Antiques

Antiques - Whether you’re looking to buy or sell antiques, hiring a reputable antiques dealer is in your best interests. Some antiques dealers only buy and sell antiques while others simply appraise their value. Knowing these basics about antiques can help you find the right person for the job.

An antique appraisal may be necessary when your antiques value is unknown, if you’re going to sell or if you’re looking to have them insured. While not all cases involve getting an antique appraisal, an expert antiques dealer can provide you with details about your antiques that you might not have been able to find out about on your own.  When looking for an antiques dealer or appraiser, ask yourself these important questions first:

Why do I Need a Written Antiques Appraisal?

There are many reasons why a written appraisal may be necessary when evaluating the value of antiques. Typical reasons include insurance claims and forms. Whether you’re simply insuring existing antiques or you’re looking to make a claim on damages, a written claim form from an antique appraisal specialist is required for insurance purposes. A written appraisal can also help you to verify an antiques value when purchasing or selling antiques as well.

What Does a Written Antiques Appraisal Include?

A notarized written statement from an antiques dealer should be a professional document or proposal that contains the following information:

• A cover sheet describing the antiques age, design and purpose
• References of resources that were used to determine value
• List of the appraisers qualifications, where and when the appraisal was performed and picture(s) of the antique
• Complete description of the antique (the actual appraisal)
• Signed document representing the antiques dealer has no monetary interests in the antique
• Notarized signature of the antiques dealer