With the problem of highly inflated estimates of the paintings and drawings in the last two years we are faced more and more often: an increased flow of owners wanting to offer their items to our Auction AI, and most of these people are inexperienced. Therefore, periodically, the first communication email our auction happens like this:

— Hello, I want to put on your auction painting by artist Ivanova-Петрова. Photo attached.

— OK, what reserves are ready to discuss? What price to expect?

— Want 20 000 dollars.

— Wow! Have to disappoint you. The market price level for the work of this class is now about 1 500-2 000 dollars.

— How can this be?! I rely on your prices listed on your website...

Quickly maturing righteous indignation. Further options @two mdas. Either all are forgiven, we either have to clarify with a potential deliverer of the part. For example, where on our site people find such insane prices? Why is he looking in the database with auction statistics, has managed to be wrong 10 times?

But here I am a bit disingenuous. We are only at first puzzled, and now a source of misunderstanding for us is clear. The base here turned out to be innocent, it's all right. Deliverers to her will likely not even there yet. And focused he is on top of sales —, the rating of 12 or less of the highest auction results for a specific artist, open to all users, even those who are not our subscribers. But free in this rating is visible only the title and price. Without the year of sale, no title auction, without parameters works without pictures. All the more significant information is available only by paid subscription, which is from 1000 rubles per day up to 12 000 rubles per year.

• In the top of the maximum auction results on the website of the artist, we are now specified for all not only the price but also the year of the sale. Below the record set at the peak of the market are not baffled by the current owners of the works
  Database AI

If a paid subscription from a person, then it is clear what is happening. The visitor sees free the highest prices for the best works in the most prestigious auctions in the best years of the market situation and fascinated them tries his picture. Or even to figure. These illusions he comes to us or to another auction. And of course, then it will be disappointed.

• Ivan AIVAZOVSKY the Ottoman coffee house in the moonlight. 1857
  , oil on Canvas. 60,5 × 90
  Christie's. 06.06.2016
  evaluation of the auction: $290 000-430 000
  selling Price: $280 830. In 2015-2016, the paintings by Aivazovsky is closer to the meter size for first-class auction were sold for between $300 000-500 000 — is about 3 times cheaper than 5-8 years ago
  Source: Database AI
• Ivan AIVAZOVSKY Galata tower in the moonlight. 1845
  oil on Canvas. 52 × 80
  Sotheby's. 26.11.2012
  evaluation of the auction: $800 000-1 000 121
  sale Price: $1 322 051. five years ago, Marina Ivan Aivazovsky slightly less meter size surely cost more than $1 000 000$. After the crisis the price corrected down about 2-3 times
  Source: Database AI

Why not blindly use the top auction sales? Why to evaluate their own work don't rely on "sotbisovskie and other records? Here are just a few nuances that must be considered in the "sotbisovsky" price, where the product will sell in our country.

1. First we must immediately reject about 30% from those published in the top prices. Auction prices at the top are usually specified together with the Commission of the buyer. That is the "hammer price" was lower by about 15-35 %. But that's not all. "Sotbis-кристисы" charge not only the buyer but also the seller. And not only the Commission but also other fees. The seller will be charged approximately 10% of the hammer price, plus about $200 for insurance and $300 for publication in the directory. In terms of out that if the work on the "Sotheby's" sold for $23 500, then hands the owner will receive approximately $16 500 — $7 000 less than the price at the top. That is 30% less. Reader top, usually forgetting to make on this amendment. It seems that once the picture is in the top sold for $23 500, about the same or slightly less, the owner receives on hands. This is a big misconception.

2. It is necessary to pay attention to in what year was a record. We now specifically began to publish the year of sale, even for those who are not subscribed to the paid access to the database. And the corresponding warning was written. In order to avoid misunderstandings. If the record was set in 2008, this price already hopelessly far from the current market situation. The peak in the market of Russian art has been made in 2007-2008, then there was a sharp decline, then a slight uptick in 2011. Now about those prices in dollar terms it is possible to forget to divide by two, if not more. For example, meter Aivazovsky in $ for an auction is listed today for about 50% cheaper, in dollar terms, than 8 years ago. Now are indicative prices only after 2014, after the Crimea.

3. Our top selling, generally the prices achieved on the first-class foreign auctions. These prices are usually significantly higher than at auctions in Russia. What is the reason? More robust legal regime, privacy, and attractive business-климат, historically developed customer base and the ability to work with wealthy audience doing their job. But if it has to sell in Russia, "sotbisovskim" prices need to take a very significant amendment. If not sharing overseas prices two.

I Hope I convinced the readers not to use the prices from our top auction results for other purposes. The objective of these prices primarily promotional: to show what heights they are capable of or have been able to achieve.

But if we really need to determine the possible price of their work (not amuse vanity, but for real sales in Russia), ARTinvestment.RU recommends the following sequence of actions. An example addressed to the subscribers to our base, but the General approach is the same everywhere, for any bases. Let's say you have a painting (not a drawing and not other appliances) conditional Ivanova-Петрова. Then self-determine the price you have:

1. Enter in the section Artists and prices, to enter into the field name and enter the card of the artist.

2. In the "All works" you need to select the category "Painting". To compare the prices makes sense only works within the same category. Painting should only be compared with the painting, but not with graphics.

3. In the list of lots to better focus on the sale of the last two years. It is desirable to select sales only after 2014. Why — is clear: after the crisis, the dollar prices had fallen.

4. Select the picture of comparable size. You can compare prices of 60 × 70 and 80 × 60, but not 60 × 80 30 × 40.

5. According to the available photos, it is desirable to select works of the same genre and level of painting. At least the price of abstraction is not to be compared with the prices of figurative painting.

6. Well if the photos are able to identify and compare works created in the framework of the same creative period. If this is not possible or creativity from the artist "smooth", it is possible to focus on the year of establishment. The closer, the better.

7. The results of first-class foreign auctions (conditionally "of Sotheby's" and "Kristian") should be treated with high confidence, but to discount their prices taking into account the realities of the Russian market. I would advise you to reduce overseas prices with premiums by 40-50 %. At the same time Russian auctions, in my opinion, give more relevant benchmarks, and the results of the Auction, I'm sure most.

8. If the results are too few, but many of the paintings is marked "Not sold", it is possible for a reference to use the lower estimate, that is, the minimum score assigned to the work by experts of the auction house. Just need to keep in mind that even this minimum estimate was for a specific thing great.

In most cases, the performance of these items will allow you to go at quite adequate price. But do not forget about common sense and instinct. If what-то the result seems suspicious to you (too low or high), it is unlikely that flair brings you. Need to find this figure in the explanation or ignored. And certainly it is not necessary to raise the banner great for you, but highly distracting from the overall series results. The market is not fooled.

Vladimir Bogdanov, AI