Start a Provenance When Buying New Art

by Tony Duke on January 26, 2010

This post was originally published in the North Island Mid-Week.

North West Coast (NWC) artifacts have long been admired and are currently more desirable than previous. While antique examples of NWC art are priced out of reach for many of us, recently produced pieces can be had for just a modest investment.

Here’s a couple of tips, if you are considering a piece of NWC for yourself, try to buy from the artist who created it, buy the best you can afford and go for quality.

If buying from the artist or their representative, get a note to document where and when it was bought together with a brief description of what the piece represents, that way you create provenance which could increase the value of the item should it come back on the market in years to come.

Provenance is where there is a written record of where an item originally came from and the subsequent history of its owners. Another important thing is to get the artist to sign the piece if at all possible.

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Good News: Your Antiques Are A Year Older!

by CampbellDuke on January 12, 2010

This article was originally published in the North Island Mid-Week as:  Start a Provenance When Buying New Art.
Another year over and good news for anyone with antiques…they are now a year older.

It’s nice to have something that becomes more desirable the more it ages. Antiques and their owners have something in common: as antiques gets older they often becomes worth more, they become more cherished and better looked after.

The passage of time improves their unique qualities. Imperfections are regarded as marks of character; each antique has a story to tell and people begin to regard them with a new found respect. It’s just the same for us humans really.

The difference is that unlike our antiques, we often don’t give ourselves the respect, care and attention that we all deserve. Getting old is a good thing; just remember to take care of yourself – you are priceless!

A few weeks back I wrote an article about the perils of selling gold via mail. My brother in England tells me of an individual who turned the tables on the “big boys.”

Apparently, a guy sent in a length of plain brass chain to a gold buying agency, by return he got a cheque for around $125 and an assay certificate informing him of the appraised value.

Naturally, the gentleman was well-pleased as the otherwise worthless chain was left over from a picture hanging job. Cost of his total investment? Just 75 cents!

Tony Duke provides comprehensive appraisal services for Estate Planning, Down-sizing, Probate, Property Division, Insurance, Antique Acquisitions and Sales.  See Tony’s blogsite, www.TonyDuke.ca to sign up for his blog. Tony’s site includes information for antique aficianados, buyers, sellers, executors and more! Send questions to: AntiqueExpert@TonyDuke.ca

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"Re-gifting" Antiques: A Clever Way to Stay out of the Red.

December 28, 2009

This article was originally published in the Mid Island Midweek as “A clever way to master the art of re-gifting.”

This time of year we are bombarded more than usual with commercials and ads enticing us to buy, buy buy.
Seems that if you don’t buy something for someone then you are incomplete. Oh the guilt, the [...]

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The F Words: Fake, Forgery, Facsimile

December 14, 2009

This was originally published in the North Island Mid-Week as “The 3 Fs of the Biz”

In the world of antiques and art we often have to contend with fakes and forgeries, but what are they and what is the difference?
Well, a fake is a facsimile, a look-a-like as it were, and a forgery is something [...]

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Historical Relevance of the 2010 Olympic Torch and the Miner's Lamp

December 6, 2009

This article was originally published in the North Island Midweek as 2010 Vancouver Olympic Torch and the History Miner’s Lamp.
Did anyone else spot the significance of the Olympic Torch when it came through our area recently?
Fittingly, it was transported to the Island and thence to the cauldron via a “miner’s lamp” carried on a First [...]

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Your Net Worth: Don't Discount Your "Chattels"

November 30, 2009

This article was originally published in the North Island Midweek as “Those Old Chattels Could Be Valuable“.
Have you noticed that almost every publication has an article about estate planning, tax avoidance, retirement plans and the like?
Perhaps, somewhat surprisingly, one particular type of wealth is commonly ignored! Have a look around you, what do you personally [...]

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NB: Info For Comox Valley & Cowichan Flood Victims

November 23, 2009

Disasters and catastrophe are more common than you would think. Last week it was flooding in Courtenay followed by still more flooding in Duncan and Cowachin. And winter has barely set in yet! Hundreds of homes and businesses will have lost tens of thousands of dollars worth of items. While it may be possible to [...]

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A New Blogging Era for @AntiqueExpert

November 20, 2009

The time has arrived. For the past 8 months or so, I have been part of “The Blinking Star” e-newsletter. It made sense, since Blinking Star Antiques is our antique shop.
We’re both getting too big for our britches, and it’s now time to separate the newsletters.
So here’s the plan:

Information about Tony Duke Appraisals can still [...]

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The Pitfalls of Mailing Gold

November 16, 2009

This article was originally published in the North Island Midweek: www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/northislandmidweek/lifestyles/69587442.html

As I write this article, gold has hit record heights: US$1,066 per ounce.

Who wouldn’t want to cash in by selling off their broken and damaged jewelry? We have all seen the ads, pop the gold into an envelope drop it in the mail and magically a [...]

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Is Your Home Insurance In Order?

November 2, 2009

You Bear the Burden of Proof
Insurance policies have strict requirements that require you to back up your claim with proof. When filing a loss claim, you must provide a complete inventory of items you have lost, along with the current value of each and every item. Today most insurance policies call for replacement costs-that is, [...]

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