Park West?!?!

[uncleboo]

i do not go on a cruise to buy art. i think it all is over priced

 

there are alot of folks who buy it not me

[Rala]

No, not at all. Just comments about the newsletter & enclosures came out of left field. Was just wondering why it was in the middle of the Park West thread.

 

Did you read posts #14 and #15 ? Did those posts come out of left field also? I was merely adding to thoughts expressed there. Also, with over 1,000 posts, you should know by now that many threads here do not stick absolutely strictly to the topic in the title. :)

[dd likes to cruise]

What does this have to do with Park West auctions?

:confused:

 

Many of the pieces of paper they are speaking of is advertising for the art auctions.

[Jasukkie]

I watched on Anthem recently, held at Boleros, and the place was packed and people were buying. A total head-shaker to me, it just all seemed so scammy. I find it all very Flea Market of the Seas when they have the promenade jammed with "art" and merchandise sales. Not my thing but must be a money maker.

[pamrose228]

I have bought at the auctions. I have a preference for Tarkay and Park West is the only place he allows to sell his numbered and signed lithos. Also love Linda Kniff and have bought two one of which is a signed mixed media worth a lot more than I bought it for. Stopped buying years ago I had no more wall space.

 

Also remember no tax and free shipping and framing is a lot less than locally.

 

 

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[ladylyn915]

Has anyone here ever purchased anything?

I too on occasion will stroll through on the way to somewhere and have not seen anything that I like or if I do like something I have seen it at the local mall (Ali standing over Foreman).

There is ALOT of space taken up on most ships with the 'art'. It would be great if it was relegated to Day 2 and 3 poolside and available in a back room for those who purchased or wished to bid.

 

My first encounter with Park West was on a Princess Cruise in 1995. We bid and won a cell of Tweety and Sylvestor. We paid $95. Was it worth it? I have no idea - but it is hanging in my upstairs hallway and every time I have passed it over the last 20+ years it has reminded me of that cruise. I love Tweety, I love cruising and I love my cell. For me it was a souvenir.

 

On a later cruise on Celebrity to Bermuda, we won a set of two prints that looked very much like homes in Bermuda. I don't remember the price, but certainly under $100 for both. They hang in my spare bedroom. Again, lovely memories of a wonderful vacation. I have others as well from other cruises and I love each and every one of them.

 

Would I spend thousands? No! Are any of these worth anything? Probably only to me.

 

I have no more room for any more prints, so I have not been to an Art show in any of my last 4 or 5 cruises. Do they still have auctions? Or is it only purchases now?

[ramja96]

I have bought at the auctions. I have a preference for Tarkay and Park West is the only place he allows to sell his numbered and signed lithos. Also love Linda Kniff and have bought two one of which is a signed mixed media worth a lot more than I bought it for. Stopped buying years ago I had no more wall space.

 

Also remember no tax and free shipping and framing is a lot less than locally.

 

 

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I had the pleasure of meeting Tarkay in 2011 - he passed away the following year. He had a wonderful sense of humor. Truly a very talented artist.

 

 

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[pamrose228]

I had the pleasure of meeting Tarkay in 2011 - he passed away the following year. He had a wonderful sense of humor. Truly a very talented artist.

 

 

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I went online to see what my Tarkays are valued at now. Some are 1-2K I paid around $250 framed for each. His oils are valued at $25K

 

 

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[Rala]

Many of the pieces of paper they are speaking of is advertising for the art auctions.

 

Thanks for the support ! :D:D:D

[jdavison]

They’re awful. Google them .... completely overpriced. Go for the free champagne and keep your paddle down.

 

 

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[jdavison]

Yes - I have. I love the purchases (yes, plural) I've made with them. As for the person who said they "heard" that purchases take a long time - that depends on what you consider "long". My purchases have typically taken about 6-8 weeks to get. That's not bad at all imo, and it's ALWAYS come in excellent condition, as I ordered it. Don't assume what you "hear" as always the truth. The thing about Park West is that you're mostly going to hear from the people who have something bad to say (and many times, uninformed opinions), and not hear from the people happy with their purchases. As I always tell people - buy what you like, don't buy something because you think it's going to be valuable some day (or today, for that matter). If you paid good money for something you aren't thrilled to hang in your home, you not only threw your money away, you're a fool for doing so. And just remember, the next time you want to knock those people at the auctions for "sipping the bad champagne", remember - some of them (us) are members of this message board, too. By the way - I've never seen a single person forced to buy something they didn't want.

 

 

 

My experience was quite different. My piece took over 6 months to arrive and it took many calls and emails to get it.

 

 

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[travelberlin]

Park West is a company we do not wish in ships anymore. But maybe others do. Otherwise why are they still around?

Ivi

[alfaeric]

My experience was quite different. My piece took over 6 months to arrive and it took many calls and emails to get it.

 

 

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Was that Park West or the other company that took their place for a few years- Art Actually? They were truly horrible about sending art- took many months to get stuff. One of the reason they failed and Park West came back.

[Clarea]

Was that Park West or the other company that took their place for a few years- Art Actually? They were truly horrible about sending art- took many months to get stuff. One of the reason they failed and Park West came back.

Royal did dump Park West a few years ago, I think around 2010. They had their own company doing the art thing for a year or two, then got back with Park West. Here's a link: https://www.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com/press-release/705/royal-caribbean-to-introduce-art-on-royal-fleetwide/

[jdavison]

Was that Park West or the other company that took their place for a few years- Art Actually? They were truly horrible about sending art- took many months to get stuff. One of the reason they failed and Park West came back.

 

 

 

It was Park West. I still have all the correspondence. Personally, it was the worse business transaction I’ve ever dealt with. I’m only speaking from my personal experience. Others, may have had better luck.

 

 

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[alfaeric]

It was Park West. I still have all the correspondence. Personally, it was the worse business transaction I’ve ever dealt with. I’m only speaking from my personal experience. Others, may have had better luck.

 

 

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Fair enough, but their replacement was an order of magnitude worse. We had to go through the president's office to get one of the pieces we got. Terrible. PW was never that bad to us, ever. Again, that's exactly why they lasted as short as they did on the RCI ships.

[TonyL128]

We purchased some Britto framed pieces on our last cruise from Park West . These were numbered pieces which are not commonly available. We collect Britto and are very happy with the pieces we got. I researched online before negotiating the bid. The art was promised to arrive in 12 weeks (new frame and mat), but arrived in 6-8 weeks instead.

 

 

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[mooseman52b]

We enjoy the auctions and only buy what we like. My wife is a very enthusiastic participant and we often end up winning free bottles of Champagne. It's rot gut, but it's drinkable ;p

 

We like to buy Take-Off items which are framed pieces you "take-off" the ship with you. Frames are usually in good condition and the price we pay is almost always less than what you would pay just to frame pictures at retail outlets.

 

As a previous poster mentioned we purchased a few Tarkay's several years ago and they have grown in value :D

 

Bottom line, if you don't enjoy it don't go.

[Jasonmom]

I have taken a few of the carry offs. Only buy if I really like and I think it's a good deal. Don't expect to ever get my money back, but I still like them so why would I sell them.

 

Happy sailing ☺

 

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[depplep]

The bigger goggle to me is that apparently there are enough people on cruises buying the stuff to keep them in their helluva contract!

Agree. Saw a guy lugging off two ENORMOUS pieces of art on Freedom a week ago. Told the shuttle driver to be careful that they were very expensive. Good for him, he was happy.

[silentbob007]

I’ve bought a few things I like. I’ve also bought cheaper points on eBay. I didn’t buy something I kind of wanted on my last cruise and found it much more expensive on eBay. It’s not an investment. It can be entertainment. As with everything, to each their own.

[AlanF65]

Has anyone here ever purchased anything?

I too on occasion will stroll through on the way to somewhere and have not seen anything that I like or if I do like something I have seen it at the local mall (Ali standing over Foreman).

There is ALOT of space taken up on most ships with the 'art'. It would be great if it was relegated to Day 2 and 3 poolside and available in a back room for those who purchased or wished to bid.

 

I purchased a few pieces that I call "wall art" pieces that I like aesthetically. I also purchased a few of the cartoon pieces for grand nieces.

 

 

I started collecting art in the 70's and used to deal with the publishers when I was collecting. You should always buy things that you like, some artists have great value over time, some do not and each piece can vary depending on how their representation controls the market.

 

 

I ended up paying significantly less near the end of the cruise than the "auction prices". I was happy with the deliver times and packaging.

 

The main downside to the items I purchased (On Carnival) was there are no choices for framing and matting, that is the difference from when you buy in a normal gallery.

 

 

If I see pieces I like I will buy on my next cruise if the price is right.

[travelbug11]

In my many years of cruising I have stopped going to the auctions.

 

A couple of times, I have seen pictures by Jean Claude Picot that I like in the halls or lined up in a room. I will tell the auctioneer that if it doesn't sell I would like to talk to him after the auction. I have bought a couple that I love in the $100 price range..

[compman9]

I have bought at the auctions. I have a preference for Tarkay and Park West is the only place he allows to sell his numbered and signed lithos.

 

Just checked eBay

 

Prices start at $10

 

Pleased you like your art

Pleased that you don't care about being scammed

[Pam]

I have several Tarkays, but they didn't come from Park West; we dealt with a gallery in N. Miami.

 

Park West used to travel to various cities, I guess before they got on cruise ships; we went to several of their auctions during that time and actually got some decent prices. But that was way back in the early days.