If you like to buy pieces of art then it is important that you are always aware of what you are buying because there is a lot of scam artists in this industry. Whether you like to collect ancient Egyptian coins, Byzantine artifacts or Luristan bones, it is essential that you do all you can to avoid buying a fake. To help give you some tips on how you can avoid falling into the trap, we had a chat with the curator of New York’s Sadigh Gallery, specialists in ancient art. And so the next time that you are interested in a piece, here is are some tips to help make sure that you get the real deal.
Homework
You can’t go into a world like this blind, you must know exactly what it is that you are looking for and you must check your sources to ensure that the piece which you have your eye on is legitimate. For example if you are buying coins you should know what condition they should be in, what metal it should be made of as this will help in terms of weight and how it has aged. You also need to know what inscriptions should be on the coins, and what should not be on the coin. Whatever you are buying you have to ensure that you know every specific detail.
Buying Online
There is nothing wrong with buying online but you have to make sure that you have some protection. If you are buying from a site which doesn’t offer you that protection then you shouldn’t make any purchases, the last thing you want is to pay and receive a product which is not real. The general rule of thumb is to only buy low cost items online, if it is a piece which is expensive then you should try to go and see it in person before you make the purchase. The internet is a perfect place for scam artists so be sure that you don’t get caught out.
Trust Your Gut
If you are in a market, an independent store or even an online store and you find a piece which you are not sure about, the best bet is to trust your gut and don’t make the purchase. If you are in any doubt at all then it is best to leave the piece rather than risk picking up a fake. Naturally if you are buying from a reputable dealer then you will have much less to worry about, but buying from any other source should be treated with caution. You may end up missing out on a great bargain in doing this but it is much better than ignoring your suspicions and then picking up something which just isn’t real.
Be careful when you are buying art, be sure that you know exactly what you are looking for, watch out for warning signs and trust your gut.
