Hello from Just Paintings

Say hello, and tell us a little about yourself.
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Just Paintings
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu 25 Sep, 2014 1:49 pm
Location: Gravesend, Kent
Organisation: Just Paintings
Interests: Sailing

Hello from Just Paintings

Post by Just Paintings »

Hello everyone.

My business started in 1978 and I have experienced many sides of the trade. It has always been based in Kent, and moved within a limited area. I started selling oriental paintings, mainly Chinese paintings on silk, to the art trade, unmounted and mounted. Later I was asked to source oil paintings from the Far East as those that were available were very expensive at the time. This meant I reduced the trade prices by about 75% and business mushroomed. Over time more things were added to the range including watercolours and antique engravings. Calling on trade customers started using a hatch back car and eventually ended up with a large fully fitted sales van.

Framing was only a very small part of the business at that time as it was only needed to display things at the trade shows we attended. Just before the recession in the early 90's we moved to a new purpose built building, but within 18 months trade sales nose dived and to survive we started selling our stock to the local public at retail prices. Eventually the premises were sold and the business was taken to more suitable retail premises, but still with a healthy trade business.

Then along came the new selling platform of the internet. Yes we all know of ebay.co.uk, but we started selling on another platform before that started and later moved to ebay.com - some 3 years before the ebay UK site started. I can even remember an American customer telling me about the newly formed PayPal and the difficulty of setting an acount up in USD as that was the only currency they handled.

Over time we started concentrating more on the retail framing and art sales, than the trade or internet sides. Finally the sale of art slowed to the extent we could not justify such large retail premises, so found a nice unit with plenty of free parking alongside the junction of an A road and the A2 at Gravesend.

Framing became a large part of the business and many new customers were impressed with our large selection of framing and other services like cleaning oil paintings, watercolours and antique engravings. The main problem was more work than could be handled. But over time changes in the market kept reducing the volume and recently the owner of the property wants part of it back for his own use. Unfortunately that is not practicable, so we cannot remain.

However last year my mother died and left me a large legacy, so I have decide to retire and am just starting to sell off all my stock, machinery, etc. In total there is about 80 tons. A list of everything will be posted in the For Sale section at the beginning of next week, so if you want a bargain please contact me.

Roger Clark
Just Paintings
technoframer
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue 17 Aug, 2010 9:27 pm
Location: Scarborough
Organisation: Yorkshire
Interests: Picture Framing, Eating and Sleeping. Sometimes at the same time.

Re: Hello from Just Paintings

Post by technoframer »

Hi Roger,

Good to hear from you. Used to buy paintings from you back in the 80's, Good times. Don't sell everything... you will end up back in the picture business after a few years retirement, mark my words. :D

Chris
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