Appraisals
Before I can place a value on a work of art, I first have to understand what it is.
That may sound obvious, but it is the foundation of every appraisal. Is it a painting, a print, or a reproduction? Who created it? When was it made? What is its condition? The answers to those questions come before any discussion of value.
The purpose of the appraisal determines the type of value being assigned.
An insurance appraisal is intended to protect the owner if a work of art is lost, stolen, or damaged. For that reason, it is generally based on the retail replacement value—the cost of acquiring a comparable work of art in the appropriate retail market.
The same artwork may have a different value if the purpose of the appraisal is charitable donation, an estate, equitable distribution, or a potential sale. Before assigning a value, I first need to understand why the appraisal is being prepared.
Insurance, Tax Deductions, Estates, and Collection Management.
Bartlow Appraisals accepted by
State Farm
Allstate
Chubb
Progressive
All other Insurance companies
A division of Bartlow Art Services, Ltd.
Expert art and antique appraisals for all
collections, great and small.
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Art advisory for acquisition
Free assessment of estates
50 years experience
Divorce & Estate
Fair Market Value Appraiser
This type of appraisal requiring Fair Market Values take more time than the Insurance appraisals. The values are the prices a willing buyer would pay a willing seller. Essentially,the seller is getting more than if they were selling to a reseller and a buyer is paying less than they would pay a reseller.
Insurance
Efficient Art Appraiser
The appraisal for insurance determines the amount of coverage you will need to replace your damaged or lost art. There is less guesswork for this type of appraisal since the values are based on gallery prices of similar works and auction results plus retail markups, framing and shipping.
Tax Deductible Contribution
Qualified Appraiser for IRS
These appraisals require compliance with tax code, filling out forms and being done within a time frame. These are time consuming and the most costly, but if well written according to USPAP, they are effective instruments.