What is your painting worth?

Photograph the picture, the signature and the back, and get a researched valuation: who painted it or most likely did, with the attribution graded (by, attributed to, follower of, after); what it is (an oil, a watercolor, a print, a later copy); its condition; what the same artist has sold for, each sale cited and graded for closeness; a confidence level with its reasons; and where it would sell best with an estimate of what you would take home. Your first valuation is free. We are independent of the trade and never buy.

What a painting valuation contains

Five questions, answered in order and with the working shown. Who made it: the signature, monogram or inscription is found, enlarged and read on its own, labels and writing on the back are read too, and the attribution is graded honestly. What it is: oil, watercolor, gouache, pastel, etching, lithograph, a print after a painting or a later copy, judged from the surface, the edges and the back. What condition it is in: craquelure, flaking, tears, relining, overpaint, foxing, fading and a replaced frame or mount are named, and the report says when the photographs do not allow a judgment. What the artist has sold for: the sale record is searched for the artist and the kind of work, including the regional auction rooms where most pictures change hands; every comparable is cited and graded, and the ones that do not match are set aside in writing. Where it would sell best: a specialist sale, a general auction, a dealer or an online listing are compared, one is recommended, and the net after typical fees is estimated.

Why an image search or a chatbot is not a valuation

A reverse image search finds pictures that look like yours; it does not read the signature, tell an original from a print, or cite a sale. A general chatbot gives a number without sources. A valuation is the work in between: identity established and graded, condition stated, prices taken from sales that happened, a confidence level attached, and the things that could not be established said out loud. That is what the report does, and every figure in it can be clicked through to the sale it came from.

Which photographs to take

The whole picture square-on in daylight without flash; a close-up of the signature or monogram; the back, including labels, stamps and the stretcher or board; the frame; and anything that worries you, such as a tear or flaking. If the work is under glass, angle the camera so the glazing does not reflect: a reflection can prevent the condition being assessed, and the report will say so rather than guess.

Unsigned pictures, obscure artists and prints

An unsigned picture is placed by style, subject, materials and period and valued on the market for that kind of work, with a lower confidence level and a note on what would raise it. An obscure or regional artist usually has more of a sale record than people expect; where there is none, the report says so and values on the nearest market rather than inventing a comparable. Prints are valued against sales of the same image and edition, with the state, the signature, the paper and the margins taken into account.

What it costs, and the guarantee

Your first picture is free. After that one picture is $5, and packs bring it down to $2.25 a piece. An in-person valuation typically runs $50 to $200 per item. There is no subscription. If a run fails, times out or falls short of our own standard, the credit comes back automatically, and you have 14 days to ask for a re-run, with a refund as the backstop.

What this is, and what it is not

Findthevalueof provides research-based value estimates with the evidence attached, to inform a decision and to check an offer. It is not an appraisal for insurance, probate or tax purposes; for those, have the report reviewed by a qualified appraiser. Estimates can contain errors and should not be relied on as definitive. We do not buy, sell or take consignments, so the figure is not shaped by what anyone would like to pay you.