Just the way it is:
I can't help but to be angry and sharp tongued over it. I had a dealer to tell me that she was always so miffed when she went to do an appraisal and, "They won't sell me anything!" Arghhh! That makes me pull my hair out. Good for them I say. You get what you pay for. Both parties are in the wrong. The dealer for ACTING as an appraiser and the client for not knowing who to call and when. People are so vulnerable when it comes to selling property. Even worse, when they don't want to sell but need information. Many a time a crafty person has toted off someones treasures for a pittance. All because they didn't make the effort to contact a knowledgeable appraiser. Everyday people make this mistake, even in this day and age of the internet and hokey cable antiques shows. People ask their hairdressers or mechanics before asking someone who knows. Often this leads to that antiques dealer looking to buy for a song. Or it could lead to a wonderful relationship with an honest and thoughtful dealer who will pay you top dollar for your stuff. But do you know what top dollar is and why?
You know, just because I know how to debone a chicken, doesn't mean that I should attempt to repair your torn shoulder. It seems as though that every dealer in the world is also an appraiser. In a moment of total disclosure, I too, am an appraiser and a dealer. However, there is a difference. I know which hat to wear and when. You see I have hats that I wear at certain times. I have an appraisers hat, a dealers hat and a book dealers hat. You can only wear one hat at a time. It is not right morally or ethically to purchase the items you appraise. You are showing bias towards your client and being disrespectful towards the property. Appraisers are advocates first for the property and for then for the client. Being an advocate is not the same as showing favor, its informing your client, you speak the truth, good or bad. The main role of an appraiser is to Identify, Witness and Value, period. Don't get me wrong, there are collectors and dealers out there, who know so much, in a particular field, that its awe inspiring. I call on these folks often. Sometimes, they are the right person to sell to. I've learned that there is a great difference between a collector and a dealer. Just by the mere fact of economics, a dealer has to make a living. Making a living in this business is hard, real hard, and every pinched dime and tweeked dollar counts. As clever as they are, I think that the majority of collectors and almost all the dealers, would have trouble laying out an appraisal for charitable donation, insurance coverage or the settling of an estate.
Anyone can appraise. But what they are doing is making an offer to purchase or making a value statement. Appraisers look at several markets levels and we weigh a lot of variables. A good appraiser should ask why you want an appraisal. Because you see, there are different values to different intended uses. Obviously, you don't want a fair market value if you're looking to have your items insured. You want a replacement value. This allows you, the owner, to go into a store and purchase a like, kind and similar item. Just be careful who you call when you need some advice on your property. That's why my business cards say Unbiased, Impartial and Independent. Fore warned is fore armed.
You know, just because I know how to debone a chicken, doesn't mean that I should attempt to repair your torn shoulder. It seems as though that every dealer in the world is also an appraiser. In a moment of total disclosure, I too, am an appraiser and a dealer. However, there is a difference. I know which hat to wear and when. You see I have hats that I wear at certain times. I have an appraisers hat, a dealers hat and a book dealers hat. You can only wear one hat at a time. It is not right morally or ethically to purchase the items you appraise. You are showing bias towards your client and being disrespectful towards the property. Appraisers are advocates first for the property and for then for the client. Being an advocate is not the same as showing favor, its informing your client, you speak the truth, good or bad. The main role of an appraiser is to Identify, Witness and Value, period. Don't get me wrong, there are collectors and dealers out there, who know so much, in a particular field, that its awe inspiring. I call on these folks often. Sometimes, they are the right person to sell to. I've learned that there is a great difference between a collector and a dealer. Just by the mere fact of economics, a dealer has to make a living. Making a living in this business is hard, real hard, and every pinched dime and tweeked dollar counts. As clever as they are, I think that the majority of collectors and almost all the dealers, would have trouble laying out an appraisal for charitable donation, insurance coverage or the settling of an estate.
Anyone can appraise. But what they are doing is making an offer to purchase or making a value statement. Appraisers look at several markets levels and we weigh a lot of variables. A good appraiser should ask why you want an appraisal. Because you see, there are different values to different intended uses. Obviously, you don't want a fair market value if you're looking to have your items insured. You want a replacement value. This allows you, the owner, to go into a store and purchase a like, kind and similar item. Just be careful who you call when you need some advice on your property. That's why my business cards say Unbiased, Impartial and Independent. Fore warned is fore armed.
Excellent! N.R. By the way, as a profesional archaeologist, one of the most common things that happens to us is to have a person approach us with an artifact, ask us to identify it, and then they ask us how much it is worth. An ethical archaeologist never, never, provides information about the "value" on the commercial market or otherwise, for an artifact. If a "professional" archaeologist ever offers that sort of advice, run, don't walk away. They are in violation of one of the most basic and important ethics surrounding the profession.
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