How do you sell art?

I have 2 pieces of art, one of which I had verified by a gallery owner in Michigan. Not very valuable, maybe $200.. The other piece I have no info on except that it was the artist's proof and the title of the piece is "Mary Rose". I can't make out the artist's name.

So, what resources do you use to educate yourself on artwork and how do you sell artwork you find at auctions?

I'm finding expensive art to be hard to get rid of. I bought a unit the first of the year that has become know as the "art" unit. It had several very expensive pieces in it. A Fredrick Remington bronze statue worth $5000.00, two John Stobart lithographs worth $700 and $900, two Thomas Kinkades that I have yet to set a value on, 4 hand drawn maps from 1882 worth between $150 and $300 each, and two John Eastmans worth $150 each.
At this point I have put together a slideshow and e-mailed it a couple of weeks ago to several auction houses around the state. I have yet to get any replies. I have also been thinking about contacting some of the local art galleries to see if they would be willing to do a consignment on a few of these pieces.
This unit was a major score and I have made scads of money on it. I don't have to get full value on these items but I am not going to give them away. I also feel that I can hold on to them until the right buyer comes along.

I'm finding expensive art to be hard to get rid of.

We should ALL have it that tough!  Time will prove an ally in your cause to get the value out of them.

Part of my issue is I can't find anyone to even look at my art and tell me what I've got! The cheaper of the 2 pieces is an etching by Joanne Isaac. Not very valuable. I was gonna ask $100. The second one, I have no info on. I can't make out the artists name. All I have is the name of the work, and in the lower corner says AP Trial, which means it's the Artist's Proof.. Basically, the print before the limited edition or artist's copy.

That one has a price written on it of $795.00.

There's one auctioneer in town that handles art and antiques. He was on the History Channel show "Real Deal" if you remember that show. I call him every day and never any answer. So frustrating!

Other appraisers in town want $50 just to talk to them. If art had a stronger market, I'd have no problem shelling out the $50. But my guess is the $795 was priced when pieces like these commanded that kind of price tag. These days, I'd like to get half that..

I have a friend from the trail who got some expensive artwork out of a unit about a year ago. Pretty much same story. Easy to identify artist/work, authenticated, but can't get anyone (retail customer or auction house) to look at or make an offer.

My advice would be to take it to a gallery or auction house, but it looks like auction houses on both sides of the country are snubbing artwork right now. I guess they know it won't bring anywhere near the retail value so they don't even want to get into arguements with the owners when it sells for dirt cheap at the auction. My theory anyway.

I wish you luck but I'm of no help to you.  Have yet to find any real "art work" in a unit.  Only painting I have now is of some sunflowers in a vase or something.  The painting is 4' square with a small round hole (3-4 mm).  Even at only $20 no one wants the dam thing.

I have found 1 other unit that had a oil painting in it by some artist I couldn't read.  That unit I bought just for the painting to put up in my house.

I've got an appointment for Saturday morning with an auctioneer in Raleigh to appraise my art. I'm thinking of listing the art in his next auction, whenever that will be!

A website that I am a member of is called AskArt.com.  I was lucky enough to have a client in my home care business that was an artist and had been painting since the 40s.  His art was incredible.  He was a modest man and had only one relative who lived in Norway.  When he passed away, the entire estate was donated to me.  There were approx 2000 paintings.  He wasnt known but did show up on AskArt.com.  I found a woman who bought the paintings for $30,000.  Her business was buying and selling paintings, especially paintings from not so well known artists.  She is in the process of doing what she does and make this guy know to everyone.  I have already received alerts from the site everytime she lists or adds more information to his bio.  I figured if she paid $30,000 for them she is going to succeed.  The good news for me is that I kept a fairly nice lot of the paintings as hopefully a retirement fund.  I am going to wait as long as I have to til he is well known and his paintings are going for a pretty penny.  Just do some research and try to find ladies people like the one I did. I met her at one of the largest flea markets in MA and surrounding areas, the Brimfield Flea Market.  I asked all of the places this guy exhibited at and didnt have any success.  Good luck to you and hopefully you will find someone who is willing to pay the right price for your paintings 

Art auctions are always the best place to sell art as long as it is worth more than the canvas its painted on.