Monday, July 12, 2010

Collecting Cut Glass

Submitted By: Dave Matthews
(Arts and Crafts)
Collecting contemporary glass art pieces can be one of the most rewarding pastimes. It is lovely to see real craftsmanship in this most fragile of materials, and many people love visiting museums to see the finer pieces on display. But how do you go about organising your own collection? What do you need to know and do?
Collecting Cut Glass

One first step is to work out what style you would like to collect the glass in. For example, many collectors like to start out with something that is not incredibly demanding as regards upkeep, like paperweight glass art. This is neat and compact, and you do not have to create too much space in your home to keep the pieces together.

You could always go down the figurine route, and this is a perfect example of a field that allows for diversification within it. For example, you could have a go at collecting female figures, or figures from mythical stories. Many people love collecting this particular type of glassware because it is easy to display and often gains appreciative noises from people who visit your home. It is worth considering this as an entry point for a glass art collection.

Then take the time to educate yourself about the different kinds of contemporary art glass pieces available and the price ranges they fall into. It is very easy to get caught up in the excitement of buying art pieces, but it can be the case that you can end up finding yourself paying out for expensive pieces that would best suit the more experienced collector. It is worth having a good look around in trade magazines and on websites to see which particular price bracket you feel comfortable operating in.

You can buy a price guide that covers the types of pieces that you want to buy; this price guide will serve you well when you visit auction houses or other such places where you can buy art glass pieces. Having a good price guide will enable you to be objective about a purchase.

Then the fun begins. Search art galleries for pieces that fit into your desired sector. You can even visit antique shops, because many offer more desirable pieces among the usual fare that you are used to seeing. Perhaps the most unusual venue that you can buy art glass in is the flea market, where you can quite easily pick up a bargain if you are careful enough when you are looking.

The auction website eBay is also a great place to pick up some bargains in the sector that you are interested in. Take your time to look around the site carefully, and then pick up a piece that you will really enjoy. This is not something to be rushed.

The final place where you might find a good piece is a local art show, where younger artists may be exhibiting. Snapping a good piece up here early on in someone’s career could mean you have an investment for life on your hands.

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