Our appraisals are thorough, well researched and up-to-date.

As independent qualified appraisers with over sixty years of combined experience, specializing in 20th century fine art sales and operating a fulltime website gallery, we are well positioned to bring our clients consistent and insightful valuations from a continually evolving art market for 20th century works.

We feel it's important for art appraisers to be well acquainted with the retail gallery marketplace. It's this interrelationship that helps to bring you appraisal valuations that are up-to-date, the data presented is within a realistic value range and is as accurate as possible.

We actively operate a fulltime website gallery specializing in 20th century Canadian and American fine paintings and hand-pulled prints, along with some rare and unusual one-of-a-kind vintage artifacts.

Are the artworks in your collection fully covered by your contents insurance? Many people tend to believe that their valued artworks are covered under their general contents insurance, but this is usually incorrect. For valuable artworks, insurers require an up-to-date professional appraisal for the items that you want to be covered under your policy. Finding this out 'after the fact' can be a shocking and very expensive mistake on your part.

It's to your advantage having knowledgeable, discerning professionals with decades of direct marketing experience that can bring you information that's reliable, accurate and focused on your particular need for a fine art evaluation.

1. Contact us by email with your basic query about an art appraisal.


2. Next, you'll need to email us all relevant photos of the artwork in question.
   


3. After a pre-examination we'll then respond with a request for pre-payment of your appraisal.
   


4. Payment can then be made online by Interac eTransfer within your banking system.
   


5. Your completed appraisal will then be sent to you through an email as four PDF documents.


6. Please note that: A pre-examination of an artwork's general value is necessary, as we apply a minimum threshold value limit of $500. on any artworks submitted for appraisal. The reason being, that without a minimum value limit, the cost of an appraisal could be judged disproportionate to the value of an artwork.

1. Contact us about an appraisal for an original work of Canadian, European or American art, giving us the artist's name and a few relevant details, such as size and overall condition. You should include any notations found on the back of the painting, as they may be relevant.


2. Upon hearing back from us you'll need to take, direct straight-on high resolution photos of the work or works you want appraisals for and email us your photos. Include photos of the frame and all parts of the art work in question. Photo both the front and the back and close-ups of all notations, signatures and anything that may seem relevant, such as a label, a receipt or a known provenance. When taking photos try to avoid glare, direct sunlight and reflections and it's best to take these photos directly straight-on and squared-up in a well lit setting.


3. We'll then respond, usually within 2 business days, and at that time you'll receive an email invoice for a mandatory pre-payment of $149. Cdn, all inclusive total, for each artwork submitted for appraisal. Payment can be made through Interac eTransfer using your online banking services and just insert our email address... agsacc2@gmail.com... as the recipient.


4. Your appraisal documents will be sent to you through email attachments, usually within the next 3 to 4 business days. This email will contain four attached PDF document files, which you can then print out, as many copies as needed, from your computer on any standard printer. You can print out your PDF document attachments right from your email page or you can click the download arrow on the upper right and save these files in an automatic zip folder on your computer. Downloading the files is always recommended.


5. As a premium bonus, your appraisal comes with one cost-free annual reassessment of value. There is no charge for this option, but it is up to the client to contact us with an email request no later than two years from the original appraisal date, and simply ask for a reassessment of your earlier appraisal.
   

1. Just as real estate values have increased, so has the value of fine art. Are you aware of the recent worth of an artwork in your collection or one that's hanging on your walls? If you aren't, then how is it possible for you to place a value on such an artwork when you decide to sell it, to gift or share it or to insure it.
   
   Here's a 'case in point'. A lady that we know had a yard sale and there was an old painting that she no longer liked or had any use for and decided to sell it for $2.00 to the first person that showed an interest in it. We were then later asked by the purchaser of this $2.00 painting to appraise it. Interestingly, as it turns out, it was a small 8" x 10" landscape oil on panel painting by a well noted western Canadian painter, with a retail gallery value in the neighbourhood of $1500. CDN. If the lady having that yard sale would have known its true relative value, do you think, for one second, she would have considered selling it for $2.00? We think not.


2. Let's say a friend or relative leaves you an old painting or print created by an artist that you've never heard of, and you don’t have any idea what the value is of the item that you've inherited. Valuable art is discovered all the time; it's sometimes found in basements, attics or in a dark corner of your Aunt Betty's livingroom, and it's items like this that should not be overlooked, undervalued and certainly not tossed out.


3. Get an up-to-date art appraisal if you want full insurance coverage. You may believe that your valuable art is covered under your current contents insurance polcy. But, you're probably wrong in thinking so and you could lose many hundreds or even thousands of dollars if your artworks are stolen, damaged or destroyed. If you don’t have an up-to-date appraisal on record with your insurer for the artworks under coverage, there is virtually no way they are going to cover you for loss or damage on your personal say-so of its value.
   
   To ensure you will be properly covered and compensated, you need to have a professional appraisal document on record with your insurance provider. Artwork is something that can appreciate in value each year, so an up-to-date appraisal can support the amount of your insurance coverage and support your claim for loss or damage. It's also recommended that you reassess your appraisal information every 3 to 5 years to be fully covered.


4. You can save yourself a lot of time and surprises if you already have an up-to-date appraisal. If and when it comes time to sell your art, you will be well informed of its potential value, plus a recent appraisal can be of assistance as a good selling point. As this can often be an emotional time, you’ll be able to have all the facts at your fingertips and know exactly where you stand in terms of worth.
   
   
5. If you're looking to sell at an auction get connected with a professional appraiser who can guide you on the most appropriate auction house and a proper time frame to sell your art works. Often, an art appraiser will have good insight into where and how to dispose of your artwork or be able to offer a brokerage service for which auction house will best suit your item for sale and at what time of year.
   
   
6. An appraisal comes in handy when you are attempting to determine if an artwork is worth retaining, or if it is a good time to sell. If you need some extra money or if you need to sell something in a hurry, with an up-to-date appraisal you’ll know what to expect in terms of a financial return, depending on which venue you choose to sell through.