Antique Appraisal Tips
June 13, 2008
There are several reasons why an antique owner would want to get an antique appraisal.
Insurance Antique Appraisal
It is very essential that every antique lover must be sure that his items 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. Insuring your antique item is hence essential so that your item is secured against any kind of theft, flood or earthquake.
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. It is always advisable to dispose off the estate and make sure that the appraisal is conducted by a appraiser who is qualified for this purpose.
Divorce Antique Appraisal
In a divorce situation, where the property needs to be divided between two people who are getting divorced, an antique appraisal is often required so that one party does not receive more than their fair share of the marital estate. In such a situation an antique appraisal is required. Many a times, it is believed and assumed that the valuable antiques are worth more than they actually are, and on the other hand an unexpected treasure turns out to be more valuable than anyone expected. So, even in a divorce case, an antique appraisal is required to be carried out so that both the partied get a fair share of the things.
Preparations required for an antique appraisal
Basic steps to be carried out before an antique appraiser visit your place are as follows; make a list of the items that need to be appraised, and where each item is. The method of charging of an appraiser is usually by an hour. So one must make sure that his visit is very 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. You must sit down with the appraiser and discuss o n each item so that proper solution is taken out.
Incase you have some providence or a written document or a proof of any antique item, then please let the appraiser see it. It will definitely help him solve the case more efficiently and effectively. 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. The above mentioned are very important from an appraisal point of view. It not only helps the appraiser to make a quick decision, but also, helps the people get the right value of the item.
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. It is bet to disclose everything that you know off. When you receive your antique appraisal, you will have the peace of mind that comes with knowing it is perfect and as per what you had thought of.
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