DJ Qualls

DJ Qualls Instagram – They don’t all gotta be masterpieces, Jan. Hello. Welcome to my Sunday things that I love post. Today, I want to talk about affordable collecting. The # 1 question I get is why do I look so young. It’s genetics. The # 2 question is how much does art actually cost. Thats probably like the number 12 question but that would have wrecked my joke. Anyway, affordable collecting. There is an idea that things like art, travel…are beyond the reach of most. That’s not true. I don’t like to spend a ton of dough on ANYTHING but I HAVE to collect art so what do I do? I hate going into galleries. The people are usually dicks and the prices are ridiculous, SO I buy most of my pieces at auction. At first I only knew the big three houses: Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Bonhams. I still look at every catalogue they put out, but their name on something means you’re going to pay more so I’ve branched out. The past few years I’ve been buying increasingly at small regional houses around the world, and I do it mostly online. Today, I’ve chosen these two drawings to show the kind of deals you can get when you look around. The first piece is an early 17th century Italian study of a man. Red chalk on paper. I bought it at a small auction house, Tajan, in Paris for $280 including shipping. That’s right. Under $300 and it’s not tiny. It’s 11”x14”. It’s probably a study by a young artist who was apprenticed to a master. It’s a beauty and it’s 400 YEARS OLD! The second piece is a drawing by neo-impressionist master Maximillien Luce, circa 1880s. It’s 5”x6” and cost $150 from a small auction house, Hutter, in NYC. And when I went to get it, they put it in a tote bag that I now use to carry groceries. $150! This guy’s paintings can go for a hundred grand , but there is merit and value in a drawing. AND it used to be owned by Vincent Price! The golden age horror movie icon? The narrator in Thriller. Better? Jesus, these kids with their music. Provenance (who used to own sometning) is a big deal and can greatly impact the value of a piece of art. Plus it’s fun. Their price brought them to my attention. I bought them because I loved them. They are now a part of my history and I theirs. | Posted on 12/Aug/2018 23:29:23