More PORTRAITS & Antiques To Show You~

Me and my youngest outside of Charleston SC

We went to Charleston last month, it was hot , humid and still nice. Most days were averaging 100 degrees, humidity made it feel like 135+( to me ). I think I have graduated from a Summer girl to a Fall woman, heat and I are not friends like we used to be. We did some walking about, I went ( by myself), to the Gibbes Art Museum for about 1  1/2 hours, and it was very enjoyable. They have changed alot around, and added beautiful additional antique paintings for viewing. I wanted to fall into the paintings, I think I did on a few.  Antique artwork still feeds my soul and heart. I walked the neighborhoods, and took some pictures of gardens and homes, but it is still not in my heart to do it yet like I used to. My old followers know that I am a Charleston, South Carolina lover, but it brings back many memories of Sarah going there with me. So it is bittersweet now, many steps I take, we took together.

That may change inside me, I am not sure.

Anyway, let me show you a few pieces of art I bought there, and then some at the Charlotte, NC Metrolina Expo a few weeks ago as well.

A very pretty old, 1930-40's plaster plaque of two Victorian women with a dove. Very French.

It is cast in high relief ( which means a 3-D effect , with raised areas).

A vintage Italian chalkware/plaster lamp base , that is now simply a statue, with a woman holding a basket of roses, leaning towards a fountain. The fountain sold me.

A beautiful aquatint ( hand-colored etching ), of Paris in the Spring, signed, 1950-60's time frame. Somewhere I have always wanted to go--BAD.

Vintage seascape /marine oil on board, siged 1940-50's time frame.

Another vintage portrait, 1940's oil on board.

A killer large ( 3 ft. x 4 ft. )oil on canvas 1940's woman in red portrait, listed artist.

A stunningly beautiful oil on board of a Atkinson Fox style garden artwork, signed , 1920-30's time frame.

Mrs. Can't recall anything lately, cannot recall the name of this famous painting. Please comment if you know it. This is a small oil on board, done in 1906. Very nice.

 Romantic.

Brass early 1900's Victorian metal statue of woman.

 Late 1800's oil on academy board of Robin birds and daisies, SOLD.

Two beautiful brass Victorian picture frames, the one to the right is SOLD.

Beautiful patel from a listed artist of pink and white roses, 1930-40's time frame.
All can be found here.

This entry is getting too long, so I will close it up. Sleep well everyone...or if you're onthe other side of the world...good morning !
Gina

Simple BASIC Tips on Buying Antique & Vintage PAINTINGS

AntiqueARTGarden Guide

Simple Basic Tips on Buying Antique & Vintage Paintings

Here is a basic guide..a tutor , so to speak, to help you decide on buying an old Antique or Vintage painting .  These are tips I have learned through hands on experience in buying Art for myself and for re-sale. It may help you when you see a antique painting online or in person..to determine if it is "OLD "  or new , what CONDITION the painting is in and if  you should consider purchasing it,  and IF you should buy a piece of ART  or pass on it ?  By  OLD or ANTIQUE,  I am referring mainly to Art made from 1800-1915's, Vintage Art was made from the 1920-1970's, and New Art would be from the 1980's to present day. Some people do classify art from the 1980's as Vintage...so bear that in mind.  These are my classifications ...they are similar to most online.  Also this is a guide from  the United States, so for buyers in Europe..where you have the availability of Art that is hundreds of years older than the Art that America typically has..then you will have to bear with me as our art that is commonly on the market is from this time frame. Paintings that are 100's of years old..not simply a 100 + years old are rarer here. 

1940's oil painting in original frame

 I have been collecting and selling Antique & Vintage Art for over 24 years, I have been on Ebay for over 7 of those years. I have many people email me with some basic questions about old artwork. Here are the most common ones I get: 

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF A PAINTING IS OLD ?

Dark back of canvas with crackling, evident sign of antique painting

The most important way you can tell..usually..is not the from the front of the canvas..but from the BACK..so turn it around gently and inspect it FIRST.

True darker color of back of canvas--late 1800's

                                                                                                         
                                                               

This can be easy..or difficult... you have to see enough paintings to help with this question.  Typically you can look first at the back of the painting..is the canvas stark white or is it yellowed with age ? If a back of a canvas is white or a light beige than it is NOT old . That is a dead giveaway. Typically the darker the canvas is, and the more crackle marks you see , even in the back canvas..are signs of some age on a piece. If it is a board..or hardboard painting..then if the board is black or very dark gray..then it is late 1800's to early 1900's. Other canvas boards are usually marked on the back with labels from the companies that produced them. Most of these labels are typical of the time period they are from. Like a Art Deco label , or a Retro -style label..all the way to the brand new canvas board sold today. So the lighter the board, usually the newer the painting is.
Big TIP...many importers and ' antique ' stores and shops sell REPRODUCTION oil paintings with a fake dark finish on the back of the canvas. It is more of a grey/tan finish or a wash of brown paint finish ...not like authentic antique back of canvases that I show you pictures of here.. Most store owners will tell you it is a repro if you ask them directly. Let me show you some differences. I apologize for the fuzziness of some of these pictures , I copied and pasted from my own art buying guide off eBay. Then I added some extras.

New back of canvas, very white or light,.1990's thru the present

Canvas board painting backs  from the 1950-60's time frame

 1940's canvas board from behind

A light beige canvas back 1960-80's time frame above

Vintage BACK of a board 1930-50's time frame typically, the darker the board the older it is usually

1940's back of canvas

Antique Black Academy or Hardboard 1860-1915 time frame, typically has some warpage to it

Antique canvas and stretcher 1860-1910 time frame

Old dark wood stretcher painting is unframed..late 1800's to before 1920

Mid 1800's original old painting from behind

A few other ways to judge the age of a painting is by the stretcher ( wood it is nailed to ), at the back , and even the nails themselves . If the wood in the stretcher is a darker wood, that is a clue that it is older, especially when the wood is VERY dark.

Occasionally an older painting is reframed or cut-down from it's original size ( due to damage usually ), and then nailed to a new stretcher. If you see old nails, not bright shiny nails in the stretcher area..NOT where it is actually held into the frame..but where the painting is nailed to the wood, then it is usually an old painting . Sometimes if you see staples instead of nails it is definitely new..EXCEPT when an old canvas...unframed ..is put on a new stretcher . I am not trying to frustrate you in your shopping for antique paintings, but there are exceptions to a few of the general rules on how to gauge age. If you definitely see old wood on the stretcher..and old nails..and the back of the canvas is older and a darker tan..then VOILA'...it is almost always old.

WHAT CONDITION SHOULD A PAINTING BE IN FOR ME TO CONSIDER PURCHASING IT ?

This is a very subjective question..unless you are a restorer or are planning on  having a painting restored, then you need to buy a painting in as good as condition as possible. Saying that , you do have to realize these are ANTIQUE or VINTAGE paintings. That means they will have some craquelure, ( Crazing or crackling lines in the paint ) , they may have a few paint chips off, they may have some small tears or rips.

This small of a tear and I will still purchase

  A lot of small tears can be taped up with adhesive cloth tape from the back and be suitable for hanging still. If they are large tears, over 3-5 ins., then you may want it restored or pass on it. Also realize with old board paintings, because of the nature of paper/cardboard...it will warp with some age and it also scratches quite easily. If the painting is nice enough and the integrity of the Art is not jeopardized, then I usually buy it .

 Some paintings I do pass on are the ones with extensive large flaking of paint , as I am not a restorer and that is the more expensive damage to restore.  If you want to have a painting in perfect condition..please realize that is almost impossible for older pieces of Art...you could buy a reproduction painting or print if you want a perfect finish...but then the charm is removed from the Art that only comes with age and the passing of time.

HOW CAN I DECIDE IF I SHOULD BUY A PIECE OF ART ?

Ahh, a very hard question with an easy answer. My advice would be to buy a piece of Art if you really like it or love it. It does not matter whether it will ' go' with a room's colors, or if  it matches your present style of decor.  In time , many of us change styles of decorating ...but usually if we love a piece of Art..and I mean really LOVE  it..then we love it for always. It will fit somewhere in your home or office if it ' calls ' to you. I do believe Art ' calls ' to us ..if we see a painting at a shop or online and we cannot stop thinking about it . Make that bid, make that offer . Make it yours.

Best Way in the World to Educate Yourself about ART

Please take the time to go to your local or regional ART MUSEUMS as they are the very best way to see what really good and great Art is . You have to see the best to recognize it when you are shopping. If there is ever any way in the world, while you are in the US...please spend as many hours in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City as you can. Take the time to go to your local art museums or regional art museums as well, you will be awed and educated  at the same time. Also go to some large antique shows and talk with some art dealers about antique art...most will answer your questions and show you examples of antique artwork if they are not busy with customers. Time with Art will teach you about it as well.

Good luck, hope this is helpful in some way to you,

Gina 

 

Please vote yes for this guide if it was helpful  to you in ANY way..you have to go to the link to vote at the bottom of that page, thanks ! http://reviews.ebay.com/SIMPLE-BASIC-TIPS-ON-BUYING-ANTIQUE-PAINTINGS_W0QQugidZ10000000006429214

Come with Me to An Antique MALL....Part 1

My little boy was out of school on a holiday yesterday, so the little peanut and I went for a short trip out of town to a antique mall I like to shop at , every now and then. We took lots of pictures, some by him, some by me. It was a nice trip, and he was dragged along after I forced him to put the Wii remote down and come with me. Look how excited he is ...

NOT.

But , if you are a child of mine, you will be forced to go to antique malls many times in your life. He's such a phony-baloney.

I gave him the camera and told him to take some shots along the way, we were heading to a mall in Little Mountain, SC...a tiny town with a nice mall to peruse.

And away we go. It was a good 35 minutes away. 35 miles that my little boy would not allow me to play my sappy Country love songs or my contemporary Christian music without protest by sticking his fingers in his ears . I played the Christian music anyway , in between our talks about life.

 

I took the camera from him to try to get a few shots of him, but he was a pain, and kept blocking my shots. Plus I needed to keep my eyes on the road, so I gave him the camera again. Hunting antique and vintage artwork is helping me very much lately. Art has always stimulated me, and when I feel so down...I need a pick-me-up that if only temporary...works..at least some.  And Art does that for me.

This mall is in a small town, like I said, and the countryside is very pretty heading there. Soft rolling hills, old farmhouses on the side of the road. It was a warm , sunny day.

Finally settled Mr. " I don't want to go ", in the back with a book too. We will be there in 5 minutes.

Voila , here we are.

Mums out front that my son refused to pose with. I usually go to malls to buy my paintings and frames for my Ebay site, but I typically go by myself, sometimes my husband goes with me. I am very fast when I shop. I know what I am looking for, I scan the areas in a mall and zero in on what I want. Then I go check it out closer, and flip over price tags, as price is paramount for resale purposes. As soon as we walked in, guess what ?

Look what I zoomed in on...

I love old portraits, and she is a doozey.

My associate took these pictures, they would be nice if they were in FOCUS. All that paraphernalia in my pocket is my key chain where I have assorted store discount tags, and then a few reminders of love attached.

One of the first real smiles I felt inside that came out lately, I was so happy to find this portrait of an art deco young beauty...she has a very haughty look  , and I will list her on eBay later tonight. Art-lady scored.

http://stores.ebay.com/Antique-ART-Garden?_rdc=1

Now for more hunting..but where is my son who was reminded to stay right beside Mom in here ?

 There the little peanut is, 2 aisles away . I am much slooowwweerr with him in tow, as I keep having to find him while I shop.

Great old needlepoint sampler says,  " The Lord is My Shepard ", but was overpriced by about 200. dollars at 275., for resale at least. I'll just show you what I saw that interested me, and then what I bought. Let's keep moving...

So much, very Laura Ashley/Rachel Shabby-chic to my left. I keep moving, eyes scanning the area for antique artwork and frames.

These Victorian ewers with hand painted roses were lovely, but 100. each made them too high for resale...so, off I go.

Nothing for me here either. While I am walking through, I am calling out my son's name, he is deliberately ignoring me. So I go hunt down the little squirt. I find him, and leave him beside this box of hot wheels cars to choose from. 50 cents each made them just fine price wise. He was happy..

I almost bought the lady flue cover below, but she had too much foxing ( browing of the paper), that I passed. I do buy many things with beautiful women on them...paintings especially.

I come back to the car area and collect my son, he has found two treasures, and we shall add them to our painting that I found so far.

What a fun 1950-60's heart velvet chair , ugly mustard color velvet upholstery...fun bedroom chair. Of course I pass on it, but had to take a picture of it.

Here it is...

Looks comfy. No time to try it though, we have to keep moving...Wait, this entry is too long, so I will make a part 2 of our trip tomorrow.

Sleep well world,

Gina