We once had an appraiser who offered to do appraisals gratis if the item was
donated to a museum. He just asked that the former owner bring in the deed
of gift form as proof of the donation. He sometimes asked the museum for a
copy of a condition report, which we gave since its a public document. It
would be better if the museum had nothing to do with the appraisal, but we
also can't withhold public records. Since the condition report was made for
our routine purposes, rather than specifically for the appraisal, it would
be hard to show that the museum conspired to pump up the value.

Some appraisers seem to be comfortable using photographs if they don't have
direct access to the object, but I've never heard of an appraiser basing
their findings purely on written records without seeing the object or
photos.

Steve Henrikson

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of David Harvey
Sent: Friday, December 10, 2004 9:03 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Strange interaction with appraiser


This reminds me of a situation I ran into in which I had received an object
for conservation treatment and after sending the client the proposal they
were insisting on knowing the monetary value of thier piece. The object had
been on loan to a musuem for an exhibition and had gotten water damaged. I
explained to them that professional conservators do do appraisals and I
refered them to the ASA (American Society of Appraisers) and I awaited to be
contacted by the appraiser to schedule time for them to come by and examine
the object. They never called nor came by - but instead wrote the appraisal
primarily using my condition report and auction catalogs. The client was
terribly upset when they heard this because the appraisers report read as if
they had personally examined the object - but also they were probably more
upset when the appraisal came in far below the insured value that the museum
had placed on the object on loan.

This whole episode struck me as being ethically shady at best.

On the other hand I have worked with appraisers in other situations in which
there was a very fruitful dialogue of the conservator and the appraiser in
examining the object together.

I would think that a museum would not want to hand out copies of their
official records or correspondance in regards to objects that are part of an
appraisal (as in this situation) since that information could be drawn into
any dispute about the conduct of the appraisal or its results.

Cheers!
Dave

David Harvey
Conservator
Los Angeles, California

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