Where to Buy Icons: 5 Best Places in 2022
Whether you want to buy icons for home or start your own icon collection, knowing where to buy icons is essential for your future investment success. Given that the icon market is a popular niche among fakers and fraudsters, you need to have a clear understanding of what you are doing. Below you will find a list of the best places where you can buy holy images in 2022. Take a look!
Where to buy icons: 5 best places in 2022
1. Specialized icon stores
Religious supply stores specialize in selling religious icons and sacred gifts. As a rule, they are located near some holy places and religious sites where Christian tourists are regular guests. Such stores offer a wide range of items at the market average or a bit higher.
2. Galleries
Icon galleries are rare, so you won’t find them in every city and town. If you manage to find one in close proximity to your home, you are lucky. Take notice that galleries sell original antique icons, so don’t expect prices to be low. At the same time, they are some of the best places where you can start building a collection.
3. Auction houses
If you are wondering where to buy icons without any risks whatsoever, auction houses are what the doctor ordered. Christie’s and Sotheby’s are the most popular icon dealers in the auction market, but there are smaller auction houses that can offer you some 100% authentic and adequately appraised icons.
4. Churches and monasteries
Buying icons at Orthodox churches and monasteries has one distinguishing benefit: all the icons are blessed by the priest, meaning that you can immediately use them for prayer at home. If you are looking for some affordable options for your home iconostasis, a church is the right place to go.
5. Online
Where to buy icons without leaving your home? As always, on the Internet! It is indeed possible to purchase icons online. However, it is probably the riskiest way of obtaining an icon nowadays. With so many icon dealers out there, you should be very picky and check the reviews and reputation of the shop before buying sacred images there.
Before you buy
No matter which place you choose, always be one step ahead and consider all the risks of buying icons. If you hesitate about where to start and you need some professional help, you can consult the specialists at Russian Icon Collection. Our experts know full particulars about Russian iconography and can help with collecting religious icons of museum quality.