Have you ever wondered whether you need to have your things appraised or whether your antiques are valuable? Have you asked, do I need an appraiser when organizing? My professional organizing clients want to know. While I’ve learned some ways to guide my clients over the years, I appreciate getting advice from the professional appraisers on when to seek out an appraisal.
Do I Need an Appraiser When Organizing?
Four real examples illustrate how these situations come up with our organizing clients.
— A homeowner had two small marble-top side tables with carved hardwood bases. They were unusual and cute, had no visible maker’s mark, and unfortunately, had cracked marble tops.
— I — and countless others — held on to a doll from the early twentieth century that might have been my mother’s or grandmother’s. There’s something about a porcelain head or blinking glass eyes that makes you think it might be valuable.
— A client had a half dozen small-ish Oriental rugs that had become infested with moths. But as one had been given to her by “the king” of a Middle Eastern country, the value was unclear.
— A collector had traveled home from France, decades ago, with a half dozen brass lamp fixtures, the kind that would be installed on a wall or ceiling. They were not his style, not in great shape, nor “au courant” for today’s buyers.
Add the words “inherited from their parents” into any one of these situations, and the emotional complexity deepens, the imperative for earning value gets even more treacherous.
We all hope that our family heirlooms may be valuable, but how do you know? And how do you know when to call in an appraiser when organizing?
As a professional courtesy, we can often ask our appraiser colleagues if one client item **might** be valuable. In most of the cases above, a quick email to an appraiser gave us solid data to make a keep/donate/sell decision. If one item turns out to be valuable, there’s usually a few more in the house that need to be looked at.
I asked Patrick McIntyre of, Artifactual History Appraisal, New York & Philadelphia, to help me explain how an appraiser can help.
Heather Dawson, of the online auction platform MaxSold, operating nationwide and in Canada, also kindly weighed in.
If you’ve never talked to an appraiser before, I hope their advice is helpful.
When do I need to consider getting an appraisal for something that I think might be valuable?
Patrick neatly outlined many circumstances when you might seek out an appraisal when organizing. There’s more than you might think:
- Federal Estate Tax Assessment and/or State Estate Tax and/or Local Probate Process
When someone passes away, an appraiser can inspect, research, and prepare an appraisal for estate tax or probate purposes.
- Estate Planning
Estate appraisals done in advance, while the owner is still living, can save time (and money and relationships) when an estate appraisal for tax or probate purposes is needed down the road.
- Equitable Distribution
Sometimes there is no official need for an estate appraisal, but surviving family members or heirs can rely on an independent, third-party appraisal as a tool to ensure fairness and avoid conflict.
- A Non-Cash Charitable Contribution (i.e. a Donation)
When the donor wants to take a tax deduction for their contribution of art or other valuables, if the value of the donated item(s) is over $5,000, an appraisal report by a qualified appraiser needs to accompany their tax return for review by the IRS.
- Insurance coverage
In order to cover high-value items, usually under an insurance rider or schedule, the insurance company would first need an appraisal from an independent third party. Insurance appraisals should be updated every 3-5 years to ensure proper coverage.
- Damage/Loss (Insurance Claim)
An insurance appraisal determines the effect of the damage or loss on value. This occurs after the loss. Having an appraisal before the loss can bolster the claim.
- Divorce
A divorce appraisal helps distribute assets equitably.
- Conservatorship
Appraisals can determine asset values if they need to be placed into a legal conservatorship due to physical or mental incapacity.
What’s the best way to find an appraiser?
Since our organizing team is in so many homes, we run into a lot of potentially valuable things. Marble tables, beautiful baby dolls, Oriental rugs of royal provenance, and French light fixtures are just the start!
Sometimes the first step to an appraisal is actually several phone calls and emails.
Patrick says, “Most appraisers have specific specialties, but are frequently capable of handling many things falling outside of that category with a high degree of credibility. At Artifactual History Appraisal we appraise a variety of object categories including fine art, especially American art, Modern art, and Postwar and Contemporary art. We also have very strong expertise in Mid-century Modern Design and 20th century design and furniture in general, silver, antique furniture and decorative arts, and American historical artifacts.”
Heather concurs. “It’s also important to remember that no appraiser is an expert in everything. I consider myself a general contents appraiser, but I refer clients to specialists whenever appropriate, for example, gemologists for jewelry, numismatic experts for coins and currency, and fine art specialists for significant artwork.”
If you don’t know where to start, find pros at the International Society of Appraisers (ISA), the Appraisers Association of America (AAA), or the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) and doing a search for appraisers in your area.
What is the process for getting an appraisal?
Contrary to what some people think, an appraiser doesn’t usually inventory everything in a home. As Heather says, “If you’re simply preparing to downsize or sell the contents of your home, I generally don’t recommend paying for a full appraisal of everything. Even as an appraiser, I advise clients to start with a one- or two-hour consultation with a qualified appraiser. They can identify any items that may warrant additional research, allowing you to invest in formal appraisals only where they’re truly needed.”
Patrick describes appraisals as a thoughtful process. Send your appraiser multiple photos of the item or items to appraise. Once your appraiser verifies they are right expert for the job, they will offer a contract and ask for a retainer. An in-person inspection will include photographs, measurements, condition, and specific details that you can offer about the item.
Remember the Oriental rug that the King gave my client? Any documents, photos in the King’s court, or other letters corroborating the story could support provenance, which is the industry’s term for credibility of past ownership. Provenance and proper documentation can greatly affect value.
Patrick says, “After the inspection, the real work begins back in the office. That’s when we began to research and analyze the market and the objects and then reconcile and draft our findings in a written appraisal report, which is typically a long, detailed document with pictures, fully cataloged items, and narratives both justifying values and explaining relevant market dynamics. Reports frequently take at least 3-4 weeks to finish. Larger jobs can take up to a few months to complete.”
In our experience here at HeartWork Organizing, getting an appraisal for just a few items can cost a couple of hundred dollars, but that may vary throughout the country. If you have artwork that has appreciated, decor that is worth a doozy, or jewelry that you think is worth a jillion, then by all means, get those appraisals. But don’t bother if you see the same things online for less than what the appraisal would cost.
Do I need an appraiser to sell something on eBay, Facebook Marketplace or online?
The experts agree. You can do your own research by looking up similar items on the online sale platforms first.
If you don’t know exactly what you have or even what it’s called, Google Lens can be a good place to start. You may have overlooked this mysterious little camera icon at the end of the search bar in Google. You can use this on your mobile device on the Chrome browser and take a picture of any odd thing. (Every time I’ve tried it, it forces you to download the Chrome app if you don’t already have it.) You can also get to Google Lens on any computer browser (Mac and PC) by starting at Google.com and uploading a photo that you’ve taken or found on the web. (This works from other browsers like Safari; you don’t have to have Chrome installed.)
That’s a good place to start, but not the end. Remember those marble-topped side-tables? Google needed to know if they were 12” in diameter or 46”. Without this information, the initial value was between $200 and $2,500. Details matter a lot to the results you’ll get online.
If you are on an auction platform like eBay, don’t just look to see what’s listed. Make sure to go to the sidebar and select only those items that have previously sold. You’ll find these at the bottom of a long scroll on the left.
Our organizing team sometimes uses the Maxsold app and its AI to quickly help identify items and provide comparable sales information, making it easier than ever to estimate resale values without paying for a formal appraisal. This is a newer option to help people understand whether that porcelain doll they are looking at is potentially worth $20 or $2,000. Maxsold is kind of like an Antiques Roadshow in your pocket, allowing you to go from DIY research to live auction in just a few steps.
If you want more information on how to safely sell things online, check out my guide to organizing by selling online with all the steps you’ll need.
What’s the difference between an auction estimate and an appraisal?
As a rule, traditional auction companies who are buying your items to resell generally are not providing appraisals, but they may provide auction estimates. If the auctioneer provides an appraisal booklet, get clarity on what type of appraisal they are providing.
Patrick says, “Auction houses’ complimentary estimates are not the same as an appraisal. Having said that, many auction houses, especially larger ones, do have a Trusts & Estates department that can handle written appraisals.”
Are there different types of appraisals and appraisal values?
Heather shares that value comes in different flavors. If you’re preparing for a downsizing or estate sale, an insurance appraisal is not relevant to determining what items will actually sell for.
- Replacement Value– Used primarily for insurance purposes. This estimates what it would cost to replace an item today.
- Fair Market Value – Typically used for estate planning, probate, charitable donations, and tax purposes. This estimates what a willing buyer would reasonably pay a willing seller in the current market.
Patrick adds that it can get even more technical. “Not only are there many different types of appraisals, there are also many different types of value that are used, depending on the purpose of the appraisal. Types of value that we use frequently include Fair Market Value, Retail Replacement Value, and Marketable Cash Value. There’s several others, but these are by far the most frequent. Each has its own technical definition, and the same object would typically have each value work out to a separate dollar amount.”
Professional appraisers are researchers. You’re paying for their expertise, time, and documentation and not simply an opinion of value. Their reports require extensive market research and are intended for situations where that level of documentation is necessary, such as in legal and insurance situations.
Is there anything else people should know about appraisals?
Heather said, “One important thing many people don’t realize is that appraisal is an unregulated profession in North America. Anyone can call themselves an appraiser. That’s why it’s important to work with professionals who belong to respected organizations like ISA or ASA, or who come recommended by trusted professionals.”
Patrick agreed. Just like NAPO.net for professional organizers, an appraiser’s membership in an appraisal organization is a sign of their professionalism and credibility.”
Are these Antiques Valuable?
The two small marble-top side tables with carved hardwood bases and cracked marble tops were valued online between $200 and $2,500 before we clarified the size and condition. Our expert appraiser, our organizers, and the client all landed on the same answer, that the pair was likely to sell for about $200 on Facebook Marketplace. They sold for $300, in the end.
My babydoll with the blinking eyes from the last century? Once I got an appraiser to corroborate my sense that the doll was probably only worth about $20, I easily let her go.
The Oriental rugs with a royal pedigree is still being looked at. Sadly, rugs get in the way of her wheelchair and the moths have done a number on it. I don’t expect this is where her riches lie.
The French light fixtures were not in great shape when I had them looked at by an appraiser. She confirmed there wasn’t a market for them, and they might only earn $50 each at an auction. Knowing that, the homeowner was finally able to donate them. C’est la vie.
Expert Sources
My thanks for both Heather and Patrick for lending their expertise to this article.
Heather Dawson works full-time in Business Development & Partnerships for Maxsold, helping professionals and families navigate downsizing and estate liquidation.She completed the core appraisal studies program through the International Society of Appraisers (ISA), is a licensed auctioneer, and owns Heirloom Downsizing & Appraisal Services in South Carolina.
Patrick McIntyre is the Lead Appraiser, Head of New York & Philadelphia Offices for Artifactual History Appraisal, operating from New York & Philadelphia. Patrick is a Member of International Society of Appraisers
