About FineArtandAntiques.ca

Our gallery and services are presented by a small team of knowledgeable and dedicated professionals with over three decades of hands-on experience in the buying, selling and appraisal of fine art paintings and quality hand-pulled prints.

We continue to specialize in fine quality original works of art by noted Canadian artists and print-makers from the 20th century 'Modern Art Movements'.

In our gallery you'll find oil and acrylic paintings, along with hand-pulled etchings, aquatints, woodcuts and serigraphs. You'll also discover an intriguing selection of unique vintage artifacts, objets d'art and fascinating one-of-a-kind cherished rarities from the last century and earlier. With an eye on quality, rarity and the true merit of the items that we sell in our gallery, excellence is always in our focus.

We perform insightful fine art appraisals, for people who need to 'be-in-the-know' about the financial worth of the artworks in their collections. With over 70 combined years of fine art expertise in the researching, buying and selling of original 20th century Canadian, American and Continental works of art, this results in us being able to bring you informative and knowledgeable appraisals that are accurate, up-to-date and accepted by insurance companies and estate lawyers. Our reputation is important to us, so we conscientiously stand behind and apply the basic 'Principles of Appraisals Practice and Code of Ethics' of the American Society of Appraisers.

Click here to Have a quick glanse at a sample of one of our appraisal reports to reassure yourself that we are dedicated professionals with an in-depth knowledge concerning research and the nuances of performing insightful and accurate appraisals for 20th century works of fine art.

We take delight in the quality of the fine art that we buy and sell and we encourage our clients to ask as many questions as needed before purchasing from our gallery collection. It's important to know as much as you can about the paintings and hand-pulled prints that you seek to purchase, such as, biographical information about the artist, what type of medium the work is, the condition and origin of the artwork and if a provenance is available. You also have our firm guarantee that all of the works in our online gallery have been thoroughly vetted for authenticity, originality and condition. We are qualified experienced professionals and dedicated passionate fine art connoisseurs... and, we stake our solid reputation on that.

Quality works of art from the 20th century have a distinctive proven track record for value endurance and rarely ever drop in price. The same cannot be said for many of the newly produced works found in contemporary retail art galleries today. As fine art has no correlation to the stock market, it means that vintage paintings can go up in value even as the market for newly produced contemporary works drop. As we saw after the financial crisis of 2008, when, unbeknownst to many, the art market was one of the first markets to rebound very quickly after the downturn. People are slowly but surely realizing that a quality painting can be considered a positive diversification within an investment portfolio, plus you get the added enjoyment of looking at your painting every day. As many of us have a tendency to look to the past when it comes to the acquisition of quality fine art, we also keep discovering more tantalizing facts about the works of noteworthy Canadian artists of the 20th century, and that list keeps growing all the time. As more recent information is brought to light about these 'historical artists' and their works, be it through books, films, documentaries or art auctions, this often results in an increase in value and/or a higher demand for that particular artist's works. And, that's usually a good thing.

Acquiring quality 20th century fine art does not have to be a costly venture. With over 35 years of experience in the gallery business we are committed to offering you well-selected investment quality fine art and we also possess the expertise to help guide you on building a distinctive collection within your available budget. We wholeheartedly believe that purchasing investment quality fine art can and should be an enjoyable and financially rewarding venture. We also understand that investing in a work of fine art is not always an easy thing to do and can sometimes be quite intimidating. It's wise to begin your journey towards a sound art purchase by first doing your own research and attempt to absorb as much data as you can. Delve into the history of the artist and ask as many questions as needed to satisfy your artistic expectations of a particular painting or hand-pulled print. Then, and only then, can you trust your instincts when making a final financial decision on whether or not to make that fine art acquisition.

1. Historical artworks tend to have a proven track record when it comes to valuation through the reviewing of past art auction results. An enlightened buyer of fine art often sees good value in acquiring works from the 20th century. Whereas contemporary 'gallery art' is often purchased on a whim without consideration for its inherent value or introspection into that particular artist's background.
   
   
2. There is a distinct pride and personal status that is associated with owning an original vintage fine art painting or hand-pulled print. You begin to hone your eye to appreciate art that has, that certain 'wow' factor appeal. Acquiring a work of fine art is often a very focused endeavour, so consider, that you may find browsing for art with friends or acquaintances can develop into a frustrating situation. Your art purchase is a very individual affair, because it's all about what that painting or print does for you, and not what it means to your partner or your friend. But of course beware the pitfalls, as it is always wise to get your partner's personal insight before taking the leap.


3. You begin to develop a strong sense of awareness that you are helping to advance the arts culture within Canada. Owning original historical art has a positive effect on the collector, and it also inspires us to look at the world in a meaningfully different way, which can invariably enhance the quality of your life.
   
   
4. Many historical fine art paintings, hand-pulled prints and bronze sculptures have also consistently increased in value over time, and that's always a good thing. Whereas newer contemporary paintings and artworks can linger in value after purchasing and more often than not, drop in monetary worth. When you look to the past for good value in fine art, you're able to wisely choose artworks from those artist's who have since gained notoriety and importance and whose values today continue to climb.
   
   
5. Canadian fine art is a tax deductible expense for your company or business, thus it can harbour you from paying higher taxes and at the same time broaden your net worth while also diversifying your asset base. To qualify, it must be art created by a Canadian artist and have a retail value of at least $200.
   
   
6. With overall economic value in mind, the last economic recession in 2008 had us all down. Not many markets did well over the following year or two, but the market for vintage fine art paintings and prints was surprisingly robust and bounced back with full buoyancy much faster than expected compared to other traditional markets.
   
   
7. Your vintage art collection becomes part of your life, and one should remember that it's not just another retail purchase. It's something that will be on display in your home or living space or office and eventually become intertwined into your own life's story. Vintage fine art, whether we like to admit it or not, has an inextricable link to the lasting memories that we create within our own lifetime and, eventually, these artworks are often handed down for the next generation to enjoy and appreciate.
   
   
8. 20th century fine art tends to retain its investment value, and continues to increase in worth all the time. What some art dealers don't want you to realize is that, most new contemporary paintings and common variety prints are afflicted by what art experts refer to as "the New Car Syndrome". Meaning, as soon as you purchase any of a broad range of contemporary artworks, unfortunately, it's akin to you driving that new automobile you just purchased off the car lot, where its relative value easily drops 20% to 30% and more in one fell swoop. People usually discover this fact when they attempt to re-market their recently acquired, early 21st century artworks. It's an open secret that contemporary paintings and prints, when sent to art auctions, often severely underperform for consignors, presenting them with potentially disheartening results. Whereas, a broad range of vintage 20th century artworks are found to be far more stable in relative value, be it in an art auction venue or in a retail art gallery setting. So, is it not wise to, "think 20th century vintage" before acquiring your next painting or hand-pulled print.
   

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