Dr. Philip Reister and Robin Gross examine items to determine their worth.
Arts & Antiques
Evaluating Your Valuables
Here’s how to determine if you have a serious art collection and what to do about it.
BY
BJ Alderman
PHOTOGRAPHY
Courtesy of Mission Road Antiques and BJ Alderman

In the world of fine arts, there are 'focused collectors’ and then there are the rest of us. If you haven’t fine-tuned your collection to something totally specialized that’s been documented to within an inch of its life, then come on over to our side of the aisle. Perhaps you’ve inherited generations of household items such as antiques, paintings, textiles, jewelry, ceramics or pottery, or art glass. Perhaps you’ve acquired pots and prints since you took your first job. How do you know what’s valuable today?

There are steps to take to determine if it’s time to call an appraiser. As noted in our exclusive website article about Kansas City’s art resources, the Spencer Art Reference Library at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is open to everyone without charge, even on weekends. If you bring pictures of your items, the staff can recognize styles, eras, etc., but they can’t appraise them, just direct you toward appropriate books and magazines.

Before shopping for an appraiser, read The Professional Art Appraisal: What to Expect by Randolph E. Osman. If you have only a few objects to consider, Dr. Philip Reister conducts an Antiques Road Show-style evaluation Mondays and Wednesdays at Mission Road Antique Mall for $10 per item. Ninety-year-old Philip grew up in a home furnished by   several generations before him and has been an appraiser for 38 years, so he     really knows his stuff. “I don’t do dolls,” he notes, “but I know just about everything else typically found in a home.”

Because fine art and antiques require insurance riders, Jean O’Brien of JA O’Brien and Associates observes that insurance agents generally are the ones to suggest an appraisal when they see what’s hanging on the wall or displayed on the mantel. Appraisals establish insurance premiums to adequately provide coverage by determining replacement value. “Values fluctuate due to world conditions and what’s in vogue at the time,” she says, so re-appraising every five years to adjust insurance coverage is valuable. “Right now the market is driven by the young, which affects the prices of what used to be in fashion.”

The process for a typical appraisal works in the following way, according to Robin Gross of FaFa Appraisal. During your initial phone call, expect to answer questions about where and how you acquired the piece, its condition, if you have paperwork relating to the purchase of the item, and why you want an appraisal (for insurance or tax reasons, to sell it, etc.). Based on your answers to these questions, the call can determine if you require a consultation, which usually involves bringing the object to the appraiser. If you have a wall full of Hudson River School paintings handed down by Great Uncle Burt, it would be easier if an appraiser comes to you. 

Consultations are often priced at a flat fee that is then rolled into the hourly cost if an appraisal is warranted. The hourly rate for an appraisal covers time spent researching your piece(s) in order to determine comparable value and then preparing your documentation. If an item needs to be conserved, that can be arranged by the appraiser, and the cost is added to your invoice.

If you only wish to sell your item, there’s no reason for an expensive appraisal with extensive documentation. Appraisers offer sales consultations where the object’s history is explored, the work is examined, and the appropriate market is identified (auctions or dealers ranging from national, regional and local to specialty) so you realize the best return.

Robin also notes that serious collectors and smart buyers keep meticulous records. Appraisers conduct inventories for collectors in need. She offers an electronic database that allows her clients to sort their collection information by different criteria that are invaluable when holdings are numerous.

A bit of caution: “Beware of buying artwork on cruise ships,” Robin warns. It isn’t unusual for appraisers to get phone calls from people wanting to sell their signed and numbered Dali or Picasso purchased at auction on a cruise. “Typically resale value is marginal at best,” she adds.

So buyers beware when purchasing and find a good appraiser to identify the valuable pieces that make up your collection. 

Find local appraisers at the following websites:
www.kshs.org/involved/donate/appraiserslist.htm
www.appraisers.org
www.appraisersassoc.org
www.isa-appraisers.org