The Intrepid Art Collector: The Beginner's Guide to Finding, Buying, and Appreciating Art on a Budget

By Lisa Hunter

Book Overview

Ready to upgrade your artwork from framed Monet posters but intimidated by what you see in galleries? In The Intrepid Art Collector , Lisa Hunter shows you how to start a fine art collection without spending a fortune. This accessible, jargon-free resource contains up-to-date information on the most popular original art--everything from photography and posters to African art and animation--including where to find it and how to buy it at a fair price. Easy-to-use checklists help you evaluate original art and steer clear of clever fakes. In addition, Hunter has interviewed top dealers, curators, arts lawyers, and appraisers to bring you the best advice on: * Advantages to buying real art instead of reproductions * Determining if a piece of art is fairly priced * Predicting if an artist's work will go up in value * Techniques for negotiating a price with a dealer * Developing your artistic taste, so you'll know if you'll still love your purchase ten years down the road * How to preserve art in your home * Resources, websites, and magazines that will help you learn more about the market and where to find different types of art

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0307237133
• ISBN13: 9780307237132
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.2" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Get Your Feet Wet - Buy What You Love

This is a great starter reference for the novice. The guidance is sound, and Lisa Hunter's enthusiasm is contagious. A few color photographs would have been nice, but wisely this book focuses on cultivating the reader's own intelligence and knowledge rather than dictating taste. If you have ever been interested in starting an art collection of your own, or buying that Kashmiri silk rug, a little research is a good thing. This is a grand place to start.

Take This With You To The Galleries

I love art but I've always felt nervous buying art. How do you know if you're getting the real thing? How do you know if you're overpaying? What's that rug really worth? Why is a photograph worth so much? What's the difference between a valuable vintage photograph and a copy of it that looks exactly the same? No one can tell you what a piece of art will be worth in ten years, but Ms. Hunter explains how to go about buying the real thing (and avoid buying fakes) -- and why you should buy the real thing. I feel much more confident about buying a few pretty things for the house now.