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Still Life Painting by Graves (American, 20thC)

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This is a professional appraisal report, provided upon request. In this report, I researched and interpreted information provided by the requester. The appraisal report contains different sections to complete the description, identification, and appraisal of this artwork ( ). Extra information like where the painting came from, who painted it, what style it is, when it was made, how it was valued (Mark to Market Valuation), and where to sell it.

This report is designed to give you an appraisal value for the artwork you own, whether it is a painting, sculpture, or another type of art. The information provided will help you to understand your piece and its value. I use the world reserve currency (US dollars) to appraise each artwork. The selection aims to avoid currency risk variations that could affect appraisals over time. This report is not intended to encourage you to sell your art; rather, it aims to provide information on your art’s value so that you know what steps to take if you do wish to sell. If the reports are for insurance, they should be updated every three years to take into account changes in the market and inflation.

Description, research, and provenance of

Image Recognition with Artificial Intelligence

To investigate this work of art, I used image recognition with artificial intelligence to try to find the first clues. In the field of machine vision, image recognition means that software can recognize artworks, objects, places, people, shapes, or forms. Computers can use machine vision technologies based on artificial intelligence software to find images similar to the input picture. A special program is used to find out if the front photo of the piece of art is on the internet. The software takes the picture as an input, compares it with millions of other works in the database, and outputs similar images. This software will be useful later to determine the origin of the art piece. For clatification, the image you put in is a frontal picture of your artwork that is straight, level, and filtered. The results of the automatic recognition are not conclusive. If a match is found, it will be shown below:

What specific information can we obtain from this test?

The frontal artwork picture isn’t similar to any of the previous results. In this case, we can confirm that the artwork is an original scene and original artwork. By “original scene”, I refer to a painting of a scene that has never been painted before. When I say “original artwork,” I mean a painting that was made by hand by an artist, not a print, a limited edition print, a poster, or a postcard. While some results may show similarities, I concluded they are too unconcise to be considered relevant.

Signature Investigation

In this part, I study and research the signature of the artwork. I have used a larger picture of the signature and tried to interpret it. At this step, I also look at the signature or other information on the back of the art. In some cases, we can see a signature on the back or even an identification sticker that can be used to identify the artist.

A picture of the signature and/or back (if relevant) is depicted below:

I can read the signature as:

Graves

At this point, I can use the signature and try to find the artist’s name in a database of known-listed artists. Basically, it is a database with information about the names, surnames, origins, and biographies of the most well-known artists. The database is really large, so if the artist is known, I can find him/her. Otherwise, the artwork was made by a local, amateur, or unknown artist. Keep in mind that if the artist isn’t listed in the database, it is unknown to art collectors (potential buyers of this artwork).

Also, it is important to note that around 98-99% of artworks are made by unknown artists. If I can’t find the name in the database, I typically search through online obituaries to try to find the person who made it.

I found that the artist who painted this is listed. He was an American artist who lived in the late 20th century. His biographical information is unknown, so I cannot provide many more details about his life.

In any case, I can find a signature of an authenticated art by Graves, here is a pic of it:

We can see that the signature is the same, which proves that he made this painting.

Medium, frame construction, style, and frame

Now that I have more information about the artist, I can check if the style and type of painting match the artist referenced. An artist may change their painting style, scenes, and compositions with time, so I checked similar paintings during the whole lifetime of the artist. In this test, I would expect to find similar known paintings made by this artist. 

Another important point is to date the painting and check if the frame construction technique, medium used, and colors match the lifetime period of the artist. There are many variables in this step, so I will explain this with an example so you can understand the purpose of this part. I check the frame construction for small details, like the type of metallic parts used, if the wood joints and cuts are irregular, or if the wood cuts were machined. Small details can help to determine the age of the painting. A frame built in the 20th century can be dated by the use of modern metal pieces like flat-head nails, staples, or Phillips-head screws. Older frames have parts made of irregularly cut wood and metal that has been forged by hand. In some cases, you can see the absence of metallic parts. This is just one example of how the frame is put together. I also think about the type of medium and the colors used.

For this painting I don’t have any doubts the author is Graves (American, 20thC). The style, type of painting, size and signature perfectly matches an original painting by this artist.

Conclusion

I think this artwork is valuable and could be of interest to art collectors and decorators.

The art is of good quality, the composition is good, and the artist chose colors that are unique, appealing, and warm. I believe that decorators and/or collectors would be interested in this work of art. Such high-caliber paintings are uncommon.

: Final Appraisal Value ($)

300-350$

Appraisal Report made by:

Andrés Gómez

BSc, MSc, Expert Art Appraiser

10+ years of experience in Online Art Appraisals
100k+ Customers Served
Antique Store Owner
You can check my portofolio of past appraisals here:

https://resources.appraisily.com/andres-portofolio/

Signature:

Pictures received

We have Experts online now.

How to sell it

Antiques, art, and other collectibles are difficult items to sell online. This can take a lot of time. Be patient, but also make sure that the price you are asking for is the right one for your pieces of art. Consider the following tips on how to sell antiques and collectibles online: These tips will help maximize the price of your antique or collectible.

I would recommend selling it online. There are many ways to do this. For instance, Post an ad on Craigslist. Use eBay to sell antiques online. Post a listing on the Etsy marketplace. Sell with direct messages using Instagram. You can create a website using Squarespace or WordPress. Use Shopify to sell via a website, POS and social channels. List your items on Bonanza.com, Facebook Marketplaces, or Amazon Marketplaces. If you don’t have time, I would recommend starting with Facebook, Etsy, and Amazon.

The key to selling antiques online is to let potential customers know that you know what you are talking about. It’s much more difficult to sell something when the potential buyer can’t be sure it’s authentic. Sellers should use a well-thought out descriptive guide like this one. A good lead generation service should be helpful in establishing these relationships with online buyers, and an effective way to do this is through classified ads. If a buyer asks for more information, giving them some valuable facts well ahead of time will get you more sales because your reputation will increase and real customers are the ones who ask for more details.

In order to sell your antiques online, you will need to create a profile on the relevant forum (Etsy, Amazon, and FB). Make sure you add a high-resolution image of the product (include at least 3 detailed photos) and add some text. The text should be informative and straight to the point; nothing fancy or fluffy.

Asking price is a big factor in selling your antique. If your asking price is too high (fancy company stickers, missing parts, or chipped paint), you are unlikely to get many bids. If the asking price is too low, it will cost you money for repairs, shipping, and insurance. As a general rule, I would recommend setting an asking price that is 80% of the value of this report, so you will make the listing attractive from the beginning.

About the valuation method

I have considered the results from past auction sales to value this item. Keep in mind that the final price can be different from the asking price that you can find on the internet. You can see ads on the internet with different asking prices. However, a very high asking price doesn’t normally generate cash from a buyer.

That’s why our method comprises searching and comparing similar past sale results that had a buyer. That’s why we can provide an accurate estimation of this item.

For art pieces, remember that it isn’t the same as a print, a limited edition print, or an original art piece. If the artist can’t be found, the painting’s value is based on its quality and how interested the market might be in it.

To value this item, I have considered the results from past auction sales. Keep in mind that the final price can be different from the asking price that you can find on the internet. You can see ads on the internet with different asking prices. However, a very high asking price doesn’t normally generate cash from a buyer. That’s why our method comprises searching and comparing similar past sale results that had a buyer. That’s why we can provide an accurate estimation of this item.

Trying to determine the likely interests and tastes of a broad market can be tricky. You might not think collectors would be interested in works by a lesser-known artist, but they might be more interested than you think. You can’t know for sure without doing some market research. The same is true for artists whose work is in major museums or galleries but does not command high prices at auction or from dealers. Do not confuse the print with the original limited edition. Be aware that the value of a piece of art is linked to the artist’s name and reputation. The work’s quality and how interesting it might be are also important parts of its evaluation.

Quality art can be a good investment, but a large print or lithograph might not be as valuable. There are many different kinds of prints. Original works of art are worth the most, followed by limited edition prints, which can only be made in a certain number.

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