Why Do You Need One? - What is an Insurance Appraisal?
An insurance appraisal establishes the value of your personal property for insurance coverage. But its usefulness extends beyond the number on the page.
Why Do You Need One? - What is a Personal Property Appraisal?
A personal property appraisal is an independent, well researched opinion of value for the objects you own. That might mean a single painting, a collection assembled over decades, inherited furniture, jewelry, decorative arts, or the contents of an entire home.
The Great Stuff Transfer Is Real—And It's Coming Your Way
The Great Wealth Transfer is usually framed as the passing of trillions of dollars in assets and real estate from Baby Boomers to Millennials. But as a personal property appraiser and collections manager, I see a different transfer unfolding: The Great Stuff Transfer.
Do You Have An Art Collection? Gather Your Documents.
For a new art collector, one of the most important steps is establishing a comprehensive collection file for your artworks, furniture, and collectibles. Proper documentation provides an essential foundation for estate planning, charitable donations, insurance coverage and claims, future sales, and the long-term stewardship of your collection.
Know What You Hold: Akari Light Sculptures
Already an established artist, Noguchi was 47 years old when he created his first Akari in the summer of 1951, after visiting Gifu, Japan. There, he encountered the traditional Gifu lantern-making craft and began exploring how this old technique could be transformed into something new.
Today, Ozeki & Co. (formerly Ozeki Jishichi Shoten), founded in 1891, continues to manufacture light sculptures in Gifu, using traditional lantern-making techniques and limited production.
Play or Preserve: Inside the American Auction Market for Guitars Played by Iconic Guitarists
What happens when a guitar created to be played becomes valuable enough to preserve? The record-breaking sales of guitars once owned by David Gilmour, Jerry Garcia, and Kurt Cobain reveal a changing market where provenance, cultural significance, and financial value increasingly intersect. From the concert stage to the museums, the fate of these instruments ultimately depends on those who collect and care for them.
Why Do You Still Need a USPAP Appraiser When You Have ChatGPT?
Ask ChatGPT what your grandmother's painting, your coin collection, or that antique dresser is worth, and you'll get an answer in seconds. It sounds confident, it's free, and it's tempting to stop there. But that answer isn't an appraisal, and for anything that actually matters, the difference can cost you.