Wednesday, February 1, 2012

How Much is My Art Worth?

This is probably our number one question!  We must receive this inquiry twice a day, on average.  Sometimes art is part of an estate that family members are charged with evaluating for the estate or for insurance purposes; other times people are interested in trading; still others find it's time to cash out some of their items with value.

In many cases, Gallery One is able to track current values of art purchased from Gallery One. For valuations to be valid, artwork should be removed from its framing and/or packaging and be personally inspected by a member of the Gallery One staff at the time of the valuation to determine that such work has remained in mint condition. There may be a fee imposed for such an inspection and/or for providing a written statement of current valuations.

In lieu of such an inspection, Gallery One may provide (when available) the reasonable value of such artwork in mint condition based on current nationally advertised prices. Such values will be issued orally or by e-mail.

We have NO “certified appraisers” on the Gallery One staff, and while many galleries infer that they do, such is not usually the case. Certified appraisers are specifically trained and tested prior to certification. We urge our collectors to check with their insurers to determine if they require the services of a “certified appraiser.”

To find a certified appraiser, or to determine if your appraiser is “certified,” contact your local art museum or www.appraisers.org.

That's all for now.  Next -

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