Does anyone really buy the artwork??

[Cruise a holic]

Yes, people do buy art from the ships. I have purchased many - to include Marc Chagall, O. Trasnyanski to name a couple artist. Some pieces of art are set up as a single item and you cannot put into a lot ( two pieces or more) if you like more than one, ask to see if they can go together - this will bring your opening bid down. I have been lucky a couple times and no one bid against me and got a great deal on art. I also know when it is time to stop bidding. Also - my very first "blind" auction was a steal. just watch your limit on bidding and have a general idea of what artists art go for. this is the biggest tip I can give.

I assume you had your chagall works appraised when you arrived home. If authentic they should be insured.

Edited May 21, 2015 by Cruise a holic

[DAFNVA]

Yes I did, and it has almost tripled in value- this was over 10 years ago. park west provides you with appraisal and certificate of authenticity. they also provide insurance for shipping and pay for the re-framing. I have been very satisfied with all the works purchased. Some art does not come framed and you would get that in a "tube".

 

As far as once you get it, it is up to the buyer to get insurance( fire, flooding, theft etc) insurance - home owners insurance. If you want to have your own appraisal done, that is up to the buyer. I have not had everything reappraised. take pictures of both the art work and certificate of authenticity and appraisal for record keeping for insurance - should you need it.

 

You can get some good deals. Last week I purchased a few more at auction and when I researched the same work, different numbers- all were doubled and or "firm". some were about the same.

 

a lot of the pricing is in the buyer and what the absolute last $$$ you will want to pay for the piece. I have a couple pieces that it wasn't the price but what I saw in the ART, Abstract and water colors are of my interest.

[pe4all]

We purchased a fully-furnished condo in Ft. Lauderdale last year. There were 9 pieces of "cruise art" (some prints numbered and signed, some paintings) purchased from Park West. (the previous owners sailed many times on Royal Caribbean) I researched each piece, which are now selling anywhere from $600-$1,000. Have no idea what price they were purchased for. Luckily, I like most of the pieces, so they will stay on the walls for now! I have never been to an on-board art auction, but will try one this June on Liberty.

[Cruise a holic]

I would strongly urge potential buyers of art to "google" ship auctions to become an informed consumer.

[sjn911]

I would strongly urge potential buyers of art to "google" ship auctions to become an informed consumer.

 

Exactly..is it an inexpensive print...or print of a print...or what?

 

If it looks good to buyer all is great..I can't stand that if said buyer could of had a lot more for vacation and found same print later at fair price..

 

Liking it is great and no snob here about a person's decor in a home....

 

Just be careful about honesty if truly an artist (I think it is called "remarks") etc.

Edited May 21, 2015 by sjn911

[Green Boy]

I went one time just to see what it was all about..

found a Mickey Mouse picture I liked, thought about buying it for my Niece until I heard the price... 4,500.00 !!!!

 

you go to be kidding !!!

my butt went back out and enjoyed the sun :)

[frisbeewife]

OK, I have to share my art auction story. I usually admire/criticize/laugh at the art prior to the auction, and occasionally there is a piece or two that I actually like. But I never considered buying anything and I despise that "champagne" they give out so I never went to the auctions. But on my last cruise DH and I went to the room where the art was displayed and wandered through examining it. He admired a Wyland and said he wouldn't mind having that. I was pretty much underwhelmed by everything until my eye was suddenly caught by a lovely print by somebody I'd never heard of, of 2 little girls walking hand-in-hand on a beach. It reminded me very much of me and my sister when we were little, so I decided I'd just go to that auction and see what I could get it for.

 

There were maybe 20 or so people there. I don't remember which company it was, but the dealer/emcee did say it was their last auction on this ship. At the end of the cruise they were taking all their stuff off the ship and another company was coming onboard. So he started with the Wyland with an opening bid of something like $15,000. Nobody bid, of course, so he moved on. When my picture came up he mentioned that this one was different and the winning bidder had their choice of taking that actual print and walking off the ship with it, or paying some amount of money more to have a new picture and frame shipped to them. It was not very big so I knew it would fit in my suitcase, and I hated the frame anyway, so I ended up getting it for something like $50.

 

Before the end of the cruise I went by the art pickup area to get it and the guy wrapped it up in bubble wrap for me. When I went to pay him for it he just waved me off and said don't worry about it. I really got the feeling that he didn't care one way or another - maybe his job was ending after the cruise too. So I ended up with the picture for free - not counting the framing I had done after I got home, which I would've done anyway.

 

I consider this a one-time thing, though, and doubt I'd be inspired by any other pictures in the art auctions. So I have to say that yes, I have sort of purchased something at an art auction (well, I tried to purchase it but they wouldn't take my money) but no, I don't think I'd ever do it again.

[sjn911]

Wow Frisbee...Sarah

[frisbeewife]

I forgot to add they also gave me a bottle of the "champagne" because I was the first person to "buy" something at the auction. They gave away 4 or 5 bottles, as I recall. Since I can't stand the stuff I took it to dinner that night and told the waiter I wanted to share it with everybody at our table. They swapped my warm bottle for one they had chilled and poured a glass for everybody at the table. I was watching during the meal, and some people wouldn't touch it and others were guzzling it like it was water. So I guess that "champagne" is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing.

[SunnydayKim]

The women with no faces bother me.

Have you seen them?

 

Somehow just unsettling.

 

That is funny as we actually like the Emile Bellet paintings/prints and have purchased a couple on past cruises. We only buy what we like and the frame pricing on some of them can be great and less than you would pay on land. We are not buying as an investment, but for decoration.

 

I guess it really does go to show you that beauty -and art- are in the eyes of the beholder. :)

 

I will say, the past few cruises, we haven't gone as they seem like just the "same stuff".

 

Kim

[RaMar]

On our past two cruises we bought a couple of pieces, just because we liked them and the frames alone are really terrific.

[Cruise a holic]

That is funny as we actually like the Emile Bellet paintings/prints and have purchased a couple on past cruises. We only buy what we like and the frame pricing on some of them can be great and less than you would pay on land. We are not buying as an investment, but for decoration.

 

I guess it really does go to show you that beauty -and art- are in the eyes of the beholder. :)

 

I will say, the past few cruises, we haven't gone as they seem like just the "same stuff".

 

Kim

 

As long as people realize that they are purchasing prints and copies most of the time, whatever you like is great! Too each his/her own.

[rocketship]

We have bought a couple of pieces... I have read online about how some of the art isnt worth what they are selling it for, they are a rip off, etc. The pieces we bought are all autographed sports memorabilia and we bought it for our 'sports' room. Did we overpay? Yeah, probably a little. However, there arent many places you can go to look at pieces like this and even if we could, we usually wouldnt find ourselves in those places... So the experience is worth it to us..

[NightOne]

More fun reading:

 

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2013/09/27/guide-to-cruise-ship-art-auctions/

 

https://tr.im/QtfHR

Edited May 22, 2015 by NightOne