Art Auction Advice

[Premontre65]

We will be on the Grand Dec 2007. In our short time reading CC reviews we haven't seen any discussion of the shipboard art auctions. Do you think they are worth attending? How do the auction prices compare to buying at land based houses?

[ggprincess2004]

IMHO, the art auctions are a wonderful way to get a glass or champagne or two in the middle of the afternoon.

Can't comment on the pricing, as it can go all over the place. I try not shop after two drinks. :D

[gatour]

Based on my experience on something that I know the value of, shoreside, if you like something, make a bid at the opening price and maybe rise once or twice if the price does not jump too much, after that drop out.

 

But do not think of this as an investment, if you like it and have a place for it in your home, think about buying it at its opening price

[Blackrobe]

I wholeheartedly agree with gatour. We have purchased quite a bit of art while cruising. We don't believe the hooey the auctioneer spews about the current prices and investment quality of the art. We buy something because we like it; because it will go well in a specific location; and, the price appears to be acceptable to us. We have been very pleased with the prices we have paid onboard when we have seen the same art for sale on land.

[tvaud]

It's not worth the time or energy. There are so many better things to do on board. The champagne, inho, isn't even worth the visit.

[Princess Chatterer]

We will be on the Grand Dec 2007. In our short time reading CC reviews we haven't seen any discussion of the shipboard art auctions. Do you think they are worth attending? How do the auction prices compare to buying at land based houses?

 

Read this before going to your first on board art auction

 

http://princesschatter.com/forum/index.php?topic=166.0

[Times Prince]

We will be on the Grand Dec 2007. In our short time reading CC reviews we haven't seen any discussion of the shipboard art auctions. Do you think they are worth attending? How do the auction prices compare to buying at land based houses?

First, let me agree with the other posters - buy art because you like it.

 

Having said that, we've found that most onboard prices are a little better, and in some cases a lot better than land based gallery prices and many internet art galleries (not talking about e-bay or sites that sell prints).

The auctioneer will talk about retail value and "insurance value". Be careful of this - if you buy art, your insurance company will insure for the value you paid and have a receipt for - not some inflated insurance value. We have bought some of the more expensive pieces and watched the sales value of that painter on board ship go up each year. We've also bought some "inexpensive" art that made great donations to a church auction some years later when we tired of the picture and it didn't match our current house's decoration.

 

If you like art or are considering decorating do a little research first about what you are interested in and what you might want to pay. For instance if you have a limited area on a wall that you are interested in decorating, measure it before you go. Then go and enjoy. Good hunting!

 

Even if you don't buy, the auction can be entertaining, and you'll see some pretty and some pretty awful art in the process. Sometimes our comments to each other about the art can be the best part. Make sure you take some time to walk around and preview the pictures beforehand - this will help you know if the picture that is on sale has the details you like, before there is money on the table.

 

One last thing - most pieces are from limited editions, meaning that there is usually more than one in stock. They used to have a policy at stopping the bidding at three bids, then selling more than one copy to the active bidders. They will tell you in advance if this is not the case. For the most part don't worry about bidding wars - but watch your budget, too, if you need to.

[taxatty]

So long as you aren't spending big bucks, if you see even a "worthless giclee" that you like to fill a spot on your wall and you like the way they do framing, it's often a decent buy. Just don't think that you're stealing anything. We found that quite a few pieces available in the art auctions in the $300-1500 range sell on Ebay and various art dealer or artist Internet sites for about the same unframed as they do on the ship framed, so at that price point it seems hard to go wrong.

 

It also varies from ship to ship. On one Princess ship auction we saw almost every piece get the three bids mentioned above (in general, only the really expensive stuff is one of a kind) so everyone paid $100 or so over the opening bid. The next time we went on Princess and on an RCCL cruise soon after, there were hardly any bids, so you could buy almost anything for the opening bid--just the luck of the draw.

Les

[UT-Volsfan]

We've bought several of the limited editions on previous cruises and our criteria for buying is how much we like it and can we use it in the room we're decorating. We haven't gone on the internet like some people we've met and checked prices before the auctions. Just buy it if you enjoy looking at it!

 

On some of the Princess cruises they have one of the artists sail on the cruise (Wyland was getting on board the ship for the next cruise when our last Alaska cruise was over). If they have the artist on board, I've been told they may hand embellish some of their pieces for the auction.

[jpetros]

My wife and I found a beautiful piece from an artist that we already have a couple paintings from. We put in an opening bid, and no one else bid, so we actually got it for about $100 less than the other pieces we bought previously from a studio. In addition, we got it with two weeks of our return home.

If you like it, buy it!!! Keep the wife happy.......it always pays off...jim

[m steve]

If you want some art from your trip but it in the ports so it really is something to remember your trip. There's great art in the Caribbean, Alaska and Europe. And you probably won't be buying a limited edition of several thousand and the artist or vendor will appreciate your purchase even if the art doesn't appreciate. I've bought some great prints in San Juan, primitives on other islands, original watercolors in Venice and hand carved crafts on many islands. I have traveled on 5 different lines and 8 ships and see the same junk at every gallery before the auction.

[TNTLAMB]

We have several pieces that we truly enjoy, and have found the auctions themselves to be truly fun and educational. We know that technology has allowed the production of giclée which drives art-snobs and gallery owners nuts. But frankly, seriographs and lithographs, the earlier technology, had the same effect. So who cares. Its fun, educational, and frankly a great opportunity to buy "art" from known artsists, well framed and beautifully presented and at prices at or below imitation art sold in designer shops, department stores and the like that is generic and by unknowns. Have fun. When you get it home, and you discover it looks awful where you have it, or discover you really did pay way too much, they will buy it back for year (or three) as part of the gurantee of value.

[ck53]

Art and shipping it, is what I do for a living. I have seen all kinds,high value, good, bad and hotel / motel.

 

If they tell you they have a Rembrandt triptych (as was stated on a previous thread) and will give it to you for a deal, run away! What would a Rembrandt be doing on a cruise ship, stored in closet when not on show and no humidity control what so ever? (for paintings) Pastels should be stored flat,but not on ships.

 

I have asked about pieces and told it was authenticated by so and so. Called some contacts @ the aucton houses, nope, not only not on their approved list but never heard of them. Art is a very small world.

 

When shipping pieces home, if under $5000. or so some home owners migh will cover it or the ship will sell you some.. But over that amount you need, "transit insurance" through an art insurer. Most art insurer will not cover the frames.

 

Overall, I don't trust the seller's and I think they make some of the spiel up as they go along. But as for entertainment, it can be great fun! People's tastes are so different! It is also a pleasing way to decorate your home or to bring back a memory.But please don't ever buy an expensive piece of art aboard ship. It wouldn't be there if it was so good!

 

Happy cruising!

[chasetf]

Read this before going to your first on board art auction

 

http://princesschatter.com/forum/index.php?topic=166.0

Very revealing.... Thanks for sharing.

[fpat]

Very revealing.... Thanks for sharing.

Here is another one

 

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0408artworks0408.html

[TNTLAMB]

Here is another one

 

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0408artworks0408.html

 

 

One of many articles aboput Park West. I wonder if that is why PC does not use them???

[TM]

Over the last several years my husband and I have purchased several pieces of art from Princess. We do not buy them because of the so call value we are getting, we buy them because we like them and have a place to hang them in our home. Our pieces of art bring great pleasure to us, and remind of of a great cruise that we have taken. We look forward to the art auctions and have learned a lot about the artists. However, our walls are filling up and I have told my husband, no new art this fall when we cruise to the Panama. We will attend the art auctions though because we enjoy them.

[Premontre65]

We want to thank all of you for the information. Reading your replies has been entertaining and educational. We are sure glad that we came across CC. So many people are so willing to help. As time goes by we hope that we can be equally helpful to others. We guess that's just how this is supposed to work. Thanks all!!!

[iancal]

I think that the only value they have is 'entertainment' value.... and the free glass of champagne. I treat them like those 'approved' jewelry stores that are touted on board as the only safe place to buy or get a deal. Bottom line, buy it you like it but realize that very few of us canaccurately appraise the current or future potential value of art. Many are nothing but prints in fancy frames. In fact, I think they carefully select frames to move the buyer's eye away from the piece and towards the frame. This program is a HUGE moneymaker for the cruise lines. This is why they push it so hard. Guess where the money comes from? As for selling art 'below wholesale' and other such nonsense.....I have never seen dealers lined up to buy this 'below wholesale' art so it is strictly buyer beware.

[JLC@SD]

We will be on the Grand Dec 2007. In our short time reading CC reviews we haven't seen any discussion of the shipboard art auctions. Do you think they are worth attending? How do the auction prices compare to buying at land based houses?

 

.....walk around the ship.....all that crap is on display........if it appeals to you.........go.......I would never buy it.....;).....and we own lots of art.

[m steve]

that have art auctions, then multiply it by 50 weeks of cruising and wonder when would the artist have time to produce and sign that many of any piece. I really condemn the cruise lines for displaying this junk art and taking space away from more lucrative services like a larger casino or another bar.

[Nitemare]

One of many articles aboput Park West. I wonder if that is why PC does not use them???

Because it's cheaper to do it yourself than to outsource. Princess charges a lower buyer's premium than PW does, too.

[Nitemare]

that have art auctions, then multiply it by 50 weeks of cruising and wonder when would the artist have time to produce and sign that many of any piece. I really condemn the cruise lines for displaying this junk art and taking space away from more lucrative services like a larger casino or another bar.

 

 

There's lots of artists out there, so tons of time for folks to be producing and signing the pieces that are sold.

 

Can I condemn cruise lines for the horrible payouts on Bingo? On the overpriced "gold by the inch"? On the prices in the boutiques? Oh! This condemning is fun!!!

 

And if they weren't making money on this? You started to do the math yourself -- if it wasn't quite lucrative, they would certainly replace the auctions with something that would be more profitable.

[makai 7]

Art auctions on cruise ships are iffy, in my opinion. I have had mixed experiences.

They can be very entertaining, if you want to enjoy some champagne (bad champagne) and watch in amazement as some people spend a fortune. Most of the art is not to my liking, but everyone has different tastes.

 

There are several things to be aware of-

1. Items sold on Princess at auction have been created specifically for Princess Auction. You typically cannot purchase that specific edition anywhere else.

Example:

We purchased a signed and numbered Serio-Lithograph of Wyland's "In the Company of Dolphins". It was purchased on NCL Majesty on a last day of the cruise "Auction Clearance Sale" with no buyer's premium and we were able to bargain down the price a bit. It included the frame and we liked the print, so we considered it worth the price.

I contacted Wyland Galleries to get a valuation for comparison, and they refused to provide a current value for the art, even though it was "authentic Wyland" because it was an edition made specifically for Princess (*note I purchased this on NCL!).

Wyland Galleries sells a Giclee on Canvas of this same work, but not a serio-lithograph on paper.

When I was on Tahitian Princess in January, I spoke to the auctioneer about this and he claimed that the galleries won't give values because they are "jealous" of the business lost to the cruise ship auctions. He gave me a phone number where Princess would provide an estimate of the value. When I called, I was told that Princess no longer provides any estimates of value, but would refer me to a company that I could pay to get an estimate.

Bottom line- do not expect any service from either the Artist's gallery or the cruise line regarding artwork you purchase at auction. BUY WHAT YOU LIKE if you think it is a reasonable price.

We bought this print because we liked it and thought it was a reasonable price for a framed, signed & numbered Wyland.

 

2. We purchased a Mendevev print (unframed) at another NCL auction. Again, this was because I happened to like it. It was not very expensive, and I did not feel that I was 'ripped off'. I had my local framer matte and frame it for me, for less than they were trying to sell their framing services on board. The only place you ever see this print is at Ship Auctions or Ebay. Again, it was only created for the art auction business, not available in galleries.

 

If you like Wyland, I think you are better off buying at a gallery. You do not pay a buyer's premium. You can often negotiate a lower price or reduced shipping costs. If it is being shipped to a different state, you often do not pay sales tax. Wyland galleries often throw in extras (we have received hand-signed (not numbered) prints and books for free with our purchases). You work directly with the gallery if there is a problem to be resolved.

You pay a deposit only (not full price at the time of placing the order), and they will give you 'free financing' by charging your credit card in installments if you like.

 

Sorry for the rambling, but again, if you see something you like and MUST HAVE, go ahead and buy it, if you think you will get your money's worth of enjoyment from it. Or go to the auction for entertainment. Never buy something as an investment.

 

Most of the time we prefer to buy local artists' work instead. It is more relevant as a remembrance of our trip, and supports the local economy instead of adding profits to the cruise line.

[denneym1]

This has always puzzled my wife and I. We don't go on vacation to shop for art, or diamonds, or cars, or any other large purchases. Making decisions like that seems contrary to the idea of a vacation. To each thier own, though. If you want to shop for diamonds or art, it means there is one less deck chair in use!!!

MD