Reputable painting conservation and valuation? South FL USA edition
July 21, 2020 7:21 PM Subscribe
Helping a friend who has just discovered an original painting in her late Grandmother’s things. We want to get it out of its current inappropriate storage, into a suitable frame, and find out its estimated worth.
A friend has found a small painting in their grandmother’s effects. It’s definitely a painting, not a print. She needs professional help in having it valued and help removing it from the surface and wrapping where it has been sitting for decades. I’m thinking these would be two separate people? While it may be a copy, or someone painting “in the style of,” the grandmother’s history could support this being a Chagall. I don’t want to just pull someone off Google; Grandma’s artifact is too important to the family. Should I ask museums for recommendations? Anybody have a personal contact who has used similar services in South Florida? What would you do? Covid-19 says we stay in South Florida. Thanks!
A friend has found a small painting in their grandmother’s effects. It’s definitely a painting, not a print. She needs professional help in having it valued and help removing it from the surface and wrapping where it has been sitting for decades. I’m thinking these would be two separate people? While it may be a copy, or someone painting “in the style of,” the grandmother’s history could support this being a Chagall. I don’t want to just pull someone off Google; Grandma’s artifact is too important to the family. Should I ask museums for recommendations? Anybody have a personal contact who has used similar services in South Florida? What would you do? Covid-19 says we stay in South Florida. Thanks!
It's a print.
The rounded indentation in the paper around the image is from the lithography stone.
Color may have been added by hand afterward, or it could be a multipass print with alterations in the stone between colors.
(That said, it could very well be valuable. By 'print' I don't mean 'cheap reproduction'.)
posted by mdrew at 8:04 PM on July 21, 2020 [13 favorites]
The rounded indentation in the paper around the image is from the lithography stone.
Color may have been added by hand afterward, or it could be a multipass print with alterations in the stone between colors.
(That said, it could very well be valuable. By 'print' I don't mean 'cheap reproduction'.)
posted by mdrew at 8:04 PM on July 21, 2020 [13 favorites]
I would ask a large university art department, or an art museum (The Ringling in Sarasota comes to mind, depending on where in Florida you are).
posted by erst at 9:03 PM on July 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by erst at 9:03 PM on July 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
r/whatisthispainting may be helpful
posted by bq at 10:37 PM on July 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by bq at 10:37 PM on July 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
Best answer: You are correct that art conservation and appraisal are separate professions. To find a conservator, visit the website of the American Institute for Conservation, the professional organization for conservators in the United States: https://www.culturalheritage.org/about-conservation/find-a-conservator
Conservators listed here have gone through professional training and agree to abide by a standard of ethics, and I would not recommend using one that cannot be found on this website. The conservator may be able to recommend an appraiser; I'm less familiar with that.
posted by sizeable beetle at 6:00 AM on July 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
Conservators listed here have gone through professional training and agree to abide by a standard of ethics, and I would not recommend using one that cannot be found on this website. The conservator may be able to recommend an appraiser; I'm less familiar with that.
posted by sizeable beetle at 6:00 AM on July 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
Don’t ask a museum, in general museums are ethically prohibited from authenticating or valuing work and so they will just send you on to find an appraiser. Try using the Find An Appraiser tool on the American Society of Appraisers.
posted by PussKillian at 2:38 PM on July 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by PussKillian at 2:38 PM on July 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Nancy_LockIsLit_Palmer at 7:33 PM on July 21, 2020