Buying Fine Art

Questions, Questions, Questions. You got 'em? We'll answer 'em!
Post Reply
User avatar
Wheels
Posse
Posts: 331
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2010 8:49 pm
Location: Lost in the Midwest

Buying Fine Art

Post by Wheels »

A recent post has me making plans for pursuit of my grail, a fine art piece (I'd rather not say which until I start the search). All of the pieces that I've bought from anywhere but OG are prints, and even the fine art pieces from OG have come in tubes. But this one isn't a tube item. It seems that most of the fine art that I've seen go up here have asked for someone in x-area to pick it up. Is this typical? I'm solidly Midwest and a day or days of driving from most all of these locations (usually on the coasts), so that would be difficult (not impossible) for me. I have seen this forum's "Shipping Fine Art" thread with one person saying don't use FedEx and another swearing by it. Any advice from people who've done this with rigid works?

Also, my plans were to post an LTB here, on EBeans, and to check with a gallery that I'm pretty sure sold at least one of this piece. Is there something more (or less) that I should do to find it and if its owner is open to selling?

Thanks! :D
You're not to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it.
~Malcolm X
User avatar
Solar
Giant
Posts: 1419
Joined: Tue May 08, 2007 12:16 pm

Re: Buying Fine Art

Post by Solar »

Every piece of fine art I've ever purchased (or sold for that matter) has been shipped. It's not a big deal as long as it's packed correctly. Assuming we're talking about Shep, USPS Express Mail works great for smaller works (wood HPMs, metal prints, etc.).

You have to get a little more creative for the monster pieces. I've shipped a framed 44x60" Shep original on paper to the UK by Fedex freight and it arrived without a hitch. Deitch shipped me my 44x60" canvas by a private art courier service due to value.

I do have a (possibly irrational) fear of UPS ever since they stomped the first (and last) item I shipped through them. It was just a vinyl toy, but still.
User avatar
Wheels
Posse
Posts: 331
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2010 8:49 pm
Location: Lost in the Midwest

Re: Buying Fine Art

Post by Wheels »

Thanks Solar, great to know. And definitely not a "monster piece". 44x66"?! :shock:
Solar wrote:Every piece of fine art I've ever purchased (or sold for that matter) has been shipped. It's not a big deal as long as it's packed correctly. Assuming we're talking about Shep, USPS Express Mail works great for smaller works (wood HPMs, metal prints, etc.).

You have to get a little more creative for the monster pieces. I've shipped a framed 44x60" Shep original on paper to the UK by Fedex freight and it arrived without a hitch. Deitch shipped me my 44x60" canvas by a private art courier service due to value.

I do have a (possibly irrational) fear of UPS ever since they stomped the first (and last) item I shipped through them. It was just a vinyl toy, but still.
You're not to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it.
~Malcolm X
User avatar
gpt104
Giant
Posts: 1767
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:56 pm
Location: Philly Burbs

Re: Buying Fine Art

Post by gpt104 »

2 of my pieces came in the mail with no problems - one from Subliminal and the other a board member. Just know who you are dealing with and be clear in your discussions.
Collection & Wants: http://forum.thegiant.org/collection/others.php?u=3093" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
Wheels
Posse
Posts: 331
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2010 8:49 pm
Location: Lost in the Midwest

Re: Buying Fine Art

Post by Wheels »

Thanks gpt, that's reassuring!

Any thoughts out there about tracking down a specific piece? Thanks!

gpt104 wrote:2 of my pieces came in the mail with no problems - one from Subliminal and the other a board member. Just know who you are dealing with and be clear in your discussions.
You're not to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it.
~Malcolm X
User avatar
easycraig
Giant
Posts: 5949
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 3:27 am
Location: Hot Girl Giant !

Re: Buying Fine Art

Post by easycraig »

[quote="Wheels"]Thanks gpt, that's reassuring!

Any thoughts out there about tracking down a specific piece? Thanks!


^^^ good luck with that... its hard enough to buy 'any' of the fine art... you might be able to locate the piece, but then you will probably have to throw gobs of cash at the seller to get them to sell....
A New Hot Girl Joins the Giant.org every minute!
User avatar
gpt104
Giant
Posts: 1767
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:56 pm
Location: Philly Burbs

Re: Buying Fine Art

Post by gpt104 »

Aside from starting a "Looking to Buy" thread, try finding out when it was released (i.e. what gallery show) and then looking through the threads here discussing that show to see if anyone mentioned scoring it. Or browse the fine art thread.

The folks at Carmichael seem very resourceful and usually have a good fine art supply. But as EC said, prices will balloon there, especially if extra effort is needed to find a piece.
Collection & Wants: http://forum.thegiant.org/collection/others.php?u=3093" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Ashley23
Punk
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2011 12:40 am

Re: Buying Fine Art

Post by Ashley23 »

I think you should ask the seller to ship the item through USPS express mail. I got almost all of my portraits through USPS and it has been more than three years or so. So far, I haven’t found any issues with either the products, freight audit or the shipping time.
Last edited by Ashley23 on Fri Aug 19, 2011 8:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
theheadiest
Punk
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 11:01 am

Re: Buying Fine Art

Post by theheadiest »

just my experience but USPS is not to be trusted...just like the rest of our government!
User avatar
Wheels
Posse
Posts: 331
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2010 8:49 pm
Location: Lost in the Midwest

Re: Buying Fine Art

Post by Wheels »

theheadiest wrote:just my experience but USPS is not to be trusted...just like the rest of our government!
In my experience, the USPS beats out UPS. No comment on FedEx or whatever the new yellow truck service is, since few things come to me from them.

USPS seems to have something to prove. I have a friend who works for the postal service (Oooo, The District Sleeps Alone Tonight just started playing in my head :D ). He always seems keenly aware of the budget issues facing USPS and doing what any one person can to help improve them. Customer service might not fix budget issues, but I think it's one way that the USPS employees in my area are working to keep people using their service. UPS, on the other hand, just seems like they're out to make a buck. Their employees just seem there to do a job. ...not caring much for my parcel or my satisfaction as a customer. (My wife adds, "Or even coming to the front door when you're home early for a package that they won't deliver without a signature!")

My/our experience, around here at least.
You're not to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it.
~Malcolm X
User avatar
brinkmwj
Punk
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2011 6:46 am
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Contact:

Re: Buying Fine Art

Post by brinkmwj »

USPS works pretty well. One of my favorite Internet posts of all time: http://www.directcreative.com/postal-experiments.html
User avatar
Cookie Head
Giant
Posts: 1927
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2006 11:09 am
Location: LALALALALA

Re: Buying Fine Art

Post by Cookie Head »

brinkmwj wrote:USPS works pretty well. One of my favorite Internet posts of all time: http://www.directcreative.com/postal-experiments.html
That"s a good one for sure! I've never had any problems at all shipping with the USPS and they are by far the best deal out there.
User avatar
superfly snuka
Propaganda Engineer
Posts: 989
Joined: Mon Dec 04, 2006 1:26 pm
Location: Chicago

Re: Buying Fine Art

Post by superfly snuka »

I'd personally use USPS. Ive had 2 HPM's left at my door by UPS, not including several prints over the years. Scares the crepe out of me.

More importantly, did you score the grail you spoke about or another fine art piece?
User avatar
Wheels
Posse
Posts: 331
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2010 8:49 pm
Location: Lost in the Midwest

Re: Buying Fine Art

Post by Wheels »

superfly snuka wrote:I'd personally use USPS. Ive had 2 HPM's left at my door by UPS, not including several prints over the years. Scares the crepe out of me.

More importantly, did you score the grail you spoke about or another fine art piece?
:-) Not yet...hoping/planning to this fall. I've had an ISO in Wanted for a few months. Thanks for asking!
You're not to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it.
~Malcolm X
Post Reply