knowledge

If you are a serious collector of certain items, it may well be the case that you know more about you collection than we ever will. Even so, for insurance purposes, you will be required to have your collection appraised. In such cases, when performing appraisals, we will listen to your assessment of your items. We will then verify what you say and then write the appraisal accordingly, thus saving you money.

An example comes to mind: An ambassador’s residence, whom had a large collection of ball point and fountain pens. Rather than us spending countless hours researching each pen, we based our appraisal upon his assessment of the pens, thus saving time. However, we only did so, after specifically checking his assessment of a dozen or so pens, of our choosing. Since his assessment did coincide with the real values of these pens, we then took his assessment of his collection at the values he stated.

Another example: In the appraisal of a collection of 18th century Worcester porcelain, this collector knew most every detail of his collection. For example look at this 18th century porcelain slop bowl, which featured both the “Comorant” and “Fisherman“ pattern along with the cresent moon mark. The owner knew that the curved wavy fishing line, signified that it was made by Flight (1783-92). Although, we were familiar with the cresent moon marks and its association with the famous Worcester porcelain, the curved fishing line was something we did not know, nor would have known. So not only did this add to our knowledge, it also saved him money by allowing us to accurately identify the piece quickly.

When performing any appraisal, we do appreciate any knowledge that you may have concerning the piece. This includes, when & where you got the piece, as well as how much you paid, plus any stories concerning the piece. Not only will this lower you cost by quickening the process, it will help us determine the piece’s authenticity. Often pieces are inherited, and possess a family’s lore. Not only does this interest us but it also might help us in assessing your item.