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This necessary step will help you get the most for your furniture or pay a fair price for furniture you are considering buying. 

There are a few things you need to know about the process, though. Keep reading to learn more! 

Types of Furniture Appraisal

There are a few different types of appraisals for antique furniture. Knowing why you need the appraisal will help you determine which type you should get. 

Determine your purpose before you start looking for an appraiser. That way, you contact the right service, who can give you an accurate valuation. 

Insurance 

If you have home insurance, you can receive compensation for lost or damaged items. But to receive this money, you need to be able to prove to the insurance company what the value of the furniture is.

The appraiser will look at the piece’s age, condition, and scarcity to determine its true value.  This information gathered will then get compared to similar pieces of furniture. 

You will then be issued a written appraisal that you can store in a safe place. Then you can make a copy and submit with your insurance claim should your item be lost, damaged, or stolen. 

Market Value 

These appraisals are done if you want to sell your item. They are not nearly as thorough or intense as an insurance valuation. They can be done by going online or to your local antique store. 

There is often minimal research and done based on sight. They tend to leave room for negotiation during the sale. 

Price your furniture too high, and you will struggle to sell it. Price it too low, and you won't get everything you could for it. 

The best thing to do is to visit an antique dealer with experience and extensive knowledge in antiques. They can give you the most accurate valuation for your furniture. 

Another great feature about visiting an antique dealer is they can help you consign the items once you have the valued. This way, you get your pieces in front of the people most likely to buy antiques. 

Estate Tax

If antique furniture is part of a deceased’s estate, the federal government may want it valued. This is for tax recording purposes.

Someone within their own department typically does these appraisals. They will value the item based on the value given to similar items. 

Donation

If you plan to donate your antique furniture, you need to have it professionally appraised. The IRS will require this if you donate something that exceeds $5,000 in value. The goal of the appraisal is to determine the item's fair market value. 

Other Reasons 

There are a few other reasons you may have an appraisal done. You could be liquidating your assets for retirement. Or you could be valuing your property in preparation for a divorce settlement. 

How to Prepare Your Antiques for Appraisal 

If you just need to dust the item, you should be able to do this without damaging the furniture. Be careful though, dusting some paintings will damage them. 

While cleaning can be a good idea, never try to repair your antique yourself. This can instantly devalue your item by half for even more. 

When you take your item in for valuation, ask for a reference to someone who can repair your item. They should have connections with professionals who will repair your item without devaluing it. 

Do Your Own Research

While internet appraisals may not mean very much, they can get you started on the right track. Keep in mind that looking on websites like eBay will not give you an accurate valuation. These prices are what the seller wants, and not necessarily what the item is actually worth. 

The goal is to give you a baseline or starting point. 

Who Should You Get an Appraisal From?

While you want to get the highest price appraised for your item, you also need to make sure that the appraisal is accurate. After all, the last thing you need is the insurance claiming fraud on your part.  Before you choose an appraiser, do your research on their experience, knowledge, and trustworthiness. 

Ask if the appraiser has experience in working with items that are similar to yours. There are a lot of antiques out there; you want someone who knows the finer details of your item. 

Search for reviews or testimonials. Or you could ask the appraiser for references. 

Never agree to sell your item to the appraiser. Be wary of appraisers who actively want to buy your item after the appraisal. An individual appraiser shouldn't have a say in the valuation if they also benefit from it. 

Ask the appraiser if they have certifications or licenses. This way, you can be sure that they are legitimate. 

Most importantly, don't rush the process. Find someone that you are comfortable with. Trust your instincts and gut feelings. 

Get an Antique Furniture Appraisal

If you are thinking of selling your furniture or having it insured, then you will need an antique furniture appraisal. As Oregon's premier specialists in antiques, we can help you with every step of the appraisal and sale process. 

Having a complete white glove service is especially helpful when you are trying to liquidate an estate for divorce or probate. This lets you value and sell your items all in one service. 

Have your antique furniture valued today. 

1. Find Out Who Owned It Beforehand

One good indicator of how to tell if a paint is valuable is to figure out who owned the painting beforehand. If someone who was high up or well-known in the art community owned the painting, then there might have been a reason for it. They knew that it was worth more. In addition to that, it also adds more value to the painting based on who had owned it previously. You should try and do some research on the painting. Create a list of all the people who have owned it and for how long. Ask the person you buy the painting from where they got it. You can also ask them if they have any other receipts or documentation to go along with the painting. You will also be able to tell who owned it by checking the back of the painting. If you can't find any information, you should be able to take it to a museum, university, or another appraiser to figure out who owned it before and to make sure it's authentic. 

2. Figure Out Who the Artist Is

After you find out who previously owned the photo, you should also try and figure out who painted it. If it is a well-known artist, it will automatically be worth more just because of the name attached to it. But if the artist is someone who isn't well-known, you should still do your research. If the artist led an interesting life or was significant in some way, this could be good news for you and your painting. If the artist died early and only painted a few paintings, this also adds more worth to it. This means that the supply can't meet the demand which drives up the price. If the artist isn't historically known, you will still want to do some research. Sometimes current artists are very trendy and can get more for their paintings. For example, Bansky is very popular currently, and his graffiti-type paintings recently sold for $1.4 million, partly due to his popularity. 

3. Check the Condition of the Piece

Before you buy a painting, you should make sure that you check the condition of it. You'll want to check to make sure that there are no rips, tears, or cracks. If there are issues with the painting, this will decrease the value. Someone will have to pay more to touch the painting up. If the paint has also faded, you may not be able to get as much money for it. 

4. Consider the Subject Matter

The subject matter of the painting even plays a factor in how much the painting is worth. Historically, portraits of beautiful women have sold for more money than paintings of men. There are a few exceptions to this, but if you have a painting of a beautiful woman, you could make some more money. Other subjects, such as landscape paintings can also be tricky. Happy, bright, and colorful landscapes tend to be worth more than dark and gloomy landscapes.  However, if the painting was painted by someone famous, the subject matter will not matter as much.

5. Check the Frame

The frame of the picture can also indicate what a painting is worth. It even makes it worth more. Some pictures come in high-quality frames, which are actually worth a lot. If the frame is extravagant or significant, it could even be worth more than the actual painting. The frame should match the century of the painting, but historically, 19th century frames are more intricate and can add more value than one form the 20th century. 

6. What was it Painted On?

The type of material that the art was painted on also plays a role. In general, paintings that were done on canvases sell more versus ones done on paper. Paintings also are worth more than a print or even sketches. 

7. What Colors Are Included?

Sometimes colors can also play a factor in if the painting will be worth a lot. Colors can make us feel all kinds of different ways, and this could persuade someone to pay more money for it. If your painting has a lot of red in it, you're in luck. In the past, red has been the color that has brought in the most money. In fact, red paintings earned about $21,000 more than other paintings.  For example, a painting called Blood Red Mirror by Gerard Richter sold for $1.1 million. Another all-red painting that sold for a lot of money was Concetto spaziale, Attese by Lucio Fontano. This one sold for $1.5 million. 

8. How Big is It?

Another thing to consider is how big the painting is. If you can hang the painting on the wall and notice that it demands attention, it is worth more. This is called "wall power." It is one of the most important factors in the cost. Hang the painting on the wall and ask yourself a few questions. Do you find yourself drawn to it? Are you curious about it? Do you feel intense emotions when you look at the piece?

9. Flip the Painting Over

The last thing you can do to determine the worth of your painting is to just flip it over. There is normally important information on the back, like who previously owned it and maybe who the painter was. Sometimes painters will put their signature either on the front of the painting or on the back. If there is a signature and it hasn't been authenticated, you want to consider having an expert look at it. In April 2018, one painting, The Garden by Mary Louise Fairchild MacMonnies, was going to sell for around $8,000. After checking the back and seeing the signature and some other key information, the painting sold for $37,500.  

Use These Tips for How to Tell if a Painting is Valuable

Figuring out how to tell if a painting is valuable can be difficult sometimes, but with these steps, you should have a better idea of how much your painting is worth. Even with these tips, sometimes it can still be difficult to really tell if your painting is worth anything or not. For an expert opinion, bring your painting in to our Portland shop. We can help you appraise the piece. Once you have your price, we can also help you sell it, so stop in today!

Take this card table that was sold at a garage sale for $25 in the late '90s. The buyer later sold it for over $500,000. In other news, this old vase sold for over $80 million. This type of return on investment is rare, but it does happen. 

That, among other reasons, is why it's wise to get your antiques and valuables professionally appraised. After all, one man's trash is another man's treasure. 

Keep reading for some tips and advice on how to get antiques appraised. And if you're in Oregon, why you should consider working with the professionals at Gary Germer and Associates for your antique and furniture appraisal needs. 

What is a Professional Antique Appraisal?

There are many ways to go about getting a valuation of your furniture and antiques. You could visit an appraisal fair or get an appraisal done online, but there's always the risk of encountering frauds or phony experts. 

Hiring a professional appraisal service often includes an official, highly detailed report put together by an experienced appraiser who not only assesses the inherent value of a piece but also assesses it against its current market value. 

The report will contain a detailed account of how the appraiser arrived at the figure, so you can rest assured knowing all measures were taken and that they didn't just pluck a number out of thin air. 

Why Should I Bother with an Appraisal?

The obvious reason to get furniture and antiques appraised is to assess their resale value. You don't want to be one of those garage sale stories. For instance, things like flatware that might seem like junk could be valuable collector's items. 

You also don't want to conjure up a sale price out of nowhere. A serious buyer will want to know how you arrived at the price and will want to be sure it's fair. 

When it comes to a family heirloom, there might not be a plan to sell in the immediate future. But it's still good to know how much value you're sitting on.

And keep in mind, the value of antiques fluctuates with the market. A good rule of thumb is to get your valuables appraised every five years or so. 

Appraisals are especially important when it comes to estate liquidation. If you're filing an estate tax return, the IRS requires certain items to be professionally appraised.

Same goes if you're taking out an insurance policy on your personal property. The insurance company needs to know the value of what you're insuring. 

How to Choose an Antique Appraiser

In the antique appraisal world, there are some red flags to look out for. First of all, never work with an appraiser who charges a percentage of the value. This might seem obvious, but some people still fall for this old trick.

A reputable appraiser will never work this way and it's against the rules of regulating bodies like the International Society of Appraisers. Also, don't hire appraisers who double as antique collectors or buyers.

This is a huge conflict of interest. If they plan to turn around and buy your item, what's stopping them from lowballing you? 

Do your research and make sure only to work with reputable, accredited, and experienced appraisal companies. 

Are There Reputable Antique Appraisers Near Me?

If you're in Portland, Oregon, one of the best appraisal services to work with is Gary Gremer & Associates.

Owner and operator Gary Gremer brings 30 years of dedicated experience to the table, along with an education in art history and an apprenticeship under Bob Rau, host of PBS show "The Collectors". 

How to Get Antiques Appraised by Gary Germer

If you have an item you've been meaning to get appraised, the first step is to go online and get a free spot check.

It's a complimentary service the company offers to help their potential customers determine whether or not their item is even worth appraising. It's a win, win. If it's not, you won't waste your time. If it is, you'll know the service is of value to you. 

The next step is to figure out what type of appraisal you need. This is generally done over the phone or a Skype consultation where an appraiser will ask questions to determine if you need a verbal evaluation or a legally-binding written report.

If it's just for your own knowledge, a verbal evaluation should do the trick. If it's for official resale, estate tax or insurance purposes, you'll need a written report. 

Once the type of appraisal is determined, Gary Gremer and his team will begin the research process. They will conduct a thorough analysis of the item and its market value and deliver a USPAP and IRS-compliant appraisal.

How the Purpose of an Appraisal can Affect the Valuation 

A professional appraiser needs to know the purpose of the appraisal in order to give an accurate valuation.

If the item is being appraised for a charitable donation or an estate liquidation, the IRS is likely the reader of the report. In this case, the appraisal will be based on the item's "fair market value". 

This is determined by considering the bartering price that sits between what a seller is willing to let the item go for, and what a buyer is willing to pay. 

If the appraisal is required for insurance purposes, the valuation could be higher due to little or no bartering between done between the seller and buyer. In some cases, this can result in a higher evaluation. 

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, no one wants to get ripped off. To some, antiques, furniture and old jewelry are just collecting dust in the attic. To others, they are sentimental family heirlooms.

Regardless, using a reputable, professional appraisal service not only keeps you above board with the IRS, but it can also give you invaluable knowledge and can potentially put you in a powerful selling position. 

We hope this information has helped you understand how to get antiques appraised so that you don't end up selling a card table worth half a million for 25 bucks. Contact us for more information on professional appraisal services in Oregon. 

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At Gary Germer & Associates, we have years of experience helping people discretely liquidate their assets for the highest value. Continue reading to learn how to have an estate sale that satisfies your expectations.

Make a Plan

First and foremost, it's important to make a detailed plan. Estate sales are complicated processes, involving lots of moving parts. To be successful, you need to be organized.

When you work with us, we'll create a customized plan for you from start to finish. To begin, Gary will meet with you and tour the home to become familiar with the property's items.

Once this is complete, we'll identify a step-by-step strategy addressing every stage of the estate sale. In each detail, we'll take into account your unique situation, addressing your family's specific needs and desires.

Work with an Appraiser

Next, it's time to collaborate with an appraiser. It's important to comprehend the value of the items you have, and unless you're a professional, it's really difficult to know the exact value of your relative's possessions. If you do this yourself, you'll overvalue some items and undervalue others.

That's why it's best to work with a seasoned appraiser like our team at Gary Germer & Associates.

We'll work to accurately price every possession, maximizing your return. However, it's common for some items to not sell on the day of the sale. Most companies just stop there, but not us.

At that point, we'll work via consignment to sell your items through our network of distinguished collectors around the world. This way, you'll get the most value.

Don't Get Too Attached

In every situation, it's normal to be attached to certain items of your loved one. If this is the case, feel free to keep some things. This is especially applicable when your relative has passed away and you'll be able to remember them by preserving some of their most beloved possessions.

However, it's also common to feel attached to too many items. This is especially true right after the passing of a loved one. 

For this reason, it's a good idea to work with a professional estate sale team. At Gary Germer & Associates, we'll go through your loved one's items after you've collected what you want.

When we do this, we've found that it's best for the family to not be present. That way, we can more easily avoid the heartache of having to sell your relative's possessions.

Advertise Your Sale

What good is an estate sale if people don't know about it? Because of this, it's crucial that you advertise your sale. Consider placing ads in your local newspaper, posting on Craigslist, and creating an event on social media.

Don't forget traditional signs as well. Place these around your neighborhood with easy to read information about the dates and times of your sale.

If you work with us, we'll take care of all the event marketing for you. We'll do the following to get the word out about your sale:

• Contact our direct mailing list of collectors
• Send announcements to your relatives, friends, and neighbors
• Create large signs to capture walk-in traffic

When you work with us, there's no need to worry about marketing your event. We have years of experience in successfully advertising our estate sales.

What about the Leftover Items?

Here’s another tip about how to have an estate sale. Think about what you'll do with things that don't end up selling. In many cases, a donation is a great idea.

At a certain price point, a donation is often more lucrative than selling at a discount because of the tax benefits associated with donations. If you itemize your deductions, this can be the perfect route to take.

We're familiar with the rules and regulations surrounding this and can help you make the most of your items.

Use a Professional

While it's possible to go the DIY estate sale route, it's not worth the hassle. It's a much better experience to trust a team of professionals.

If you live in the greater Portland area and are looking for an estate sale company, consider working with us. We provide white-glove service from start to finish, creating an individualized plan that's customized for your unique situation.

As with any business decision, it's a good idea to do some research before making a choice. Perform some Google searches to read reviews about the local estate sale companies that you're considering. It's always nice to see that other people have had good experiences.

At the end of the day, teaming up with a professional team like Gary Germer & Associates is the best choice. You won't have to worry about a thing and we'll keep you involved in the process from day one.

Closing Thoughts on How to Have an Estate Sale

There you have it: 6 tips on how to have an estate sale. Now that you've read through them, it's time to get started.

Contact our team of professionals today. We're here to help you have a wonderful experience from start to finish.
 

Of all the stories we hear of hoarders with treasures and all the tv shows where the dealer walks into a house or barn filled with trash only to find some amazing thing hidden under the piles of crapola; I have to tell you this NEVER happens to me. And I am the sort of guy who honestly believes there is a pony somewhere in the middle of the manure pile. I have sorted many houses jammed up with piles of trash and under it all only found dry rot and toxic mold.

Now is my turn to be part of a story. Last week a lady came to us with three IKEA shopping bags full of old sterling silver she found in her father in law’s home. Her husband’s father had retired to a country home outside of Monroe, Oregon (think of the middle of nowhere and then turn left). And he was a hoarder. It took my new friend, her husband, brother and sister in law, a full year to clear the house. Hauling many tons of trash away and sorting out what was salable. The first silver they found was at the bottom of a knapsack which was filled with old clothes. Pulling out the clothes she found two “Apostle Spoons” with a receipt from Sotheby’s Parke Bernet, London dated 1978. He had paid 1100 British pounds for them. They now knew they had to check through everything. As the year progressed and they dug out and cleared out more and more, they accumulated nearly $75,000 worth of investment quality antique silver from the backs of cabinets and closets, in boxes clothes, behind books on shelves, all throughout the house none on display and most with receipts from the auction houses he bought it all from.

They found teapots and pitchers, table accessories, cow creamers and wine accessories, flatware, sugar shakers, trays and more. And the apostle spoons. All dating from as far back as 1570 and the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Beautiful things, interesting and fun things. So I am encouraged to always keep looking for that pony!

Apostle spoon: Usually made of silver with the image of an apostle or saint. You can distinguish one from another by the emblems they are holding (St Peter holding a key, Judas Iscariot holding a bag of money, etc.) They were popular before the end of the Reformation period (circa mid-1700’s). People would carry a spoon with their patron saint believing in his power in their life. You see, it wasn’t until the mid-1700’s that people were setting a table with flatware. Usually, you had spoons offered and nearly everyone carried a knife which they would use to cut their food. Often, especially if you were a traveler, you would carry your own personal spoon, which you would have your initials cut into the back of the bowl to identify yours from another. It was the beginning of using monograms on silver. The royalty then started monogramming everything. The apostle spoons were very rarely sold as sets, but rather you would have one made by a silversmith, with the image of your patron saint. That is why when we find them and collect them today, you nearly always find them one at a time. The 8 we have were all made by different silversmiths and years apart from each other.

We have a pair of rare Sanxingdui figures available at our upcoming estate sale: The Estate of Ethel Rogers - Asian Art & Antiques The Sanxingdui site was discovered in 1929 and then rediscovered in 1986; the site dates to the 11th and 12th centuries BCE. It is believed their open hands held an elephant tusk. But who this culture still remains a mystery. Located in the Sichuan province of China archaeologists associate it with the Kingdom of Shu.

This ancient culture had a well-developed bronze casting culture which permitted the manufacture of many impressive articles, including the world's oldest life-size standing human statue.

Many Sanxingdui bronze faces had traces of paint smears: black on the disproportionately large eyes and eyebrows, and vermilion on the lips, nostrils, and ear holes. Vermilion is interpreted "not be coloring but something ritually offered for the head to taste, smell, and hear (or something that gave it the power to breathe, hear, and speak)."

It is unclear whether they formed part of ritual events designed to communicate with the spirits of the universe or ancestral spirits.

Many theories also surround the fall of the Sanxingdui civilization, which seemingly disappeared without a trace, leaving behind objects unlike anything found in any other period of Chinese history.

Archaeologists have been left wondering what the purpose of the objects was and how such an ancient culture, at the very beginning of Chinese civilization, could be so advanced.

Some people speculate that aliens might be behind the mysterious relics after locals in the area alleged that they spotted UFOs in the area 20 years ago.

The Estate of Ethel Rogers - Asian Art & Antiques February 2nd & 3rd, 2018

10 am to 5 pm
407 N. Broadway St.
Portland, OR 97227

For more information on Sanxingdui visit Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanxingdui

*Some information cited from www.china.org.cn

Tablespoon 8 1/2"
2 different Salad fork 7"
Dinner fork 8"
Dessert or salad fork, gold vermeil tines 6 1/4"
Ice cream fork, gold vermeil bowl 5 3/4"
Citrus spoon, gold vermeil bowl 5 3/4"
Demitasse spoon, gold vermeil bowl 4 1/8"
Teaspoon 5 3/4"
Soup spoon 5 1/4"
True dinner knife 10 1/2"
Dinner knife 9 3/4" 
Serving spoon, gold vermeil bowl 10 1/4"
Serving fork, gold vermeil tines 10 1/8"
Ladle 7 1/2"
Butter knife spreader 6 1/4"
Salt spoon 2 1/4"

Total weight of 8738 grams. 
10382-1

The Makonde are master carvers. The best-known works are the 'tree of life' carvings being intricately carved conjunctions of interlocking human figures representing both unity and continuity.

The Family Tree sculptures, which are also referred to as “Tree of Life,” generally date back to the 1950s; however it is believed that it was introduced as early as the 1930’s when the first exhibition was held at Centro Cultural dos Novos in Mozambique. It is an artistic style called Dimoongo – one of the eight major Makonde styles.

The Dimoongo (power of strength) style, also referred to as Ujamaa, was introduced by the late Roberto Yakobo Sangwani. Sangwani migrated to Tanzania from Mozambique in the late 1950s. The original style represented a winner in a wrestling match who was carried shoulder high by his colleagues represented in a cluster of figures. Some later versions were carved showing a female figure at the top of a cluster of figures. This was the beginning of a style known as the Makonde family tree.

Tree of Life sculptures are made of African Blackwood also known as mpingo. African Blackwood is an exotic wood native to Eastern Africa, and is also known as Mozambique Ebony or Senegal Ebony. It features dark brown, even purplish heartwood with dark streaks. It is an extremely hard wood, strong and stiff, very stable, with a fine texture.

The sculptures, while they can take on a variety of shapes, forms, and sizes, have a number of common characteristics representing the symbolism and significance of the carvings. The carvings typically include:

These sculptures are carved from a single piece of wood, can take almost a year to carve and can be as tall as 6 feet!

People are often shown performing traditional tasks and local work

People are often depicted climbing or holding each other up (representing support)

They commonly depict members of extended family – often representing multiple generations

One large figure at the top of the pole – often a central figure such as a tribal chief

A column of people, with one central figure surrounded by smaller figures