The Art Buying Guide

Buying original art should feel confident, not confusing. This is the guide we wish every first-time collector had before their first purchase.

1. Decide what you love before you decide what to spend

Walk galleries. Save images. Notice which artists you return to. Your taste is the most valuable tool you own — it will save you more money than any price guide.

2. Understand what you are actually buying

An original is a one-of-a-kind work by the artist. A limited edition print is a numbered reproduction, valuable only if the edition is small and the artist established. An open edition print is decor, not a collector's asset. Know the difference before you pay.

3. Always ask for documentation

Every original should come with a signed certificate of authenticity naming the work, year, medium, dimensions and artist. Keep it with your purchase invoice. Together they establish provenance.

4. Inspect the physical work

See the piece in person whenever possible. Check the surface, the edges of the canvas or paper, the signature, the framing. Ask about condition, restoration history, and how the work has been stored.

5. Understand pricing

Prices reflect the artist's exhibition history, the medium, the size, and the quality of the specific work. Two paintings by the same artist can be priced very differently for good reasons. A trusted gallery will always explain the reasoning.

6. Framing and installation matter

A well-framed work looks 30% more valuable than the same work in a cheap frame. Use acid-free mounts, museum glass for works on paper, and hire a professional to install anything over a metre.

7. Build a relationship with the gallery

Galleries reserve their best works for collectors they know. Introduce yourself, share what you love, ask to be told when new works arrive. This is how great private collections are actually built.

8. Buy the work, not the story

Trends fade. The painting you loved the day you bought it should still move you ten years later. That is the only measure that matters.

Our advisory team is available for private consultations by appointment.