hand making a gold leaf mirror

Mirror, Mirror, In The Manor

Mirrors are such wonderful things when it comes to embellishing the space in which they sit. But it has to be the right mirror for the space.

Unable to find what they wanted, the owners of a Scottish mansion recently tasked us with making a large mirror to sit in a very specific space and fit a very specific style.

We had no design or template to work with, and were simply asked to make a gold leaf mirror with an outside of 66” x 95”, but, with over 40 years’ experience in making bespoke hand made picture frames and mirrors, the task was undertaken with gusto. 

Below you can see the finished but ungilded frame and finished mirror looking rather grand in situ.

bespoke handmade mirror corner ungilded

bespoke handmade mirror ungilded   

bespoke handmade mirror centre ungilded

bespoke handmade mirror final piece

where to buy fine art online for sale

The Best Places to Buy Original Fine Art

If you want to buy original fine art and potentially start to build up a collection, you may have plenty of questions about how to go about it. As a fine art dealer, Victoria Fine Art obviously offers a range of fine art paintings for sale online and have plenty of experience advising our clients on how to buy it. So, where are the best places to buy original fine art?

Buy Original Fine Art at Online Exhibitions

Online exhibitions showcasing a range of original art for sale are a great place to start when it comes to buying original art. From the comfort of your home, you’ll be able to get a valuable insight into a range of paintings from a variety of eras, themes, and geographical regions. In addition, you’ll have the luxury of exploring a range of artists both famous, less-well known, or even forgotten over time. Some people prefer the freedom of browsing paintings to buy online as there’s less pressure and far more privacy.

Visit a Reputable Gallery

Another great way to buy original fine art is to visit a long-standing, reputable gallery and see the pieces for yourself in the flesh. Our gallery was established back in 1965 by its proprietor David Roberts and is now one of the most established and long-standing galleries in England. If you are based in the south of England (and even if you’re not!), we fully recommend a visit to our gallery in the heart of beautiful St. Albans, where we have helped to form many collections of original fine art for both clients and designers.

Bringing Art to You

Here at Victoria Fine Art, we fully appreciate that original fine art can look very different in your home rather than in a gallery. That’s why we offer the service of bringing pieces to our clients’ home so that they are able to view the piece in situ. It’s a fact that in today’s fast paced society time is a premium, therefore this may be the perfect option for buying original fine art.

Why Choose Original Fine Art?

As a fine art dealer, I’d be lying if I said I’d not heard this question more than once. Despite the general public knowing exactly what, let’s say, Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ looks like from images in books, television programmes, or posters, when it’s on show in an exhibition, people flock to see it. In simple terms, the power of original fine art often supersedes the image. When a piece is viewed in the flesh there are obviously a variety of aspects that it is impossible to appreciate when replicated. You can see the exact marks on the surface of the image, the texture, and where particular elements have been purposefully emphasised for effect. Therefore, when viewing a piece of original fine art, you will see more the more times you view it. Each time you will notice a subtle detail that you’d not appreciated fully before or notice something slightly different.

Buy Fine Art Online at Victoria Fine Art

 Here at Victoria Fine Art, we have regular exhibitions so that our clients are able to get a fascinating glimpse into just some of the wonderful paintings that we hold. If you have any further questions regarding the wide selection of fine art to buy online at Victoria Fine Art or wish to set up an appointment, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Feel free to complete this form, telephone +44 (0)1727 861669 or email info@victoria-fine-art.com for more information.

fine art dealer painting restoration

Advice from a Fine Art Dealer on Painting Restoration

Here at Victoria Fine Art, we are experts in painting restoration and picture frame restoration. With over 30 years of experience working on everything from sixteenth century panels and old masters, right through to modern British paintings, our painting restoration services are both sympathetic to the piece of art in question, and of exceptionally high standards of quality.

As a fine art dealer, in addition to helping people build collections, I also spend time helping people to restore pieces of artwork that perhaps have suffered the ravages of time. We have some of the finest restorers in the country able to undertake all works.

Why Would you Need Painting Restoration?

There are many reasons why one may require a painting restoration service. Antique, contemporary, and modern paintings may all need some sort of conservation treatment during their lives. Some paintings may become torn or ripped during a careless move, may be damaged by fire, smoke, water or moisture, or even develop mould. In other cases, paintings may have been poorly restored in the past and work is needed to restore them to their original state. Cracking and flaking of paint are also common problems for aged paintings, but can be resolved by consolidating the paint layer, reapplying loose pigments, and then restoring the missing areas to ensure stability in the future.

Before we begin the process of painting restoration, we always evaluate the project thoroughly due to the various different approaches that can be utilised, and the complexity needed for each individual piece. Details of the piece are required including artist, size, subject, and condition. From there we also need a selection of images of the of the painting or frame in order to give an approximate idea of cost and timescale. Although this will not be an exact quotation because it’s hard to predict until the image has been assessed by the restorer and paintings will sometimes throw up unforeseen problems, the estimate will generally fall between two parameters and act as a guide.

Conservation & Restoration of Fine Art

Here at Victoria Fine Art, it’s really important to us to ensure that every painting restoration we embark upon does not alter the artistic or historical integrity of the piece. Even if your painting doesn’t need restoration, preventative treatments will ensure your artwork will look it’s best for decades to come. We also offer a full restoration service for oil paintings and antique frames, which may include relining paintings, and can offer all types of gilding from a standard gold finish to full gold leaf.

Painting Restoration & Fine Art Restoration

If you have any further questions regarding painting restoration, fine art restoration, or picture frame restoration services that we offer at Victoria Fine Art, or wish to set up an appointment, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Feel free to complete this form, telephone +44 (0)1727 861669 or email info@victoria-fine-art.com for more information.