the state of the art world).

I have yet to hear about anyone finding an original Picasso painting. However, I have witnessed my mother, Madame Trent, on quite a few occasions as she has had to diplomatically caution yet another New Picasso Print Owner who demands on-the-spot appraisals via his iPhone. Picasso prints are by their very nature more common than Picasso paintings. However, fake Picasso prints are even more common. “It has a signature” or “It looks just like the pictures of his signature” do not immediately equal “It was printed and signed by Picasso.” A New Picasso Print Owner thinks he has struck gold. However, internet searches do not produce experts nor do they qualify as authentication. Not to mention, there are works by artists without the name recognition of Picasso (but could still be worth anywhere from a few hundred to ten thousand dollars) that have likely been passed over during the time the Picasso Print Owner was not finding Picassos left and right.

A word of caution: These days it is easier than ever for art forgers to produce a heliogravure of a signed print. The pencil signature might be real and it might be an actual signed Picasso print, but it may just be a printed photograph of an actual signature (or a forged signature in pencil). (Heliogravures are, simply put, photocopies). A lithograph implies an artist hand drew his image onto a plate (metal or stone), inked it, put paper on the plate and applied pressure in a press. The term “print” encompasses every type of image reproduction – from a hand-pressed image to a commercial printer’s output. An "original print" - when the term is used accurately - implies something more specific.

What brought out my inner (self-educated) art historian?

Lately I’ve heard several instances of Picasso finds while thrifting, including one from Lara Spencer, of GMA. While anything is possible, these tales should not send you out on an immediate treasure hunt or cause you to doubt your own art finds. Instead of hunting only for works by famous artists, look for art that you like. While you may never find an original Picasso (or van Gogh, or Monet, or Rembrandt, etc.) in a thrift store, you may find a large painting by a local or even nationally known artist. Thrift stores often price prints and paintings at nearly the same price – it can be tricky to tell them apart – and pricing is often by size and not medium, subject, condition or artist. With a smartphone at hand, you may be able to quickly discover if the “artist” is known, but searching every name on every piece of art will drag out an otherwise quick swing through a thrift store.

Never plan to invest in art for reselling until you know about it – go to museums, go to art and antique shops, read about famous artists and techniques. A mass-produced reproduction of a Picasso might be perfect for decorating your office, but it does not have much resale value (large framed prints and posters can go for around $50 to the right person). The major tip I have for telling prints from originals (in this case, I am referring to watercolors and pen and inks which have no paint texture to distinguish them) is to look for the “pixels” in the image. If you hold a watercolor print up close, it will appear to belong to the micro-Pointillist movement (which is not a real art term). In other words, there will be little dots instead of a consistent sweep of color.

So, if shopping for art, what should you look for if not discarded masterpieces?

Whether for yourself or for resale, ask yourself these questions:

• Is it original? (One of a kind or an authentic signed and numbered print)?
• Is it good? Do you like it?
• How much is it?
• Do you know anything about the artist?
• Is there paint loss, foxing, or other damage to the canvas, paper, mat or frame?
• Could you sit and look at it over and over again?

One of Monet's masterpieces in Musée de l'Orangerie, Paris.  Photo by Nell.

While I love the work of Monet in museums, particularly Musée de l’Orangerie and Musée Marmottan in Paris, my own collection consists of smaller scale pen and ink drawings and signed limited edition prints, both types executed by artists of significantly less fame than Monsieur Monet. And yet, I have paid less for these eye-catching originals than for a pixelated poster at either of the aforementioned museums. If you can not put a real Monet on your wall, aim for another professional artist – you might even find the next incredibly talented artist of our time.

Meet Nell Trent of The Trent Collection

Do you dream of having a chic antique booth of your own? Are you a “picker” at heart who trolls antique malls, consignment shops and thrift stores in search of the find of a lifetime? Have you found a dealer you frequent again and again? Or, do you feel ripped off by a dealer’s high prices?

I have been in the antique business for 20 years, but am not yet 30. As I am still working for the family antique business, The Trent Collection, I must protect the privacy of my clients and the dealers about whom I write. Nell Trent is the young girl in Charles Dicken’s The Old Curiosity Shop. For the purposes of this blog, “Nell Trent” will be your behind the scenes peek into the best and worst parts of the antique business.

Incredible Meissen Porcelain Chandelier at the Meissen Factory. Photo by Nell

Growing up in the antique business in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area, I have seen all kinds of finds and all kinds of people.

My exposure to crafts and antiques began at birth. My family’s business has extended into every type of retail operation and the inventory has grown exponentially.

When I was younger, I envied every one of my classmates for their room décor. After all, my room (from nursery era to high school) had Italian gilt religious art, dark Victorian furniture and large framed original works of art. Any attempt to rearrange or bring in something from a lesser store (read: Ikea, Crate and Barrel and the like), was vetoed. The family’s preference for originals and quality (American or European) must be maintained at all levels. When our bathroom fan briefly stopped working, we had to remove every signed original from the bathroom walls (carefully selected for the theme) before taking a shower - only to carefully rehang them. Now, I find myself seeking out original art that meets my own criteria. My college apartment had its own art history section, despite the fact that I could never fit an art history course into my schedule.

As a twenty-something, I have seen the antique business respond to the creation of eBay (and the internet as a whole), the resurgence of mid-century modern and the appearance of countless reality shows dramatizing and showcasing the treasures in the attic – from Antiques Roadshow to American Pickers. My life has always encompassed snippets of all of these shows; yet watching them is always enhanced by Madame Trent's critiques of the "experts" on the screen.

Whether you have always wondered about starting your own antique business, getting an item appraised, finding the perfect mid-century piece at a bargain or just like to read the inside scoop about a new topic, I hope you check back in soon. Any specific questions you'd like to see in a blog post? Leave a comment!