How To Price Art, Antiques, and Other Valuables

Introduction

In the estate sale business, it is very common to see the same types of items from one estate to the next. We become familiar with what items should sell for, but sometimes you see unique pieces that you just don’t know about. How do you price a popular artist’s oil painting, or better yet, what do you do with your client’s heirloom carrying unknown significant value? It is a quality antique piece of art, but where do you begin? You can’t just tag it and hope you priced it close because it could be worth tens of thousands of dollars. Sometimes you just need to pause and ask… What is it really worth?

What To Do

Listed below are the four (4) top tips to best handle the value of unknown items. We will take just a brief moment to glance at how each can help you maximize the price you get for your client’s items. You can always reach out to us if you would like more details about any of the information below.

Signs of Value: While it is not guaranteed that all items of value will have identifiable markings, it is not uncommon to find a manufacturer or artist’s signature, trademark, brand stamp, or other markings on valuables. Look on the front, back, and inside of the item. If it is framed or matted, you can gently and safely remove it from the frame to search for these markings (contact a trained professional if you have questions on this). Furthermore, make sure to pay special attention to these types of value indicators. Look closely — sometimes they seem to be absent from the piece, but they are simply hidden or hard to see. When in doubt, use all your resources to verify value. Some of these other tips can help you do this.
Technology: Modern technology makes it easier than ever before to identify value in your client’s items. There are many tools available including search tools, industry-specific software, and more broad market solutions such as WorthPoint, ProSale, and Google Lens.
WorthPoint compiles items from contributing partners of all kinds to establish a robust database of items and the price that they sold for across various platforms. All this data is available for you when you sign up with WorthPoint. This can be an especially helpful tool with just a little effort on your part. Learn more by visiting their site at worthpoint.com.

ProSale offers a point of sale system for estate sale companies, consignment shops, and resellers that populates an internal pricing tool that captures industry-specific pricing for estate liquidators, consignors, and resale shops to reference as a user of the ProSale system. You can learn more at prosale.com.

Google Lens is a very advanced photo analytical tool with a wide range of capabilities from identifying plants to identifying specific items found in an image. This tool can be very helpful in identifying what an item is and how much it is listed on other sites. Simply download the app on your smartphone, take a photo, select the item of interest and view the results. Many times, you can find a very similar match to help you identify a price for your item. Learn more about Google Lens at lens.google.
Local Specialty Shops: Find a local resale or consignment shop in your area. Oftentimes, you will find these types of shops in small and big cities alike. You may have better luck in the closest large city simply because of population density. Larger populations aid in the success of these specialty shops because they are more likely to have local patrons that are interested in fine art, jewelry, antiques, paintings, and other niche items.
Hire an Appraiser: An appraiser can help identify items that you cannot identify yourself. The American Society of Appraisers is a great place to find appraisers that can help you. Visit their site at appraisers.org.
A General Appraiser can usually be found in your local area. They can usually help you find and identify the signatures, brands, and other marks on your item that may signify value. General appraisers are helpful because they stay up to date with broader markets.

A Specialty Appraiser can help you once you have identified that your item is of a specific niche. These appraisers will be especially helpful because they usually stay in touch with resale values nationwide and even worldwide in many cases. Specialty appraisers will also know the buyers and sellers that can help you maximize your sale.

Conclusion

Individuals and families have been collecting valuables for a lifetime and sometimes multiple lifetimes. We often come across art, paintings, sculptures, antiques, and more that are obviously valuable, but we don’t know how to balance valuation and price. The best thing to do is to use these tips to maximize revenue. Use the tools discussed in this article to ensure you are achieving market prices for your client’s items!

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