如何將名家之作便宜買回家

Small art by the big guys is hitting the market in rising numbers. Some lower-priced works are unsigned, undocumented, poor quality or just plain ugly -- while others are charming bargains luring established collectors and newcomers alike. Below, a survey of mini-markets:

越來越多藝術大師的小作品正在涌入市場。有些價格較低的作品沒有簽名，沒有證明文件，質量差或者乾脆就是不好看——而其他一些作品則是物美價廉，吸引了許多知名藏家和新興買手。下面是關於這些迷你市場的一則調查：

Backstory: From 1946 to 1971, Picasso collaborated with a pottery in the south of France to create 633 different plates, bowls, vases and other works in limited editions ranging from 25 to 500.

背景故事：據法國拍賣數據庫藝術價格網(Artprice)稱，在某種程度上由於利希滕斯坦的一幅波普藝術帆布畫創下了560萬美元售價的歷史紀錄，所以去年一年是迄今爲止該藝術家作品拍賣總額最高的一年。即便如此，他的小作庫存依然充足：藝術價格網報道稱，這位已故藝術家約有一半的作品售價在7,000美元左右。

$$: Prices range from around $2,500 for an ashtray with a bull to nearly $304,000 for a gold platter that Christie's sold last year. Aside from one single lot, Christie's has sold out its entire Picasso ceramics auctions since 2009 -- including a 539-lot Picasso sale in 2012, said Christie's specialist Michelle McMullan.

價格：在2014年，至少有15幅版畫以低於1萬美元的價格落槌成交。而在10年前以同一價位拍賣出的類似版畫如今可以賣出至少兩倍的價錢。

Competition: It is getting harder to find $3,000 ceramics -- many now start at $5,000. Auction prices for a limited-edition Picasso owl pitcher: $3,400 in New York in 2009 and $10,600 in Hong Kong last year.

需求：倫敦布盧姆斯伯裏拍賣行(Bloomsbury Auctions in London)的亞歷山大·海特(Alexander Hayter)說：“他被大大低估了。你可以以低於1萬美元的價格買到60年代中期非常非常好的作品。這太荒謬了。”

Collectors: Paul Banwell, a 46-year-old British surgeon who owns about eight pieces, said bidding has gotten so intense he's making his next purchases at 'a secret little gallery' he won't name.

Swann Auction Galleries斯旺拍賣行畫廊(Swann Auction Galleries in New York)的託德•韋曼(Todd Weyman)說，倫勃朗在世期間創作的一些普通畫作也能以低於1萬美元的價格起拍。去年在佳士得，一幅倫勃朗描繪父親的蝕刻畫以6,500美元售出。

Backstory: In 2012, Christie's brokered a deal with the late artist's foundation to sell the remaining original works from his estate, many of them smaller pieces like unique photographs and drawings.

價格：斯旺拍賣行畫廊(Swann Auction Galleries in New York)的託德·韋曼(Todd Weyman)說，雖然一流的蝕刻畫在拍賣會上的價格已飆升至50萬美元，但據信於倫勃朗在世的這個期間創作的一些普通畫作也能以低於1萬美元的價格拿下。

$$: At Christie's, Warhol's photographs have sold online for an average $4,700; small drawings of shoes, jewelry and dresses can fetch similar prices.

建議：有些物件已經升值，但相似蝕刻畫的價格區間卻很大，這取決於印製的質量和保存狀況。作爲買家要精明：現在還很難精準無誤地確認某些作品的創作日期。