Antique Appraisal Tips

There are several reasons why an antique owner would want to get an antique appraisal.

Insurance Antique Appraisal

Every antique lover should be sure their antiques are insured for full value. If you are a homeowner, you owe it to yourself to make sure your personal property insurance coverage includes your precious antiques. Renters can, and should, purchase renters' insurance that covers the value of their antiques in the event of fire, theft, flood, earthquake, or other damage.

Estate Antique Appraisal

If you have had the misfortune of losing a loved one who had antiques, you are not alone. With multiple family members competing to get their fair share of an estate, often the best thing for disposition of the estate is for an antique appraisal to be conducted by a qualified appraiser.

Divorce Antique Appraisal

In a divorce situation, where property needs to be divided between two people, an antique appraisal is often required so that one party does not receive more than their fair share of the marital estate. Many times a person believes their valuable antiques are worth more than they actually are; at other times, an unexpected treasure turns out to be more valuable than anyone expected.

Preparing For An Antique Appraisal

Before the appraiser comes, make a list of the items that need to be appraised, and where each item is. Appraisers usually charge by the hour, so you want the appraiser's visit to be efficient. Clean and polish items such as glassware and dishes; however, do not remove or interfere with the patina of older wood and metal pieces until you discuss with the antique appraiser whether doing so might negatively impact the value of a piece.

If you have documentation indicating the provenance of a piece, get that out so the appraiser can see it. Certificates of authenticity, receipts, articles about a piece or an artist, and letters or other family records that describe an antique, who made it, where it came from, and who has owned it, can all add value to a piece.

In order to maintain the integrity of an antique appraisal, the antique owner must completely disclose any known flaws in the condition of a piece to the appraiser. If you've been hiding a cracked table leg on a writing desk by placing it against a wall, you can fool your dinner guests, but you can't fool an antique appraiser. When in doubt, disclose. When you receive your antique appraisal, you will have the peace of mind that comes with knowing it is accurate.