To sell or not to sell?

Sorry this is un ski related, but it may be the source of my future hols. Plus I can be a bit naive sometimes so would appreciate some-one elses views.
I will try to be brief. Last summer we took a spur of the moment weekend break in Tintagel, Cornwall. Lovely big hotel, like a castle, called camelot castle. The whole hotel was covered in artwork, some good, some passable and some hideous. We found out that the castle is owned by a well known artist called Ted Stourton and a well known record producer, singer/songwriter called John Mappin. We ended up having a tour of the basement studios by Ted the artist. It was weird to say the least, he sang to us, strummed a guitar, photograped us, spoke poetry to us, all really surreal and very funny. He took us into his room that he calls the light box, this is where he illuminates about 20 of his latest paintings. He asked if we liked one and there was one we could both live with, he offered it to us for £4000, we said no way and he kept bringing the price down until he got to £90, at which stage my hubby bought it for me. We came home did a bit of research on who he was and discovered that the beckhams, Brad Pitt and sultan of Brunei all have commissioned paintings by him. He said we could have his painting for £90 cos 'we were a special couple and he liked us', my opinion I didnt stand a chance but my husband was definately in there :lol: well this week a letter came from John Mappin to say that were we aware, and because we had bought one of Teds painting that a painting similar to ours had just sold for £25,000.
Me being the cynic thinks this is a ploy to get us down to the hotel and buy up more paintings. So I looked on Sothebys and Christies web sites and sure enough his paintings sell like hot cakes and one similar to ours did sell to an undisclosed buyer for £25,000.
So do we dash down there and blag some more cheap paintings, do we sell the one we have, or do we wait and see if the price goes up.
This would fund one hell of a lot of ski holidays. What do you think?

Don't sell the painting just yet.

This will sound horrible, but wait until the painter is dead (don't believe if someone says he drowned in a canoe trip) and the painting will be worth alot more than that.

Paintings are like wine, they are a fantastic investment. If you keep it in good shape, and take care of that, make sure you insure the painting for at least 25k, just in case.

Now it may sound like quick money but in ten years time if you see your painting being sold by 75k you will regret it big time.

I thought of that but the painter is a lot younger than me so will probably outlive me :lol: But on the other hand my husband is a lot, lot younger than me so he could benefit. :lol:

Give it to me!!!!

Leave it until you really need the money, or if that day never comes, give to your children (if you have any) if not me and Hirsty will be honoured to treasure the paiting and take that burden of your hands :mrgreen::D

DO NOT SELL, find out more about this.

It will only likely appreciate in value.

You could have a few quick ski holidays now, or own a home in a resort in a few years.

The 25k sale to undisclosed buyer could be the artist buying his own work back to limit the number of works on the market and force the price up!

I thought of that he could have bought his own painting, but a lot have been sold, but I think I might try and get a valuation if only for insurance purposes. Certainly is partner who is co owner of the hotel is John Mappin well known in the music business, and also heir to the Mappin and Webb jewellery makers. So he does not need the money. The other thing I found out about them they are all scientologists, thats why their are pictures of them all with Tom Cruise and John Travolta all over the place. They could be just trying to recruit people or raise funds for their cause. They were really strange people, funny but strange.

I read this in a paper:


And while the prices of Stourton’s continue to rise in the secondary market and fortunes will doubtless be made by some who are cashing in on the Stourton phenomenon and beginning to stock his work. Stourton remains completely unaffected by the clamour and glamorous admirers that continue to seek his work out from all over the world.

It can only be good news for you.