Finding a signed painting, print or sculpture at an estate sale is exciting. Here's how to learn who made it and what you really have.
1. Read the signature carefully
Photograph it close up and write down every letter you can make out, plus any date next to it. Sculptures are often signed on the base.
2. Check the back
Gallery labels, framer stickers, handwritten titles, exhibition tags and inscriptions on the back of a frame or under a base are some of the best clues you'll find.
3. Original or print?
Look under a magnifier. A pattern of tiny dots usually means a printed reproduction. Brushstrokes you can feel, pencil marks and uneven paint point to an original.
4. Look for an edition number
Numbers like 180/650 mean a limited edition print or casting: piece 180 of 650. Pencil-signed and numbered prints are more collectible than unsigned ones.
5. Search the artist
Search the name with the medium and subject, like "bronze sculpture" or "watercolor ducks." Artist websites, gallery pages and museum collections can confirm the style.
6. Check past sales
Auction results and sold listings show what similar works have actually sold for.
7. Know the rules for Native American art
In the U.S., the Indian Arts and Crafts Act makes it illegal to sell art as Native American-made unless it was made by a member of a tribe. Look for documentation of the artist when you buy.
8. Keep the paperwork
Receipts, certificates and any notes about where a piece came from (its provenance) add to its value. Keep them with the art.
Browse signed prints and original art in Funky Walls & Curious Prints and New Orleans & Louisiana Art.