How much does it cost to get your artwork appraised?

Fees are always quoted as a fixed, scope-based amount confirmed before work begins, never a percentage of your artwork's value or a guessed flat rate off a price list.

That's because cost depends on what the appraisal actually requires, not a simple per-piece number. A single painting with clear photos, a known artist, and straightforward provenance takes far less research time than a work needing condition review, market comparables, or provenance investigation. The intended use matters too: an insurance scheduling appraisal may require different documentation than one prepared for an estate tax filing (IRS Form 706) or a charitable donation deduction (IRS Form 8283). Larger collections are typically scoped per item, since cataloging, photographing, and researching ten pieces takes proportionally more time than one.

What drives the fee

• Number of pieces: a single item costs less to appraise than a full collection requiring cataloging and per-piece research.
• Research depth: works with unclear attribution, missing provenance, or limited market comparables require more time than well-documented pieces.
• Intended use: estate and probate filings, insurance coverage, charitable donation deductions, and divorce proceedings each call for a report format suited to that purpose.
• Access: an on-site visit to a home, loft, or gallery is scoped differently than a remote review of a well-photographed piece.

Because scope varies so much from one collection to the next, we quote a fixed fee after learning what you have and why you need the appraisal. To get an accurate number for your artwork, request an appraisal with clear photos of the piece, the artist name, medium, and dimensions, along with any provenance documents you already have. We'll confirm the fee and timeline before any work begins.