Saturday, 10 March 2012

Starting an Antique Print Collection

How to start an Antique PRINT collection

1. BEGIN COLLECTING! Perhaps the best advice we can offer is to begin to assemble a collection of what you LOVE and what interests you most, whether it be maps, botanicals, architecture or erotica



2. ESTABLISH a time period or era that you wish your collection to focus on; Victorian, Art Deco and Art Nouveau prints are especially collectible and affordable.



3. UNDERSTAND that Antique Prints are ANTIQUES, not reproductions. The originals were pulled from a copper plate, woodblock or lithographic stone. They should not be confused with reproductions, which can be decorative but have no real value.



4. CONSIDER only prints that are in good to excellent condition. Your money will be wasted if the items are foxed or torn.



5. BUY from a REPUTABLE DEALER who belongs to an ASSOCIATION. This provides you with a guarantee of authenticity and a grievance procedure if for some reason you are unhappy with your purchase. This is especially important when you are buying an expensive piece.



6. RESEARCH using objective academic sites firstly, then dealer sites. Beware of unclear wording and incomplete descriptions of the prints.



7. FRAME with only acid free archival materials and ultraviolet glass to prevent fading.





And lastly enjoy the HUNT for and DISPLAY of your COLLECTION!




Posted 9th September 2011 by

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