Appraisal Guide · Updated July 2026
Painting Appraisal Near Me: How to Find Out What Your Painting Is Worth
Before you pay anyone: confirm it's an original, not a print, and research the signature yourself. Ten minutes of looking answers half of all painting-value questions for free.
By the Austin Gallery editors · July 2, 2026
The fastest path to a painting's value runs in this order: first confirm whether it's an original or a print, then research the artist's signature against auction records, and only then decide which appraisal route you need — a credentialed appraiser (typically $150–$400 per hour, for insurance and estate purposes), a free auction-house estimate, or a free evaluation from a consignment gallery like ours. Most paintings that come out of attics and estates are resolved by the first two steps without spending a dollar. Here's the whole process, in the order a professional would actually run it.
Step one: is it an original or a print?
Nothing else matters until you know what's physically on the wall, because the gap between an original and a reproduction of the same image is usually the largest value gap in the whole exercise. Three checks get you most of the way. Texture: tilt the work in raking light — an original oil or acrylic shows raised brushstrokes and uneven paint, while a print is flat (beware canvas-textured reproductions, which mimic the weave but not the brushwork riding on top of it). Magnification: under a loupe or a phone macro lens, most mechanical reproductions dissolve into a regular pattern of tiny dots; continuous, irregular paint means a hand did it. The signature: a hand signature in paint or pencil sits physically on the surface, while a “plate” signature is printed within the image — flat, and dotted under magnification like everything around it.
One more giveaway: a pencil fraction in the margin — 34/200, 7/50 — is an edition number, which tells you the work is a limited-edition print by design. That's not bad news (editioned prints by significant artists have real markets), but it moves the question from “what is this painting worth” to “what does this edition sell for.” Finally, turn it over. Canvas on wooden stretcher bars, age-consistent grime, and old gallery or framer labels point toward an original with a history; paper backing, publisher stamps, or a barcode point the other way.
| Check | Original painting | Print / reproduction |
|---|---|---|
| Surface texture | Raised brushstrokes, ridges, impasto | Flat, uniform surface (canvas-textured prints mimic weave, not brushwork) |
| Under magnification | Continuous paint, irregular strokes | Regular pattern of tiny dots (offset or inkjet reproduction) |
| Signature | Hand-signed in paint or pencil, sits on the surface | Plate signature printed within the image |
| Edition number | None — a painting is one of one | Pencil fraction like 34/200 in the margin |
| Back of the work | Canvas on stretcher bars, age-consistent wear, labels | Paper, board, or photo-paper backing; barcode or publisher label |
Step two: research the signature yourself before paying anyone
If the work is (or might be) an original, decode the signature next — this is the research an appraiser would bill for, and you can do the first pass free. Photograph the signature straight-on in good light, then search the name on askART and artnet, the standard databases of listed artists and their auction histories. Aggregators like LiveAuctioneers and Invaluable let you search past auction results for free and see what comparable works by the same hand actually sold for — which is the raw material of every real appraisal. If the signature is illegible, work the other clues: labels on the back, an inscription, the framer's stamp, even the style and region of the subject.
What the research tells you: if the artist is “listed” — meaning they appear in these databases with an auction record — your painting has a market, and comparable results give you a realistic range. If the name returns nothing anywhere, the painting most likely has decorative value rather than collector value, and an expensive formal appraisal probably isn't worth commissioning. Either answer is worth knowing before you spend money.
Step three: the three appraisal routes and what they typically cost
A credentialed appraiser — look for ISA, ASA, or AAA membership and USPAP training — is the route when you need a written valuation for insurance, an estate, taxes, or a donation. Fees are typically hourly, in the widely published $150–$400 per hour range, and a single painting is often an hour or two of work. An auction house will estimate a painting for free, by photo or at a valuation day, because they're hoping to sell it — which makes the number market-grounded and the price right. A gallery or consignment evaluation is also free and geared to one question: can this sell, and for roughly what? The standing caveat from our antique appraisal guide applies here too: when the person evaluating the painting is offering to buy it outright, you're hearing an offer, not an appraisal. Consignment models are less conflicted, since the evaluator only earns when the work sells for you.
| Route | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Credentialed appraiser (ISA / ASA / AAA) | Typically $150–$400/hr | Written appraisals for insurance, estate, tax, donation |
| Auction house estimate | Usually free | A market-based number on works the house could sell |
| Gallery / consignment evaluation | Usually free | An honest selling opinion — watch the conflict if the evaluator wants to buy outright |
What actually drives a painting's value
The artist's market record comes first, and it isn't close. A painting's value is overwhelmingly a function of who painted it and how that artist's work performs at auction — which is why the signature research above matters more than any other single step. After the artist, the market weighs size (larger works by the same hand generally bring more, up to the point where they become hard to hang), medium (an original oil typically outranks a work on paper, which outranks a print), subject (every artist has subjects collectors chase and subjects they don't), condition (tears, flaking, discolored varnish, and amateur restoration all pull value down — and a bad cleaning can do more damage than the dirt), and provenance — receipts, gallery labels, exhibition history, and family documentation that connect the object to its past. None of these rescue a painting by an artist with no market; all of them move the number for an artist who has one.
Found in the attic, or inherited? Read this first
Paintings that surface in attics, storage units, and inherited houses follow a pattern: most are decorative, a meaningful minority are worth selling, and once in a long while something genuinely good has been hanging in the guest room for forty years. The practical advice: don't clean it, don't reframe it, and don't throw away anything that came with it — old receipts, letters, exhibition tags, and even the crusty original frame can carry provenance that adds real value. Photograph the front, the back, the signature, and every label, then run the research steps above. If you're handling a whole inherited collection, our guide to selling inherited art walks through the estate side — and if you'd rather sell than insure, see how to sell art online for what the process looks like.
Where Austin Gallery fits — and where we don't
Straight framing: Austin Gallery does not provide certified or USPAP appraisals — if you need a written valuation for insurance, an estate, taxes, or a donation, a credentialed ISA/ASA/AAA appraiser is the right call, and we'll happily say so. What we offer is a free evaluation for people thinking about selling: send photos of the painting — front, back, signature, labels — and we'll give you an honest read on whether it has real market potential and roughly what it might bring. We're a consignment house for fine art and exceptional objects, so our commission comes only from a successful sale — we never buy your painting ourselves, which keeps our number honest. For larger collections and estates in the Austin metro, we make free in-home visits and photograph everything on-site.
Wondering what it's worth?
Send photos of your painting for a free, honest evaluation — or book a free in-home visit anywhere in the Austin metro.
The bottom line
Identify first, research second, appraise third. Confirm the work is an original with the texture, dot, and signature checks; run the name through askART and the auction databases; then match the appraisal to the need — paid and written for insurance and estates, free and market-based for selling. Most painting-value questions are answered before any money changes hands. For the broader landscape of local options, see our guides to art appraisals near you and antique appraisals — the value types, cost rules, and red flags there apply to paintings too.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out if my painting is valuable?
Work through three steps before paying anyone. First, confirm it's an original — check for real brushstroke texture, a hand signature, and no printed dot pattern under magnification. Second, research the signature: look the artist up on askART or artnet and check past auction results for comparable works. Third, get a real opinion — a free auction estimate, a free evaluation from a consignment gallery, or a paid appraisal from a credentialed appraiser if you need a written valuation. If the artist has an auction record and your painting is comparable in size, medium, and quality, you have a genuine data point; if the artist doesn't appear anywhere, the painting most likely has decorative rather than collector value.
Is my painting an original or a print?
Look at the surface in raking light and under a magnifying glass. An original oil or acrylic has real texture — raised brushstrokes, ridges, uneven paint. A print is flat, and under magnification most reproductions dissolve into a regular pattern of tiny dots. Check the signature too: a hand signature in pencil or paint sits on top of the surface, while a plate signature is printed within the image. A pencil-written fraction like 34/200 means it's a limited-edition print by design, not a one-off painting. When in doubt, examine the edges and the back — canvas weave, stretcher bars, and old labels tell you a lot.
What does a painting appraisal cost?
A written appraisal from a credentialed appraiser typically runs $150–$400 per hour, and a single painting with straightforward research often lands in the low hundreds all-in. Free routes exist for sellers: auction houses give free estimates on works they might sell, and consignment galleries (including us) evaluate at no charge. Reserve the paid appraisal for when you need the document — insurance, estate, tax, or donation.
What makes an old painting valuable?
Age by itself, surprisingly little — a painting isn't valuable because it's old, it's valuable because of who painted it and how the market treats that artist. The drivers are the artist's auction track record, the work's size, medium (an original oil generally outranks a print), subject matter (each artist has subjects the market prefers), condition, and provenance. An unsigned 19th-century landscape by an unknown hand often brings less than a small signed work by a listed regional artist.
Are free painting appraisals reliable?
Free evaluations from auction houses and consignment galleries are grounded in real selling experience and are usually honest about market value — the evaluator only earns if the work actually sells, so inflating the number helps no one. The reliability caveat applies to a different situation: a dealer offering to buy your painting outright has an interest in a low number. And no free opinion substitutes for a written appraisal when an insurer, court, or the IRS needs one.
Cost figures reflect widely published industry ranges as of July 2026 and are framed as typical, not quotes — appraisal fees vary by region, specialty, and scope. Austin Gallery provides free evaluations for consignment and sale; we do not provide certified or USPAP appraisals for insurance, estate, or tax purposes, and nothing on this page is legal, tax, or insurance advice.