2. Do appraisers charge for their services?Yes. Like other professionals, appraisers charge a fee for appraising items. Most appraisers charge by the hour or by the item. Beware of anyone whose fee is based on a contingency or upon a percentage of the appraised value of the items appraised, as these practices are clearly conflicts of interests and may result in biased values.

3. If I have items I want to sell, will the appraiser offer to buy them after he/she has appraised them for me?An appraiser should be an unbiased professional who has no interests in the property being appraised, as such an interest could influence value conclusions. It would be unethical for an appraiser to buy items which he/she has appraised for you and certainly would not be in your best interest.

4. Can I have an item appraised from a photograph?Most credentialed appraisers will not appraise an item from a photograph, except in rare cases when the item has been destroyed, stolen or is no longer available for inspection. In these situations, a hypothetical appraisal can be done. A professional appraiser will want to personally examine an object for clues about age, origin, condition, size and other factors which help determine value. Such information is often not obtainable from a photograph. Similarly, be wary of online appraisals. While such appraisals may be done very inexpensively, they are not always accurate due to the limited amount of information that can be obtained from a digital image.

5. Will the appraiser tell me the value of my items immediately?A professional appraisal is a written report signed by the appraiser and requires market and value analysis and research, elements lacking in a verbal approximation of value. The process will generally take from several days to several months to complete depending upon how many items are being appraised and how much research is necessary. If you do not require a written appraisal document, in some cases an appraiser will work as appraisal consultant and give you verbal approximation of value while they are examining the objects. It is important for you to understand that such values are only estimates based on the knowledge and experience of the appraiser. Unlike written appraisals, verbal approximations of value will not stand up in court and are seldom accepted by insurance companies.

6. What kind of report will I get when I have an item appraised? Szescila Appraisal Service provides written appraisals which contain detailed information identifying each object, such as what the item is, what is it made of, its age, condition and area of origin, as well as any known provenance. The appropriate type of value for the clientÕs needs is included after its description. A cover letter and professional profile are always included in the report, and a value summary page, table of contents, glossary and other documentation may be included. Numbered photographs of each item are included in the addendum of the report for easy identification. All reports are bound in book form, unless the client requests otherwise. Click on the objects on the home page to view typical examples of appraisal descriptions and values.

7. What types of items does Szescila Appraisal Service appraise?Fine Arts, furniture, ceramics, silver, glass, collectibles, textiles, and other residential contents.