Buying Arts and Antiques in Atlanta

Make informed purchases on Arts and Antiques in Atlanta

When in the market for a new addition to a personal collection, whether antique or modern art, one must sufficiently investigate and gain valuable information. In order to make sure that your purchase is exactly what you wanted, you must take several key steps to research and analyze. In order to be fully satisfied witha fine arts, antiques, or fine rugs purchase, gaining information from the seller is crucial.

First of all, learn how the art market works by researching artist's statements and even the historical significance of the artworks. Look through history books and exhibition catalogues, and even research the sales records available in public libraries. Art reviews are also helpful in determining a good purchase, and can be found from local and national art critics. These sources will help you determine a good price for the piece of artwork, and help you better equip yourself to make an informed decision.

Obviously, you can begin your research with the seller of the piece of art you would like to purchase. Try comparing similar works of art from the same artist to see if they are sold for similar prices. Art dealers can provide a significant amount of help, and may even assist you in finding the artist's sales history to see if price has been consistent.

After thoroughly researching price, the artist's background, and the artist's other works, you should be fully equipped to understand the value of the piece in which you are interested. For example, does your selected piece reflect the artist's earlier or more recent work? If the art comes from an artist's earlier work, it will most likely sell at a much higher price. Also evaluate whether the art is indicative of the artist's typical style, or if the piece strays outside of the artist's norm. After carefully weighing all of these factors, you should be fully prepared to make an accurate, informed art purchase.

Just as in the fine arts world, information is the key to making an antique selection. Whether shopping for antiques as an investment, as a business, or simply for pleasure, research always pays off. Research can be as simple as befriending a local antique vendor, or as complicated as finding a detailed antique guide to help identify different markings on particular items. For example, porcelain marks and silver hallmarks can aid in the deciphering of symbols, lending clues to the origin and creator of a piece.

An important factor to consider when antique furniture shopping is whether the piece features hand-embellished designs, or rare materials uncommon to most pieces. Some important tips include paying attention to the following:

• Sharp, more refined corners indicate more recently-made furniture. Look for slightly uneven edges when verifying authenticity.
• Furniture made after 1840 will feature circular saw marks, and any smooth edges indicate use of a power saw.
• While modern pieces feature thinner wood veneers, antique furniture will feature thicker and more substantial veneers.
• Chair rail tops and table legs should show signs of normal wear.
• When looking at dovetails, pay attention to the size and shape. Machine-made dovetails are more precise and smaller, while the handmade dovetails are uneven and large.

If ever in doubt about the relative quality of a piece of antique furniture, having the piece appraised is always an option. Also, when shopping for antique silver or pottery, appraisal is a good idea. When it comes to silver, engraved initials on a piece can provide good insight as to the date and origin. Be careful about stamps reading EPNS; these signify that the piece is actually metal with a silvery coating. Signs of hand-hammering in silver reveal that the piece was manufactured before industrialization, and is another factor to consider when deciding on a purchase.

Just as researching and weighing factors about antique furniture and silver, you should also research antique pottery. If you are in the market for a particular piece of antique pottery, pay special attention to the marks on the piece. Often the mark will suggest the date and country of origin. Sometimes older pottery, created before marking began, will remain unmarked. Talking with a qualified antiques dealer should help clear up any questions about unmarked pottery.

Finally, in addition to gaining superior knowledge of arts and antiques, a shopper must also consider the craftsmanship and origin of fine rugs. While some dealers allow a free trial of antique carpets, others may expect you to do your research and be prepared to make an informed purchase. When in the market for an antique carpet or fine rug, be sure to bring room sizes, measurements, and layouts. If possible, come with specific room colors, or even fabric swatches. Digital photos taken of your room could greatly assist you when choosing a fine rug. If you have a particular style in mind, but the room is unfinished, try bringing clips from a décor or style magazine in order to aid you and the dealer in your rug purchase.

If in the market for an antique Persian or Oriental rug, pay attention to detail. For example, Persian rugs from Iran are crafted with a different knot style than other rugs. The wool quality is also different than recreations made in India. Besides understanding the history of the rug, you should also equip yourself with some basic terminology. KPSI is a great acronym to understand. It means "knots per square inch" and is a good indicator of rug quality. The higher the KPSI, the higher the quality of the rug. Sometimes KPSI can be listed as RAJ, which is simply the number of knots per seven centimeters. Any experienced rug dealer can help you convert RAJ to KPSI or vice versa, to better understand the quality of the rug.

Just as when searching for original artwork, or antiques, there is fraud among antique rugs as well. Be very careful not to fall for "antiqued rugs." These are not authentic antiques, but instead were chemically washed to give the illusion of an antique rug. You should always shop for antique rugs at a well-researched and certified dealer. Do not expect to find high quality antique Persian or Oriental rugs at great clearances or markdowns; huge discounts are a good sign of fraud.

When shopping for any substantial investment like arts and antiques, research is the best way to ensure a happy purchase. Art dealers and antique dealers alike are more than happy to aid you in your purchase. Online research, as well as library research can be truly beneficial. Above all, make sure you are happy with your purchase. Spending time in the buying process doing adequate research definitely makes a difference when looking for a solid arts or antiques investment.