Interesting pricing for turnings (big bucks)

[Bill Wyko]

I was on the net looking for galleries that specialized in woodturning and I came across an artist locally in Tucson and was suprized to see how much some turnings go for. the site is www.karkulagalleries.com (http://www.karkulagalleries.com) some are in the thousands. Is this pricing common? Very nice work too.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Holy cow Bill. That is some bucks for bowls. Sheesh guy could almost make a living if he sold them all.

[Dick Durbin]

Reminds me of the little boy standing on the corner selling apples. He had them priced at $1,000,000 each.

"You're not going to sell many apples at that price," a passerby told him.

The boy replied, "I only need to sell one."

[Bill Wyko]

Maby we can use his site to set a standard:rolleyes: :D

[Jonathon Spafford]

WOW! Much of that stuff doesn't look any different than what the guys here on the forum turn... some of that stuff doesn't even have that great of form!

[Bill Wyko]

Found another one www.delmano.com (http://www.delmano.com). Some really nice stuff too. There's an Ebony piece over 4000 bucks and it's around 5 inches tall.:eek:

[Bill Wyko]

WOW! Much of that stuff doesn't look any different than what the guys here on the forum turn... some of that stuff doesn't even have that great of form!
Not to take anything away from his work but I would have to agree with you.:o

[John Shuk]

WOW! Much of that stuff doesn't look any different than what the guys here on the forum turn... some of that stuff doesn't even have that great of form!

My thoughts exactly. I didn't see anything that really blew me away. The site doesn't tell you if they are actually selling though.

[Nancy Laird]

WOW! Much of that stuff doesn't look any different than what the guys here on the forum turn... some of that stuff doesn't even have that great of form!

Agreed! I went to the Karkula site and saw only one thing that really grabbed me, but I'm NOT going to pay $1900 for something that some of the turners on this site can blow away, e.g., Keith's recent burl piece or just about any of Travis' pieces.

People who buy these things have lots of money to spend and not much to spend it on, IMHO!!

Nancy

[Lee DeRaud]

Well, now I know what's wrong with my prices: not enough zeroes. :eek: :cool: :p :D

[Bill Wyko]

I think it's unanimous! we all need to add 2 or 3 zero's to our pricing.:D

[Joash Boyton]

Personally, these are my favourite pieces that I have ever seen

http://www.delmano.com/exhibitions/2005/mainExhibitions/WilliamHunter/exhibition_01.htm

But, $24,000 ?

Retusa Blossom, 2005
and
Padouk Blossom, 2004

Are my favourites

[Bill Wyko]

If this is what the art world is paying for good turnings, there's been a few million bucks of work posted in the last few months. :D I have an idea. SMC should have a gallery with pieces available for purchase and 25% of the proceeds go to SMC or for donations to good causes. 75% to the turner.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

There are some VERY nice pieces htere. What surprises me is the darkness of some of the pictures. Makes them hard to see.

Bruce

BTW, I guess I need to RAISE my prices!

[Andy Hoyt]

Do some homework on Mr. Hunter and you'll soon learn why his pieces command top dollar. And having Del Mano interested in your work (whoever you are) is considered to be one of the pinnacles of a turning career.

[Jamie Donaldson]

.. guy must also write for some wine makers! So many words, so little content and meaning??? I'm underwhelmed by his turning and overwhelmed by his pricing!!!

[Patrick Taylor]

Hunter's work really is amazing... but I suppose at that level in the art world prices are pretty subjective. As for the first guy from Tucson, I thought his forms were not too pleasing. Guess I'm not the only one. :rolleyes:

[Richard Madison]

At those prices one would expect the finish work to be virtually flawless (which it may well be), without a single sanding scratch or even a "buffing mark". That takes time, and time is money, so they say. Anyhow Nancy, I'm glad that some of those folks with lots of $$ are spending some of it on woodturnings.

[Mike Vickery]

Their is a world of difference in the two sites.
The Del Mano gallery is probably the best know gallery for selling high end wood art in the country. Pretty much every turner you see their is very well known nationally and internationally.
I have had the pleasure to view personally the turnings of a couple people that sell through the gallery and they are breath taking.

[Nancy Laird]

Anyhow Nancy, I'm glad that some of those folks with lots of $$ are spending some of it on woodturnings.

Actually, Richard, so am I. Turnings are as personal and individual as Native American rugs and pottery - no two are ever alike. It took a number of years for the general public to look upon Native American rugs and pottery as art but when they did, the prices skyrocketed. I think it's the same with the type of turnings that these two sites show--and the types of turnings that are coming from our members here.

Nancy

[Dennis Peacock]

One thing that I've learned over the years with posting your work on your web site and asking a set price for it.
You can put any price on any piece you want. That doesn't always mean that people pay those prices for those pieces. Many still have most of their creations in their own private stock...still waiting to be sold.

For me? I'd rather price my work fairly, make a decent price on my work so that the customer is happy and I'm satisfied with what I made on it. I won't make a living at it, but I can help support my hobby. :D

[Jim Bell]

You will never get anymore than you ask. In some marketing areas several thousand dollars is normal. I agree there are many talented turners right here and the turnings they produce could be shown in the finest galleries. Getting into the galleries is the hard part.

[Reed Gray]

I would consider some of the pieces nice, but a lot of them look heavy and with bad porportions. Just can't see anyone paying those prices for those pieces. I had a piece in my booth once that I had priced at what I thought was an outrageous $300 (about $60 per hour for my labor). It sold while a local turner was there visiting. He had moved to Long Island, NY. He told me that in any gallery there, my piece would be selling for $2,000. Now, I would price the same piece for about $400 to $500 for most of the shows that I do. Beauty is in the eye of the buyer.
robo hippy

[Chris Barton]

Price versus actual sales is part of the question here. It's one thing to ask a certain price but, that doesn't mean you get that price on the sale. Also, as Andy suggested, sometimes it is more important who made a piece than how good the piece is. I own some original paintings by some "minor" but, known artists and I could come close to replicating them and perhaps make them even better but, a goof job by a famous artist is always going to be worth more than a masterpiece by a "nobody." I hope they get every penny they are asking for!

[Bill O'Conner]

You can ask any price you want doesn't mean you'll get it

My Dad ask for a pen for his denist she loved it and so did her soon to be husand. They called me up about making 11 of them for the wedding party and I gave them what I thought was a good deal for a large oder like that and they never got back to me if they would like them so I figgered they must have thought I would just give them a way.

Bill

[Curt Fuller]

There are so many things that need to come together to create a woodturning (or any piece of art) that attracts the interest of serious collectors with serious money. When you look at the pieces in the galleries in this thread try to imagine doing that piece yourself. Look at the size of the piece, the craftsmanship in the turning and carving and other embellishments. You might think "Hey I could do that". But then you realize that they did it without having to look at someone else's work for the idea and inspiration. I think that's when it becomes art, when you can pull that shape or form or style out of thin air and have the skill to turn it into something. And that's when it changes from a 200 dollar bowl to a piece of art worth thousands.

[Bill Wyko]

Personally, these are my favourite pieces that I have ever seen

http://www.delmano.com/exhibitions/2005/mainExhibitions/WilliamHunter/exhibition_01.htm

But, $24,000 ?

Retusa Blossom, 2005
and
Padouk Blossom, 2004

Are my favourites

Now those are some exquisite pieces. :) I can see them commanding those prices. That type of work I would immagine would require some serious time and concentration. One little slip up and it's back to the wood pile.:(

[Bill Wyko]

How would you suppose someone could get into a gallery of this degree?

[Bob Hallowell]

The Delmano turnings were outstanding, Those are truely one off works of art. But I would also say the same about our own Malcom Tibbetts, I can image some of his peices sell for that or more

Bob

[Bill Wyko]

I just looked at examples of work by every artist they list. Took over an hour. I will say, there are some very talented and creative people out there. I didn't see very much segmented work though. I think I have some ideas that could set my work apart from others. I think work like Travis Stinton's should be in galleries like that. I still like some of the pieces he's made better than most I've seen anywhere else. I have another idea, how about a forum just for pictures of everyones work? Replies could be in the regular forums. Just an idea I though I'd throw out.:)