A Vintage Art Collection

Art lovers are always on the hunt for new pieces to add to their collection. As a amature collector, I too find myself on the look out for new pieces when I’m vintage shopping at estate sales, thrift stores, and flea markets.

If you know what you’re looking for, this is a great way to create and add to a collection without a making a huge financial commitment. In this post I’m sharing my personal collections of [mostly] vintage art. 

Back in the day, I thought about developing some sort of art career but went ahead to law school instead. After I “retired” to start our family, I dove into my love of art by selling antiques and teaching art on the side.

I like all styles, but most of what I have displayed in my house falls into the traditional category, and I love it all. In addition to sharing the price I paid for each piece, I’m also including my opinion regarding its retail value.

This is based on my experience buying and selling artwork for 25+ years. In sharing these pieces of art with you, I hope to help anyone wanting to jump into this area of collecting and/or selling to get a taste of the sorts of pieces that I consider worthy of purchase.

Before we jump right in, you may be interested in this video about some of my vintage art finds. Enjoy!

Vintage Art: Oil/Acrylic Paintings

Living Room

I’ve yet to find a permanent home for this piece, which we picked up at an impromptue estate sale that we happened to drive by in our neighborhood.

Extremely well executed and nicely framed, we paid $45 for it. Value: $150-200

Foyer

I love the joyous exuberance of this $20 painting. It hangs in our foyer above a coat rack and it makes me smile every day. It reminds me of Matisse’s painting, “Dance”. Value: $60-70

Upstairs Hallway

This pretty still life–not vintage but with vintage subject matter–hangs in our upstairs hallway. Its composition is nicely balanced and very cheerful.

I purchased it from a fellow dealer about twenty years ago for $20.00, and I’m still very happy with it. Value: $100-125

Master Bedroom

This impressionistic still life hangs in our master bedroom. I call it “Ironstone & Violets.” I picked it up at a garage sale for $10.00. Value: $45-55

It works perfectly in our MBR, which has dark lavender walls and mossy green carpeting.

Office

This is one of my absolute favorite purchases; it currently hangs in the office. The forest green walls (so 90’s!) compliment it nicely. It has a distinct Cezanne vibe to it with its drapery and fruit.

I purchased it for $12 at a garage sale. Value: $$100-150

I call this one “Cabin in the Woods” (c.1960’s). A favorite of mine, it cost $5.00 at a recent estate sale and hangs in our office. That red door makes all the difference, right? Value: $100-125

This large piece, signed M. Emmett also hangs in the office. I picked it up so long ago I can’t remember what I paid for it. I call it “A Walk Through Autumn Woods”.

Everything about it is perfection to me: the pale blue sky, the tree colors, the shadows on the path. The composition is just right; the path draws the viewer right into the center where you can almost hear the rustling of the leaves and feel the cool breeze. Value: $250-300

Oil/Acrylics That Haven’t Found a Home Yet

This little landscape with the red-rooved buildings measures just 7″ x 10″. As the smallest (and newest) piece, it has yet to find place worthy of its beauty. Also of note are the nicely executed clouds and sky. Value: $40-50

Another small-ish landscape (14″ x 18″), this painting would look especially nice in the office, with its green walls, but there’s only so much art I can fit into one room! Value: $65-85

I came across this large oil on canvas at a town-wide garage sale a few years ago. It hung in our kitchen under the pink plates you’ll see below for about a year.

I wanted something more soothing for that space so now this amazing Asian woman in traditional dress is homeless. Cost: $10, Value: $85-125

Gouache

Kitchen

This still life with veggies and blue pot came from an old friend selling his sister’s estate. I love it hanging here in our kitchen, though I’m not so in love with the plates. They were part of a previous gallery wall. I’m hoping to add some complimentary art soon.

It’s difficult to tell the media used with this piece. It’s neither oil/acrylic nor watercolor, so my guess is gouache, also called “opaque watercolor”. Value: $65-80

Tapestry

Back in 2011 this tapestry, featuring Windor castle, came all the way home with us from England. Purchased for $40 at an antique shop, the reds coordinate perfectly with other reds in the room: pillows, stained glass, and other art.

Oil Pastel

Because of the glass, this oil pastel featuring an assortment of lovely hats, was difficult to photograph. It’s quite large and hangs in a downstairs hallway. I picked it up at a flea market in the Pittsburgh area 25 years ago. Value: $75-85

Prints

Master Bath

This 1970’s print on board featuring art from Pompeii that survived the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, added a bit of class to our master bathrooom  for a mere $10.

She’s called “Spring,” and her beautiful sea green background determined the accent color in this room. Value: $35-40

Upstairs Hallway

This lovely Victorian era lady also hangs in our upstairs hallway. Alas, she is but a print on heavy board.

I splurged on her several years ago, paying all of $14.00, because I loved the colors of the piece and her expression. A bit enigmatic, like the Mona Lisa, wouldn’t you say? Value: $25-35

Office

This high quality folk art-y print on board also hangs in our office. I picked it up at a garage sale for $20. A tag attached to the back indicates that it was sold via a PBS auction for $229. Current value: $75-100

Related: What is Folk Art? An Antique guide

Vintage Art: Stained Glass

Between Living & Family Rooms

Hanging between our family and living rooms you can find this sweet stained glass window (c.1930’s). I purchased at an antique shop in Ashbourne (England) for £30/$45. Value: $75-85

Guest Room

Moving onto our guest room, visitors find some shabby chic decor, including this stained glass mirror, another garage sale steal for just $2.00. Value: $20-25

Antique Framed Mirror

Mirrors, of course, aren’t technically “art” but they do fall into the category of “wall art”, pieces that add beauty and character to your home. So I’ve included a few below.

Guest Room

Over the queen bed, hangs this ornate, shabby chic mirror that I purchased from a fellow dealer years ago for $22.

Mirrors, especially one like this that required special skill to design and create, definitely falls into the wall art category for me. Value: $45-55

Living Room

After receiving a very necessary makeover, this mirror now sits on our living room mantel. You can see before photos and the process it went through to get its upgrade, HERE. Value: $35-45

Downstairs Hallway

I made this chalkboard, which hangs in our downstairs hallway, out of an old headboard. I switch up the sayings written on it depending on the holiday or season. I wrote “Amazing Grace” in celebration of Easter.

Vintage Poster

This poster of the iconic Pont Neuf in Paris (c.1970’s) came from a car boot sale in England and cost me all of £2/$3. It hangs in our modern-styled family room.

Side Note: While living in England we spent a week in Paris and walked across this bridge–the oldest one spanning the River Seine. Value: $25-30

If you’re an art lover, then don’t forget to check out this art-filled video!

Other Articles You’ll Enjoy

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been hoping to get into art collecting and or art selling, then I hope you’ve found some inspiration in this post. Viewing a collection like this can help you evaluate artwork as you come across it out in the wild, and help you make some good choices.

Bye for now,

Would you pin this to your fave Pinterest board? Thx!