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The Smithsonian Institution
does not, as a matter of policy, offer monetary evaluations. However,
we have compiled the following information that we trust will be helpful.
This information is not intended to be comprehensive and does not constitute
an endorsement by the Smithsonian Institution.
Gaining
an Identification
Local sources of information
or personnel to help you identify your object(s) are:
- university or area
libraries
- state and local
historical societies or museums
- state extension
services
Gaining
the Value
Antiques, artworks,
and other collectible items have such an individual nature that fixed
values are difficult to establish. Prices asked and amounts offered are
determined by personal interests of both seller and purchaser and by trends
in the market.
You can ascertain
the current range of prices for items exchanged at sales and auctions
by consulting the price guides available in bookstores or public libraries.
Also, dealers actively engaged in buying and selling antiques, professional
appraisers attached to sales galleries, and official appraisers of local
probate courts usually can give prevailing price values. Information on
providers of these services can be found in collectors' magazines, in
the yellow pages of telephone directories, or in other sources available
from the reference librarian in your area library. While the organizations
named below do not provide appraisals, each publishes a directory of its
member appraisers and offers a computerized referral service:
American Society of
Appraisers
P.O. Box 17265
Washington, DC 20041
703/478-2228; 800/272-8258
http://www.appraisers.org
International Society
of Appraisers
Riverview Plaza Office Park
International Society of Appraisers
1131 SW 7th Street, Suite 105
Renton, WA 98005
206/241-0359; Fax: 206/241-0436
http://www.isa-appraisers.org
Appraisers Association
of America
386 Park Avenue South, Suite 2000
New York, NY 10016
212/889-5404
http://www.appraisersassoc.org
Gaining an Offer
You can offer your
valuables for sale:
- through a reputable
auction gallery
- by contacting a
professional dealer in antiques
- by advertising
in collectors' magazines or by following such advertisements
- by contacting collectors
in your area or by inserting a notice in local newspapers
Useful
References
Auction Galleries
Specializing in Antiques, Artworks and Collectibles
Christie's, 20 Rockefeller
Plaza, New York, NY 10020; telephone: 212/636-2000, with branches throughout
the U.S. and abroad
http://www.christies.com
William Doyle Galleries,
175 East 87th Street, New York, NY 10128; telephone: 212/427-2730
http://www.DoyleNewYork.com
Freeman/Fine Arts
of Philadelphia, Inc., 1808 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103;
telephone: 215/563-9275
http://www.freemansauction.com
Phillips, 406 East
79th Street, New York, NY 10021; telephone: 212/570-4830, with branches
throughout the U.S. and abroad
http://www.phillips-auctions.com
Sloans & Kenyon,
7034 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815; telephone: 301/634-2330;
http://www.sloansandkenyon.com
Sotheby's, 1334
York Avenue, New York, NY 10021; telephone: 212/606-7000, with branches
throughout the U.S. and abroad.
http://www.sothebys.com
Adam A. Weschler
& Son, 909 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004; telephone: 202/628-1281
http://www.weschlers.com
Collectors'
Periodicals and Books
The Antique
Dealer and Collectors' Guide, Statuscourt Ltd., P.O. Box 805, Greenwich,
London SE10 8TD, UK; e-mail: antiquedealercollectorsguide@ukbusiness.com,
http://www.antiquecollectorsguide.co.uk/.
The Antique
Trader Weekly, Krause Publications, 700-E State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001;
http://www.krause.com
Antiques &
Collecting Magazine, (Hobbies Magazine) Lightner Publishing Corporation,
1006 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60605-9840
Apollo
(international magazine of the arts), Apollo Magazine, Ltd., 1 Castle
Lane, London SW1E 6DR, UK; U.S. address: Box 47, North Hollywood, CA
91603-0047;http://www.apollo-magazine.com/index.php
Collector's
Showcase, Source Publications, Inc., 4099 McEwan, Suite 350, Dallas,
TX 75244
Kovel's Online price
guide, P.O. Box 22900, Beachwood, OH 44122; http://www.kovels.com
Maloney's Antiques
and Collectibles Resource Directory. 8th ed. Krause Publications,
700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990 - 0001, 2004;
http://www.maloneysonline.com
The Magazine
Antiques, Brant Publications Inc., 575 Broadway, 5th Floor, New
York, NY 10012
Last updated: July
2005
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