"In Ireland, picture collecting for so many people has been totally centred on Irish paintings, and consequently prices have risen rapidly so that they have become unattainable for the modest collector. Watercolours and drawings have been neglected by the Irish collector in general. Watercolour painting in the 19th century was what the camera is today; many travellers took their watercolours with them and recorded the scenes they observed. The artist may have been a gifted amateur but in many cases their works are as good as the full-time artist that exhibited, and their paintings can prove just as important because of what they saw. It is still possible to buy a good watercolour or drawing from £30 upwards. Prints are another area that people are blind to, perhaps because some are only in black and white. There are many topographical prints of Ireland and these can be a fascinating insight into perhaps the area you are from. A Bartlett view can cost you as little as £20. While larger topographical prints are rarer, their prices are correspondingly higher.

It is possible to buy a good decorative 18th century print for a modest sum, perhaps a mezzotint portrait or an architectural design. Into the 19th century, there is an enormously wide selection of subjects."