Thanks to the media, especially the “Antiques Roadshow” and a rash of HGTV “antiques and collectibles” shows in the late 1990s and first half of this decade, Americans now are alert to the potential value of family heirlooms, childhood treasures and other types of personal property. The dream of finding one or more hidden treasures in one’s attic, closet, basement, etc., or at a garage sale, flea market or antiques mall has become part of the American psyche, a dream that increases exponentially during difficult economic periods.

Once an object is found, the first question asked is, “I wonder how much this is worth?” Finders divide into three categories: (1) those who are convinced they know what their object is worth because they saw one just like it on the “Antiques Roadshow,” (2) those who will refuse to believe what anyone tells them because they are convinced the world is out to cheat them and (3) those who are willing to do the research or hire an appraiser to do a market determination. This column is for the third group.

(Author’s Aside: This column will not explore the differences between retail (what a person pays when buying an object) and wholesale (the selling price into the secondary market) value, a topic covered in previous columns and certain to be touched upon in future columns.)

When uncovering a potential hidden treasure, it is only natural to turn to an expert.

“Hello. I inherited my grandparents’ dining-room set, and I would like to know what it is worth. A friend told me to call you.”

“Have you checked out my Web site, harryrinker.com? My home page contains a list of my appraisal services and their cost.”

“Well, I only want an approximate, not a specific value. Can’t you give me a rough estimate?”

“I do not do free appraisals. Appraising is one of the ways I make my living. Again, please check out my Web site, or I can explain your options now.” Like most appraisers, I offer several options, including evaluation from photographs, a visit to my office, walk-through appraisal and formal written appraisal. All have a specific cost attached.

“How do I know if my object is worth having appraised?”

“This is a risk you have to take if you want me to look at it.” Since almost every call begins with the person telling me what they want appraised, I often indicate that I do not think it worth their while to consult an appraiser. I am astonished at how many times this subtle hint falls on infertile ground. The primary reason online-appraisal services failed is that their $30-to-$40-per-object fee was within a few dollars of what a majority of the objects being appraised were worth.

Personal property appraisers charge fees ranging from $30 to $150-plus per hour. Hourly fees often correspond regionally to those charged by a CPA or general-practice lawyer. “You get what you pay for,” admittedly a tired cliché, applies.

I do appraisals for less than half the individuals who call or e-mail with inquiries about my services. Once I explain my services and fees or they visit my Web site, they exit stage left with the line, “I will think about it and get back to you.” I stopped holding my breath long ago.

You do not have to be an expert to research the value of an object. You can do it on your own. If you decide to proceed, follow these four steps:

1. Authenticate your object. Before you start your value research, you need to determine the identity of the object you are researching.

2. Determine what value you want. If you plan to keep the object, you need replacement (retail) value. If you are selling the object, seek auction or private sale value.

3. Do price research. Confirm all values using multiple sources. Field check all book values. List value is not sale value. Most objects are discounted prior to sale. Relying on a single value, especially if it is one that pleases and surprises you, is foolhardy.

4. If the final value you find exceeds $500, hire an appraiser to review your findings. I was tempted to use 1,000 as the threshold, but chose the lower number after considerable thought.

What sounds simple is not. It is work. After you complete steps one through three, you may find your object has little to no value. At least, you know. The answers we seek are not always the ones we desire.

You cannot tell the players without a scorecard at a sporting event, and you cannot value an object without knowing what it is. There is no wiggle room in antiques and collectibles. Apples are apples, oranges are oranges, etc. When authenticating an object, there has to be an exact match.

I recently received the following e-mail inquiry: “I have several Star Wars toy action figures in what I know to be complete sets . . . 1997 Kenner Collection 1. I read your article in a magazine that said Princess Leia could be worth $500-$600.” If this was the “Gong Show,” I would strike the gong. The Princess Leia in question was the first-issue action figurine still in its near-mint condition blister pack issued in 1977.

TRIVIA QUIZ: THE GONG SHOW PREMIERED ON NBC’S DAYTIME SCHEDULE ON JUNE 14 IN WHAT YEAR?

Antiques and collectibles picture price guides serve a dual purpose—identification and value. Your goal is to find a picture representation of the exact object you own. If there is a specialized price guide that focuses on your object, start there. When researching, make note of similar items. Ideally, you will find the exact object you own. Realistically, you may have to rely on comparable objects.

Try your local art museum, historic site or historical society. While curators are ethically prohibited from valuing objects, they can and often are glad to help identify object. Pick a museum, historic site or historical society that has like objects in its collection.

Experts abound at auctions, flea markets and antiques show. Most auctioneers and dealers will react favorably to a request for identification help. Do not ask them to value the piece. Although they are not appraisers, they are professionals. Most charge a fee when value information is requested. Do not be surprised if you are asked, “Do you want to sell that?” Over-the-transom (out of the blue) inquiries are a primary source of material for auctioneers and dealers.

Authenticating is not an exact science. If possible, confirm all opinions with a second and third source.

Do not overlook the Internet. Chances are you will turn first to eBay. Beware. Errors abound in eBay listings. Accept no information from an eBay listing without multiple confirmations from non-eBay sources. Artfact.com now offers free access to the past 12 months of fine art and sculpture listing. Go Antiques’ PriceMiner is another source. I have located dozens of reliable independent Web sites, e.g., morninggloryantiques.com for Victorian and other historic jewelry pieces.

Once you have authenticated your object, proceed to step two.

When I began this column, I had a vague suspicion that it was a two-part column. Suspicion confirmed. Part II will discuss steps two, three and four.

TRIVA QUIZ ANSWER: 1976

You can listen and participate in “WHATCHA GOT?,” Harry’s antiques-and-collectibles radio call-in show on Sunday mornings between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern Time. If you cannot find it on a station in your area, WHATCHA GOT?” streams live and is archived on the Internet.

“SELL, KEEP OR TOSS? HOW TO DOWNSIZE A HOME, SETTLE AN ESTATE, AND APPRAISE PERSONAL PROPERTY” (House of Collectibles, an imprint of the Random House Information Group), Harry’s latest book, is available at your favorite bookstore and via Harry’s Web Site.

WorthPoint—Get the Most from Your Antiques & Collectibles

John, however, is a member of Marks4Antiques.com, a unique Web-based reference service created by Worthologists Alex and Elizabeth Papalexis. Marks4Antiques.com enables subscribers to match identifying marks on antiques and to survey auction prices for comparable pieces. When the mark on the eBay figurine was checked, it turned out to be a recent reproduction. “It was a beautiful porcelain piece but probably not worth more than $150,” said Alex.

Googling doesn’t always get the answer

Some folks may try to Google for information on antiques or collectibles that have gotten their interest on eBay or RubyLane, but often that doesn’t give either sufficient or reliable information. Some collectors rely on books and catalogs—but getting them and staying current can be a chore.

“There is not as much information available out there as people think,” said Elizabeth. “There wasn’t an authoritative, easy-to-disseminate single source.”

Enter Marks4Antiques.com, which offers services for identifying ceramics, porcelain, pottery, china, silver, jewelry and decorative-arts items in general. An additional service offers a price search for antiques and collectibles sold at auction so that members can self-appraise their treasures.

Collectibles hobby becomes a business

All this began with the couple’s penchant for collecting. “It started as a hobby, became a passion and turned into a business,” Alex said. Trained as a physicist and engineer, he had a fascination for scientific instruments—old microscopes, barometers, sextants, quack medical devices and even old HP calculators.

Elizabeth began her collecting with Royal Winton Chintz cups and saucers, service sets and teapots, sterling-silver napkin rings and bonbon dishes. Often, the hunt involved getting up at the crack of dawn to buy pieces out of the back of collectors’ vehicles at what the British call a “car boot sale.” The hunt extended from English flea markets to shops and auctions across Europe and the United States. (For more about various types of porcelain, read Alex and Elizabeth’s blog.)

The couple moved from London to San Francisco’s Silicon Valley when Alex took a post as an executive with a high-tech company. At the same time, the Internet was just about beginning to enter our everyday lives, especially eBay. So, they stepped up their collecting and online sales of fine and antique tableware and decorative items. And that’s when they realized the need and opportunity for better and on-demand reference data. “With the Web, everything moves so fast,” Elizabeth said. “You often need information right away.”

Pictorial galleries

Marks4Antiques.com is an easy-to-use site with visual guides. All marks are presented in photos and are divided in pictorial galleries of shapes or letters. Each library of marks offers more than 12,000 images of identifying marks for pottery, china, ceramics, porcelain, jewelry, silver or silver plate, pewter etc, as well as extra background help. The Values4Antiques site allows subscribers to search a database for all types of antiques and collectibles sold at auction. Type in “Wedgwood plate,” and up pops pictures of recent Wedgwood chinaware sold at auction with dates and prices.

Members of the sites also have the option of sending marks for identification. “When we receive a question, it is like a jigsaw puzzle, and we won’t stop until we find the answer,” Alex said. Once they identify a mark, it is added to the online database. “Our goal is to make the sites as comprehensive and all-inclusive as possible. And, in a way, the contents are a live document that continually grows with updated information” said Elizabeth.

The couple is encouraged that they are moving in the right direction as more and more subscribers from around the world—the U.S. to the U.K. to South Africa and Australia—join Marks4Antiques.com.

“Our members tell us that they feel a special connection with us, especially because we are there for them and reply to their questions when they are about to buy or sell an item. It’s like having an antiques expert on retainer,” said Elizabeth. “You can’t do that with a book!”

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

John, however, is a member of Marks4Antiques.com – a unique Web-based reference service created by Worthologists Alex and Elizabeth Papalexis. Marks4Antiques.com enables subscribers to match identifying marks on antiques and to survey auction prices for comparable pieces. When the mark on the eBay figurine was checked, it turned out to be a recent reproduction. “It was a beautiful porcelain piece but probably not worth more than $150,” said Alex.

Some folks may try to Google for information on an antique or collectible that’s gotten their interest on eBay or RubyLane, but often that doesn’t give either sufficient or reliable information. Some collectors rely on books and catalogues – but getting them and staying current can be a chore “There is not as much information available out there as people think,” said Elizabeth. “There wasn’t an authoritative, easy to disseminate single source.”

Enter Marks4Antiques.com – which offers services for identifying ceramics, porcelain, pottery, china, silver, jewelry and Decorative Arts items in general. An additional service offers a price search for antiques and collectibles sold at auction so that members can self-appraise their treasures.

All this began with the couple’s penchant for collecting. “It started as a hobby, became a passion and turned into a business,” Alex said. Trained as physicist and engineer, he had a fascination for scientific instruments — old microscopes, barometers, sextants, quack medical devices, and even old HP calculators. [For Alex’s blog on old microscopes see http://www.worthpoint.com/item/microscopic-view-past]

Elizabeth began her collecting with Royal Winton Chintz cups & saucers, service sets and teapots, sterling silver napkin rings and bon-bon dishes. Often, the hunt involved getting up at the crack of dawn to buy pieces out of the back of collectors’ vehicles at what the British call a “car boot sale.” The hunt extended from English flea markets to shops and auctions across Europe and the United States. [For more about various types of porcelain see Alex and Elizabeth’s blog http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/types-porcelain-hard-paste-soft-paste-and-bone-china]

The couple moved from London to San Francisco’s Silicon Valley when Alex took a post as an executive with a high-tech company. At the same time, the Internet was just about beginning to enter our everyday lives, especially eBay. So, they stepped up their collecting and online sales of fine and antique tableware and decorative items. And that’s when they realized the need and opportunity for better and on-demand reference data. “With the Web everything moves so fast,” Elizabeth said. “You often need information right away.”

Marks4Antiques.com is an easy to use site with visual guides. All marks are presented in photos and are divided in pictorial galleries of Shapes or Letters. Each library of marks offers more than 12,000 images of identifying marks for pottery, china, ceramics, porcelain, jewelry, silver or silver-plate, pewter etc, as well as extra background help. The Values4Antiques site allows subscribers to search a database for all types of Antiques & Collectibles sold at auction. Type in “Wedgwood plate” and up pops pictures of recent Wedgwood chinaware sold at auction with dates and prices.

Members to the sites also have the option of sending marks for identification. “When we receive a question, it is like a jigsaw puzzle and we won’t stop until we find the answer,” Alex said. Once we identify a mark, it is added to the online database. “Our goal is to make the sites as comprehensive and all-inclusive as possible. And, in a way, the contents are a live document that continually grows with updated information” said Elizabeth.

The couple is encouraged that they are moving in the right direction as more and more of subscribers from around the world – the USA to the UK to South Africa and Australia — join Marks4Antiques.com. “Our members tell us that they feel a special connection with us, especially because we are there for them and reply to their questions when they are about to buy or sell an item. It’s like having an antiques expert on retainer” said Elizabeth – “you can’t do that with a book!”

As an Appraiser one here’s some pretty amazing stories about items from their owners, like great- great-great Uncle Jack’s sword from Bunker Hill, meat platters that were taken into Kentucky by Daniel Boone and copies of the Constitution found in an old trunk.

Sad to say though, 99 times out of a 100 the “Bunker Hil” sword is from Portugal, the meat platter was made 90 years after Boone shot his last bear, and the long lost copy of Constitution came in a soap box. This might seem discouraging to most, seeing all these relics debunked, but every now and again the real thing shows up.

The funny thing is that it’s not the family relic that turns out to be the most valuable item when doing a house call, in fact it is nearly always some item laying about unnoticed. This is the fun part of it all, is explaining to the home owner that the bowl the dog is eating out of is 19th Century Lambeth Art Pottery or the couch throw the cat is sleeping on is a Indian saddle blanket.

Reston, VA (PRWEB) February 02, 2008 — WorthPoint Corporation, the premier website for art, antiques, and collectibles, announced today that Kamelot Auctions has selected WorthPoint as a data publishing partner. Under the new agreement, Kamelot will provide WorthPoint with upcoming and historical auction data to be published on the WorthPoint web site. With information provided by Kamelot, WorthPoint is now able to provide more comprehensive data than ever.

“We are very excited about our partnership with Kamelot,” said Will Seippel, CEO and Chairman of WorthPoint. “With this new relationship, we add the sales of notable pieces of 19th and 20th century furniture to our database, from an auction house with an excellent reputation and with a history of impressive sales. WorthPoint is proud to include Kamelot’s records in its data collection.”

WorthPoint is a collector’s social network and search engine rolled into one. The website is changing the process of assessing worth for collectibles by providing a vast database of sales records wherein an individual can assess the worth of their own collection. Through Worthpoint, collectors connect with experts to learn more about authenticity and value in art, antiques, and vintage items. Through the WorthPoint online community, members can contact other collectors interested in buying, selling, or swapping stories, and they can share their insight and knowledge through the forums and wikis.
http://www.worthpoint.com

Kamelot is Philadelphia’s premier auction house. Kamelot Auctions offers clients a full-range of auction and appraisal services including start-to-finish trust and estate liquidation support. The partners and experts at Kamelot bring integrity, enthusiasm, and an unsurpassed level of personal service to their clients. As host of the annual Philadelphia Antique Architectural Sale, Kamelot adds experience with stained glass windows and doors, mantles, and the best in rare architectural antiques to their resume.
http://www.kamelotauctions.com

Contact:
Eve Hyman
WorthPoint
770-777-8221
770 777-8228
eve.hyman@worthpoint.com
www.worthpoint.com