govtappraisal

Our service began with the need, hence requirementt for compentent appraisals for Foreign affairs (now, Global Affairs Canada) back in 1965. Going on a posting abroad (or in Canada) is stressful enough. Hence, there is nothing worse then having your items lost or damaged when going onto your next adventure in life.

We come to your residence and discuss what you have. At which point we discuss what you need appraised. This generally includes furniture, jewelry, collectibles, hand-woven carpets, paintings and other fine art.

What you will receive from our service is a written appraisal detailing the items along with the item's digital photos. The appraisal is given in terms of "Replacement Value" (click on right). Furthermore, we will provide you with a cd containing an Adobe file (read-only, PDF format). This allows you to have backup copies, which can be given to the whomever needs a copy, such as your insurance company, movers, or place of employment. Of course the official copy shall be your paper copy, as signed by us.

If you can have make a quick list, of what you believe you paid for the items, their provenance (i.e where it came from), and item counts (i.e. 12 of these item), then this will quicken the appraisal process hence save you money.

Our new service for posted Canadian government officials, whom already have had an appraisal performed by us, then you can have that appraisal updated and e-mailed to you anywhere in the world.

  For those of you who have acquired new items abroad, we will gladly add them to your previous, all you need do is follow the instructions of our On-line Evaluation Service. Make sure to inform us that these are additions to a previous appraisal, and that you are with a Canadian government agency. Also let us know whether or not you want the items on the previous appraisal updated.

  Please understand that the on-line service is really only an estimation service, designed to help you. Although it is called an evaluation, it is more of an estimation, until we have had a chance to examine it, which is to say: Our expectation is that these items will eventually be actually examined by us, after you return Ottawa and are in need of your next official appraisal, prior to you next posting. In other words, your intention must be to return to Ottawa at some point, between postings.

  We also would like any mailing information so that we can mail your a copy of your official appraisal. Preferably an Ottawa mailing address.

Some agencies have the following policy: You only need to have items appraised, which are above a certain value. Certainly, we can try to help determine the approximate value of most items when on site, however when we are on site these approximate values are only educated guesses. In so far as our approximate values are right the majority of the time, we cannot guarantee 100% accuracy.

If it turns out that the item is under that value, because we charge for time spent, we will still charge you for appraising that item, whether or not you actually want such items on your official appraisal. To us: Adhering to such predetermined values is not always particularly helpful, and should only be used as guideline at best. Once we view, list and photograph an item, you may as well include it in your inventory, no matter what its value turns out to be.

Consider, artwork. You obtain artwork from all over the globe, and in many cases one never knows its true value until we research auction records, or gallery prices. Even then the artist is not always found listed anywhere.

I.e.: A few years ago, we viewed a posted government employee's belongings and were considering whether or not to do his Japanese woodblock prints, which he inherited. Our first impression was they would be worth $500 - $650 each, however since they are artwork , one never knows, so our recommendation was just do the appraisal. After researching, the artist's auction records, these very prints turned out to be rare and highly sought after. Moreover it had sold recently at Sotheby's for approximately: 11,000 pounds sterling

Also we viewed an ambassadors collection of artwork which consisted of several paintings from Poland. As we had assumed most of the artist's paintings were selling for around $200, so if we add framing and matting you are talking about replacement values of around $600. However one of the artists from the 1960's, had his works selling for around $5,000 which was a pleasant surprise to everyone

I.e. Recently, we while doing an appraisal I was asked if a bronze state of a soldier in kilt should be done. I thought it was borderline (auction value of around $400 and hence replacement value of around $750). After looking up the artist and piece it turned out to have an auction value of over $3,000, hence we put its replacement value at $4,500

And of course we have the other side of the coin. Someone claimed to have 19th century English engine turned candlesticks, and had an appraisal out of Europe, claiming they were worth thousands. Well, they did not look English, nor 19th century, nor were they engine turned (engine turning gives a rosette etching pattern used mainly on gold watches) that reflects differently depending upon the angle of light. So when we gave what we felt was a more appropiate value, this client was seemingly upset that we included something less than a set amount on their appraisal. In hindsight, perhaps the reason the Europe appraisal was given at such an unrealistic value was that things had to be over a certain value to be appraised, and thus the appraiser made it so.

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