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How do you cope with selling art in your collection when the time comes to let a piece go?
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21 posts in this topic

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Just wondered how people on here rationalise things when selling a piece from their collection? I struggle with letting anything go because I generally stick to the mantra of this place "buy what you love". I feel lucky that I am in a position where I feel that way about what I have but it can seem like like a double edged sword when you get a really good offer on a piece.

Probably the best answer I can think of to my own question is to either work more or get a better job and sell nothing :) , but I am going to set that aside here.

If I do complete a sale on a couple of pieces, it will be to refocus some of my collection. I think I would be happy in both worlds, one where I do that and the other where I don't... but I don't think I can go in with that attitude. I doubt anybody wants to deal with someone who is undecided or is unclear about price.

You guys scare me with all the comments here and in CAF lamenting about the ones you let go.

 

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1 hour ago, Garf said:

image.png.a94c2958651ec7a77348fdf466f10d5a.png

Just wondered how people on here rationalise things when selling a piece from their collection? I struggle with letting anything go because I generally stick to the mantra of this place "buy what you love". I feel lucky that I am in a position where I feel that way about what I have but it can seem like like a double edged sword when you get a really good offer on a piece.

Probably the best answer I can think of to my own question is to either work more or get a better job and sell nothing :) , but I am going to set that aside here.

If I do complete a sale on a couple of pieces, it will be to refocus some of my collection. I think I would be happy in both worlds, one where I do that and the other where I don't... but I don't think I can go in with that attitude. I doubt anybody wants to deal with someone who is undecided or is unclear about price.

You guys scare me with all the comments here and in CAF lamenting about the ones you let go.

 

To me, pieces are not just art, but a memory of an event. So, if the piece stirs memories, no amount of money is worth selling. But, if a piece no longer generates any memories, fondness or otherwise, it's okay to let it go.

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1 hour ago, Rick2you2 said:

To me, pieces are not just art, but a memory of an event. So, if the piece stirs memories, no amount of money is worth selling. But, if a piece no longer generates any memories, fondness or otherwise, it's okay to let it go.

That's pretty much what my better half said about love/fondness. I think I already know what I am going to do as the pieces I have in mind don't have any comics nostalgia attached but it helps to hear what others think (still feels kinda horrible)... if I didn't have this place to ask I'm sure that I would drive at least one person in my house to the point of yelling at me along the way :bigsmile: 

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2 hours ago, Garf said:

That's pretty much what my better half said about love/fondness. I think I already know what I am going to do as the pieces I have in mind don't have any comics nostalgia attached but it helps to hear what others think (still feels kinda horrible)... if I didn't have this place to ask I'm sure that I would drive at least one person in my house to the point of yelling at me along the way :bigsmile: 

It isn’t just the nostalgia for the comic, but the piece, as well. I have acquired some things in which the process itself justifies keeping them. Like your first acquired “trophy” bra or panties from a woman long gone.

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1 minute ago, Rick2you2 said:

It isn’t just the nostalgia for the comic, but the piece, as well. I have acquired some things in which the process itself justifies keeping them. Like your first acquired “trophy” bra or panties from a woman long gone.

Ok. You made me laugh there, but yeah I get it.

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Selling to buy something better is just trading up. You can love what you buy but feelings can change over time and selling something you loved (or love a little less than when you bought it) for something you now love more is a good move IMHO. If you look at every piece in your collection, there is a good chance that some pieces will fall into the bottom third of your list in terms of appreciation (love). Those are the pieces to move in order to get something that would be in the top third of your collection. Or you can keep everything - nothing wrong with any approach really - every collector and collection is unique and there is not a wrong way to collect. 

Edited by JadeGiant
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1 hour ago, malvin said:

If selling a piece causes that much self reflection and potential trauma, I think it's telling you that you aren't ready to sell.

So that's how I would deal with it.  I won't sell if I feel what you describe and only sell when those feelings don't exist.

Malvin

This all day. I have learned to trust my gut and find other ways of getting what I want. Failing that, I wait.

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First and foremost, I really enjoy collecting original art and I really like all the pieces I own. However, for the right price, it is ALL for sale and it will eventually be put up for sale by me or whomever gets it when I die.

Here's a few ways to look at it to help you sell:

Sometimes you need to freshen up your collection. As much as I love some pieces, after awhile, I get tired of looking at them and want something different.

Also, I am of the mindset that I survived long before I got any of this art, so it won't kill me to sell it.

Then, I think, "someone besides me will own it one of these days, so I might as well sell and enjoy some profit before I die, rather than letting someone profit from the art AFTER I die."

After you sell your first piece and you get the cash in your hands, it makes selling the next piece a whole lot easier.

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Doesn't bother me. There will be a few pieces I'll miss once they're gone, but I view myself as nothing more than a temporary caretaker for anything I've been fortunate enough to add to the collection.

If my family decides they want to hold on to a few pieces, I'll gladly hold those back, but I imagine there would be a day where I'll unload most/all of it...hopefully to collectors who will enjoy it as much or more than me.

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I used to collect wine. So I always try and find parallels between the two hobbies. Your taste in art will change, so selling a piece because you realize you have a concentration of a type of art (commissions vs published) or because you want to find a focus in your collection is fine by me. If, however, you're selling your prized pieces because you need a new furnace  - that is a hard pill to swallow. 

The pieces I've sold have always been hard to let go of - just because I take great care in curating my collection. However, I still have great examples from the artist so the cash was appreciated and the cash was allocated to other lesser know creators. I've yet to "buy up". I'd love to say I was able to sell that Sean Murphy splash page and roll the cash into my grail Sandman or Mazz BA - hasn't happened (not for lack of trying). I haven't picked up more expensive (which usually translates to "better") art but I have bought different, interesting pieces: Merwan, Zoe Thorogood, Dani.

Just like wine, your tastes will change, you will find you have too much of one kind, you cant drink it so you just sell it and refocus. 

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1 hour ago, Stefanomjr said:

Just like wine, your tastes will change, you will find you have too much of one kind, you cant drink it so you just sell it and refocus. 

I just wanted to mention that I bought my first piece of Phantom Stranger art in 1980. Still buying (after a hiatus due to marriage/kids/bills related thereto).

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