Independent, and paid only by you
Collection advisory
Independent advice on what you own and what you are considering buying. The practice advises only: it does not buy or sell, takes no commission on any transaction, and has no inventory to place.
Pre-purchase review
Before you bid or sign
Condition, authenticity, provenance, comparable market history, and a candid view of whether the asking price is supportable. For an auction purchase, that means reading the catalogue entry for what it does not say, checking the condition report against the images, and setting a walk-away figure before the sale begins.
Collection strategy
Where it is strong, where it is thin
Most collections grow by accident, out of opportunity, affection or inheritance. Seen whole, they usually have two or three genuine strengths worth deepening and a long tail that dilutes them. The practice will say which is which, what to pursue and what to release.
Sale guidance
Which market, which venue, what timing
What to expect net of commissions, and where to obtain it. A Rochester collection does not automatically belong in a New York City saleroom; a regional house is sometimes the better net result. Where auction is right, the advice names the house and what to negotiate in the consignment agreement. Where a private sale or a dealer is the better route, the advice says so.
Where the interest lies
Because the practice takes no commission and never buys from clients, advice on where to sell earns it nothing either way.
Collection management
Records your executor can use
Inventory systems, documentation, insurance scheduling, and putting the records into a state an executor can act on. The most common finding in an estate is a significant collection with no inventory, no invoices and no photographs, which costs the heirs money and, occasionally, the object.
Common questions
Does the practice sell art?
Can the practice bid at auction on a client’s behalf?
You have inherited a collection and do not know what to do with it.
Is advisory work billed differently from appraisal?
Rate
$225 per hour
Advisory rate. No project minimum. Fees are never based on the value of the property. Full fee schedule