The rule of thumb for how closely reproductions

should be valued against the original is at least a 10:1

arbitrage on the price. If it's less than this, it stops

making sense. Imagine a reproduction selling for $1000 and

the original selling for $4000; you would find most people

stretching to buy the $4000 original, not really a big

incentive to have reproductions produced.

If there's a painting you're thinking of buying, ask the

gallery for the final sales value of the original piece.

Assuming there is at least a 10:1 value difference between it

and the reproduction you want, feel free to do your research

and establish the values of the artist. This is the most

assured path to validating the price value of your purchase.

You will find unembellished reproductions sell for as little as

$1,000 and the original counterpart valued at around

$40,000. This kind of arbitrage creates an incentive to buy

the reproductions and goes a long way towards increasing

their value over time.

Consider when looking at your favorite piece in a

gallery if the artist has other pieces in the gallery or in their

studio you may want to look at. This can be valuable in

assuring yourself the work you're now considering is actually

the work you love the best from those available by the artist.

Inquiring about this can often lead you on an interesting

experience.