How to Prepare for Buying Art at Auction
Before bidding at auction, it’s always wise to come prepared with a checklist. Do you have a particular space in mind for the painting? Will it fit comfortably? Is there a medium you’re drawn to, perhaps oil on canvas or watercolour? Once you’ve found a work you love, take time to review the online images and read the condition report carefully. Remember to factor in additional charges on top of the hammer price, including the buyer’s premium and artist’s resale rights, is the artist still living or have they died within the past 70 years, as well as any further costs such as shipping and framing.
Once you’ve done the maths, set a bidding limit, this is the maximum hammer price you’re willing to pay on the day. Then comes the fun part, bidding on the artwork. It’s easy to get carried away in the moment, so having a limit in mind is important. That said, you never know, your next bid might just clinch the winning price.
Styling Different Rooms in the Home
In the living room, if you already have bright or patterned furnishings, a calming focal point on the wall can work beautifully. For example, a seascape by Robert Wellesley Webster, presented in a gold frame, has a wonderfully tranquil quality. The settled sea and sunlight reflecting at the centre of the water create a gentle, glowing atmosphere. Alternatively, if your room already follows a defined colour scheme, you might enjoy introducing something bolder and more vibrant, such as the colourful still-life flower paintings by Irene Lesley Main.
In the kitchen, while it may seem obvious, still lifes featuring fruit or vegetables are perfectly suited to the space. A charming example by James H. Fairgrieve, depicts two peppers. On a larger scale, Simeon Stafford’s lively still life is bright, energetic, and full of movement, an ideal conversation piece while preparing food with friends.
For the bedroom, quieter and more intimate works often feel most appropriate. William Birnie’s evocative interior scene depicting an empty café, captures a moment either just before the lunchtime rush or after closing, when the day’s bustle has faded. Alternatively, Anne Desmet’s monochrome print, brings the elegant interior of the glasshouses at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh into your home, without the effort of remembering to water the plants.
You could leave your walls bare indefinitely, waiting for the ‘perfect’ painting, but it’s often better to enjoy something in the space now. This sale allows you to find an affordable artwork for that empty wall, a piece that will elevate your interior and likely remain there for years to come.
