APPRAISALS

Professional Appraisal Services

Sophia C. du Brul, ISA AM  |  USPAP Certified

 

Why Get an Appraisal?

There are many reasons to have your valuables professionally appraised — curiosity, insurance coverage, estate planning, divorce proceedings, or charitable donation. Whatever the reason, a thorough appraisal protects you, your heirs, and your records.

 

Sophia C. du Brul, ISA AM is a nationally USPAP-certified appraiser who provides well-researched, defensible fair market appraisals across a wide range of personal property.

 

Types of Appraisals

 

Insurance Appraisals

Documents the existence, condition, and replacement value of your belongings. Appraisals should be updated every five years to reflect current market values.

 

Estate Appraisals

Required for taxable estates, an estate appraisal catalogs property efficiently and meets IRS reporting requirements.

 

Equitable Distribution Appraisals

Used in divorce proceedings or estate settlements to establish fair market value for an equitable division of property.

 

Donation Valuation Appraisals

A USPAP-compliant appraisal is recommended for charitable donations of $1,000 or more and is required by the IRS for donations exceeding $5,000.

 

Pre-Move Appraisals

Moving companies offer limited liability for damage or loss. A pre-move appraisal establishes the value of your belongings before they leave your hands.

 

How the Appraisal Process Works

Every appraisal begins with an on-site examination of your property. We inventory and photograph each item, noting relevant characteristics and overall condition. Extensive market research — including auction records and sales history — is then conducted off-site to ensure accurate, well-supported valuations.

 

Each client receives a formal appraisal report that includes:

• A complete description of each item (age, measurements, condition)

• The assigned value and a clear explanation of how it was determined

• Digital photography

• Full USPAP compliance, available in printed or electronic format

 

Fee Structure

There is no charge for an initial consultation. Appraisal work is billed at $195.00 per hour. We provide an estimate of the scope at the time of the appraisal and are happy to discuss our fees in advance.​

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If you hire Sophia's Estate Sale to conduct your estate sale, we will employ the same methodologies used in an appraisal to evaluate and price the items in your home, included in the commission structure.

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How to prepare for an appraisal

As much as possible, have the items to be appraised out and ready for inspection. If this a damage claim for insurance, please gather all materials related to the damaged item including any previous appraisals, purchase receipts, photographs (even if the only picture is one with the item in the background), any notes or letters, plus the damaged items themselves if they are available. When you call me, I will ask a lot of questions about your appraisal and advise you on what to do before I start.

 

What We Appraise

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Furniture and Antiques

Designer and antique furnishings require period identification, construction analysis, and a thorough understanding of the resale market. We identify period American and European furniture, designer pieces, and architectural antiques — and connect high-value items with the appropriate buyers, including dealers, decorators, and auction houses.

• Period furniture: American, English, French, and Continental

• Designer furniture: Knoll, Herman Miller, Dunbar, Widdicomb, and others

• Construction analysis and condition assessment

• Architectural antiques: mantels, hardware, lighting

• Oriental and antique rugs

 

Fine Art, Sculpture, and Works on Paper

Fine art in estates ranges from regional works of modest value to signed prints and original paintings of significant collector interest. We identify artists, verify signatures, and research auction records before determining the appropriate venue and pricing strategy. High-value works are referred to auction specialists when that serves the estate best.

• Artist identification and signature research

• Print attribution: original vs. reproduction, edition research

• Works on paper: drawings, watercolors, pastels

• Market research using auction record databases

• Framing and condition assessment

 

Art Glass and American Pottery

Proper attribution is everything in this category. The difference between a correctly identified Tiffany Studios lamp and an unsigned contemporary piece represents an entirely different market. We identify makers, periods, and condition grades before any pricing, and connect significant pieces with serious collectors and dealers.

• Tiffany Studios: lamp bases, shades, metalwork, and favrile glass

• Steuben and Carder-era attribution

• Rookwood, Weller, Roseville, and Ohio pottery

• Majolica: maker identification, period, and condition

• Arts & Crafts and mid-century studio glass and pottery

 

Folk Art and Americana

Folk art is a particular area of passion and expertise. Much of it is unsigned, so accurate identification demands a detailed knowledge of history, regional styles, and maker traditions. We identify age and region, and work to connect each piece to its cultural context — even when a specific maker cannot be named.

 

Vintage and Designer Clothing and Accessories

The vintage luxury apparel market has matured considerably. Authenticated, well-documented pieces from notable houses attract serious collectors and dealers. Condition, label attribution, period, and provenance all affect value materially.

• Designer identification: Chanel, Halston, Balenciaga, Pucci, Bill Blass, Valentino, and others

• Label and construction authentication

• Period attribution and dating

• Condition assessment and appropriate disclosure

• Handbags, accessories, and shoes: Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Gucci

 

Action Figures and Vintage Toys

With over 10,000 Star Wars items appraised — plus extensive experience with other action figures and collectibles — we bring specialized knowledge to this category. Condition and era are the primary drivers of value.

• Dating and assessment

• Condition assessment and disclosure

• Identification of manufacturing anomalies

• Authentication and preliminary grading assessment

• Recommendations for professional grading where warranted

• Access to collectors and specialized auction houses

 

Porcelain

From everyday dishware to rare antique German porcelain, we carefully sort and research each piece to identify items of special value.

• Maker and era identification

• Pattern identification

• Condition assessment

 

Silver and Precious Metals

Precious metal holdings are frequently misidentified or mispriced in estate sales — silver-plate mistaken for sterling, gold-filled pieces confused with solid gold, unmarked items dismissed without analysis. Accuracy here protects families and estate records.

• Sterling vs. silver-plate identification and testing

• Gold alloy karat assessment (10K, 14K, 18K, 22K, 24K)

• Maker mark and hallmark research

• Melt value calculation using live spot prices

• Flatware, hollowware, and decorative silver

• Gold-filled, vermeil, and platinum identification

 

Jewelry

Fine jewelry demands a level of expertise that most estate sale companies do not provide. A signed piece from a notable maker and an unsigned piece of similar appearance can differ by thousands of dollars. Period, metal content, stone quality, cutting style, and hallmarks all matter. We research each piece thoroughly using live auction comparables and active dealer data.

• Signed and maker-identified pieces: Cartier, Van Cleef, Tiffany, Georg Jensen, and others

• Period jewelry: Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Retro, Mid-Century

• Gemstone identification and current market pricing

• Precious metal identification and melt analysis

 

Asian Art and Decorative Arts

Asian antiques are among the most technically demanding categories in estate sales. Period attribution — distinguishing a Ming period piece from a later reproduction, or identifying the dynasty of a porcelain form — requires specialized knowledge. We bring that expertise along with an understanding of the current global collector market.

• Porcelain: period identification, reign mark research, glaze and form attribution

• Jade: nephrite vs. jadeite, carving period, quality assessment

• Bronzes: vessel forms, casting period, patina assessment

• Lacquerware: dynasty attribution, technique identification

• Hardwood furniture: period, regional style, construction method

• Snuff bottles, scholar’s objects, and decorative arts

 

Rugs

Every rug is inspected individually to ensure hand-woven pieces are accurately assessed and described.

• Country or region of origin identification

• Age and style

• Condition assessment

 

Rare Coins

Coin collections are among the most commonly undervalued assets in estate sales. What appears to be a jar of old coins can contain pieces worth hundreds — or thousands — of dollars each. We approach numismatic collections as specialists, identifying individual coins, referencing grading standards, and structuring lots to maximize recovery for the estate.

• U.S. and world coin identification by series, date, and mint mark

• Grading reference and condition assessment

• Key date identification and error coin recognition

• Precious metal content identification (gold, silver, platinum coins)

• Lot structuring by value tier

• Auction vs. private sale analysis for high-value pieces

 

Books

Many bookshelves contain a hidden gem among the bestsellers. We review books carefully and identify volumes that deserve special attention or may be candidates for auction.

 

Textiles, Crafts, and Sewing

As an ISA instructor on the subject of textiles — and an expert in embroidery and needlepoint — we bring genuine knowledge to a category that is frequently overlooked. Valuable vintage fabrics, sewing supplies, threads, and sewing machines are identified and assessed accordingly.