“Hey, you’re British, aren’t you?” I was at McHaffie’s Flea Market and know many of the vendors. One of them was asking that question. I said yes, and he asked if I knew anything about John Bull. It isn’t unusual for vendors to ask my assistance in identifying an item or, in this case, giving…
Once upon a time, in a land far far away, a young railway engineer came across a poker table. Made in the Arts & Crafts / Mission style popular at the time, of dark-stained quarter-sawn oak, its 36″ round surface had interesting blunted-diamond finials on the legs and a few surprises lurking in the compartments…
One of the questions I get asked in the line of appraising is how much something will be worth in the future. It might be a collection of artwork, an armload of knickknacks, or a suite of dining room furniture. My response is always: I don’t know. Markets are cyclical. Something I appraise today at…
Here are six reasons why realtors should consider having a personal property appraiser on their team. A well-meaning friend or relative is unlikely to have the specific suite of skills that an accredited appraiser will bring to the table. In brief: 1) An accredited appraiser can help the family decide where to begin with the…
We are all familiar with the expression, ‘One man’s trash is another man’s treasure’. It really doesn’t get any more complicated than that. People discard things, and they may be just what someone else was looking for. Over the last several months I have posted about items and experiences I have encountered as an appraiser….
The world has gone crazy. Inflation has gone screaming through the roof. Mortgage interest rates are causing people to lose sleep at night. Going by the expressions I see on the faces of others at the grocery store, I’m not the only one dreading this week’s total. Caveat Emptor. Latin for ‘let the buyer beware’….