Larry Shapiro from Appraisalsandantiques.com talks about the art market.

The art market is as volatile as any other market in the antique business today. Buyers must be more astute in their selection for investment. Just because an artist is listed and his or her average sale may be a certain dollar amount does not necessarily insure that the painting you are considering has a dollar amount as high as the average past sale. Now more than ever, the buyer must look closely at the subject matter, the use of color, the size, and most importantly , the execution of the work. Is is better than any of the others that have sold in the past? Is it an average work by this artist? If in fact you feel that it is a great example, you should probably buy now. If it is only average, it is a good time to sit back and wait. When the market turns around you can loosen up a bit as more and more pieces will sell more easily. In present conditions pay close scrutiny to each purchase.

Larry Shapiro from Appraisalsandantiques.com talks about buying in a difficult market

The antiques market today is difficult because of the economic uncertainty. So how do you as a dealer respond to this issue? Keep a positive attitude when buying and selling. If you reflect a negative attitude to clients who are either buyers or sellers, you are hurting yourself. Everyone is aware of present conditions. A positive and pleasant attitude will help your chances of either making the buy you want or completing that all important sale. You may not be able to pay the asking price, but negotiating with a smile goes a long way.

Larry Shapiro is an accredited appraiser with The International Society of Appraisers and the owner of Appraisals and Always Buying Antiques located in Glastonbury CT.