What market still retains value? The fine art and antiques market still represents a good investment while the value goes beyond monetary enhancing one’s life with beauty and function. The investment value is as strong as ever for the best pieces. It’s also a good to time to go “green”. Buy mid level pieces, a lot of people feel there is more product (people are selling more things) and some of the prices have not changed much over the years. Now is the time to invest in that special piece that will anchor a room setting, so that one can enjoy the investment and the use.
Artist, Maker, Period, Form and Function are some of the most important criteria to consider when looking at an investment piece.
- Artist: a signed piece is generally worth more than unsigned painting or piece of furniture.
- Maker: can be attributed when it’s a known form and the construction and materials are in sync.
- Period Piece: generally (a piece made in the period i.e. Queen Anne) is worth considerably more than a piece in the Queen Anne style, or a reproduction.
- Form: small occasional pieces are more desirable than oversized/out of proportion pieces.
- Pieces of Regal style are more desirable than “grandmotherly” pieces. One does not want a room to be predictable. It has to be fun and you should be able to visualize yourself living in it.
- Function: for instance make sure an antique chair is sturdy and can be used or it should be restricted to a piece of “Decorative Art or Sculpture”
If you can only buy one thing, it’s best to buy a piece that is universally recognizable in a room be it a Neoclassic Secretary or a Mies Van Der Rohe “Barcelona” Daybed.
One can buy the investment quality piece and then accessorize around it, such as comfortable modern upholstery. In this case, form and function rules, mixing 20th century chairs which are sturdy as opposed to antique chairs which can be fragile and need extensive restoration.
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