There are many places to purchase art online, including both primary and secondary marketplaces. At Art-Now we prefer primary marketplaces, meaning that we purchase most of our artworks directly from the artists. While this method can be complicated, as it often involves travel, shipping, and other logistic difficulties, there are also certain benefits. One of the main benefits is the guarantee that the work of art is authentic.
On secondary market places such as E-Bay, the quality control on offered artworks can be very poor. This is because many websites mediating between sellers and buyers make a commission on every item sold. Therefore, it is in their interest to make sales, even if those sales are of dubious items. For example, the fake Picassos below are being offered on E-Bay as “Artworks in the style of Picasso.” This type of fine print guarantees that E-Bay will not be held liable, but it does not protect the buyer.
WARNING SIGNS
- If the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. A Picasso oil painting is worth millions of dollars. And while there may be a few lost Picassos out there, the chances of you finding one on an online auction are pretty much zero. If the seller is convinced that he has a genuine work of art, he can get it certified by an expert and sell for 1000 times more money.
- When one seller has multiple extremely rare works listed, such as the three Picassos above, they are likely all fake. If the chance of finding one real Picasso for under 1000 dollars online is 1 in a million, the chance of finding three or more is one in a billion.
- When the artwork in not in the usual medium or not typical in size. Examples of this include small Jackson Pollock paintings, small Rothko paintings, etc.
- When the artist’s output has been very scarce, as in the case of Frida Kahlo.
- When the frame has all kinds of dubious labels on the back. This is often done to make the work look real when it’s not.
- When the dealer is not reputable. Check reviews!
- When there are other clearly fake items in the same auction or offered by the same seller. You might not be sure about a work of art, but if you are sure that another item being offered is fake, the rest of them are probably fakes as well.
In conclusion, artists always appreciate it when you buy directly from them, but if this is not possible, look for a reputable gallery or dealer. Sometimes, you may end up paying more than you would on lower quality secondary marketplaces, but the extra money paid is often worth the security of getting a genuine artwork. A fake Picasso for $800 has no resale value. Be careful!
