Forum Agony Aunt

I don't think it's realistic or fair to expect us to value a painting someone has bought in a junk shop or gallery - and I wouldn't hazard a guess in most cases either: what if we were daft enough to suggest a painting should fetch thousands, and it then struggles to raise a fiver for the frame? Well, we probably wouldn't be daft enough, but all the same - if you want to know what your painting's worth, take it to a valuer and pay their fee. I don't mind at all commenting on an old painting in any sense other than value - most of us will be able to distinguish a painting knocked out by the local Vicar for a sale of work from a genuine old master: and I'd REALLY love to discover an old master, wouldn't you?, that had been hidden away for 100 years. Chance would be a fine thing.... Anyone seeking advice on an old painting here has to be realistic - some of us know a bit, none of us knows everything, and even experts can be fooled by photographs - I've dealt (years ago) with enough old paintings to be able to be pretty confident about the quality of a picture that's actually in my hands - there are so many signs of age that are hard (but not impossible) to fake; and it's only worth faking them if the painting is a copy or in the style of a known master - but it really is inspired guesswork at best to form an opinion from a photo on a computer screen. Not a problem so long as everyone appreciates that - but asking for even a ball-park valuation here is going to be putting us to more of a test than we can be expected to bear. After all - if we were that good, we'd be charging for our advice.