Hemswell Antique Centres

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The best place to find antique art for sale in the UK

 

For as many genres of antique art that exist, there are places to find it, and the scope can be confusing, especially for the new collector. For anyone starting out on their collecting journey, it is prudent to learn the value of antique art but the best advice is always to buy what you like, rather than what you think may turn a profit down the line.

Where should you look for antique art for sale in the UK?

Antique art at auction – for many collectors it is the excitement of the sale itself that adds to the thrill of an auction buy. The expertise of the auctioneer will reassure you of the authenticity of a piece and will provide provenance wherever possible. While prices may be lower because of the lack of dealers, auction houses will charge an auction fee plus VAT – each auction house will charge their own rate for fees, so check before the auction and factor that into your budget. If you are unfamiliar with the process of an auction, have a trial day and go as an observer before jumping in yourself.

Antique art for sale through online sales sites – perhaps better suited to the more experienced collector looking for antique art for sale, an online sales site does not give you the opportunity to examine the artwork before purchase and the onus will always be on the buyer to research any information needed. Having questions answered will depend on the reliability of the seller, and the speed of their responses may be slower than you hoped.

Antique art at car boots and markets – yes, it has been known for a painting to have been found at a car boot or flea market for a song, and sold on for a fortune but don’t pin all your hopes on it. Junk shops, charity shops and fairs do have potential for a bargain, particularly if the seller is unaware of the value, but sellers may also overcharge, with prices based on their hopes rather than true value. When looking for antique art for sale, antique fairs are generally very expensive and are to be recommended for collectors with a sound knowledge of art.

Antique art at antique shops and centres – when buying antique art, examine the piece closely whenever possible. An antiques centre gives you the opportunity to look closely and ask questions of the experienced dealers too. While much of the antique art for sale will be British oil paintings, an antiques centre will also be home to works in other media, as well as antique prints.

Beware of fakes – there has always been a market in fakes, forgeries and reproduction art and today there are extremely sophisticated techniques and methods employed to create them. If you make a purchase in the full knowledge that the piece is not genuine or authentic, then no harm done. However, if a piece is sold as genuine antique art when it is not, the seller has breached the Trades Description Act. If you have suspicions about the authenticity of any piece of antique art, consult an independent expert for advice.

The antique art for sale at Hemswell has been collected by experienced dealers, many of whom belong to a trade association such as LAPADA (London and Provincial Antique Dealers’ Association) or BADA (British Antique Dealers’ Association) which gives our buyers a greater degree of protection. Our selection of antique art for sale is added to regularly and includes antique oil paintings and prints, as well as niche collectables such as railway carriage art. The ideal venue for a day out, our centres are a short distance from beautiful Lincoln and offer four buildings which each house an extensive collection of antiques to keep you busily browsing for hours.

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