Tag Archive for: Appraisal

Appraising Chinese Glass:  A Guide to Objects & Connoisseurship

This article was originally published in the Journal of Advanced Appraisal Studies in April 2019 and Susan has since updated it in May 2022

The three traditional areas of collecting in Chinese art are porcelain, jade and painting.  Decorative arts such as glass, lacquer and cloisonné have often been overlooked and underrated by collectors. Specifically, Chinese glass has suffered from this lack of attention, and more scholarly work needs to be done to increase our understanding and appreciation of its beauty and potential value.  There are two main reasons to explain this situation:  One is the dearth of archaeological evidence, i.e. actual extant early Chinese glass objects.  The other factor is the cultural reverence of jade to the detriment of the perception of glass works of art.  The focus of this article is the connoisseurship of Chinese glass and the values which certain types of objects are achieving in the current market.   

Brief History of Chinese Glass:

In ancient China, the earliest examples of glass discovered are from Zhou period tombs (c.1050-221 BC).  Many of these glass artifacts, known as “eye-beads” are in fact Western in origin.  Through maritime trade and the Silk route, glass objects from the Islamic world, India and Rome, found find their way to China.  Some eye beads were made by the Chinese in imitation of Western ones, and they can be distinguished by scientists according to the higher content of barium.  Glass objects were initially cast, and the Chinese did cast some items larger than beads in the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), including ritual bi discs.  During the Tang period (618-906 AD) glass in China was being made with both techniques of casting and blowing.  Of the handful of Tang blown glass objects offered at auction, consisting of plain bowls and cups, the average price for such items was under $5,000 USD.  Excellent examples of Tang period opaque green glass objects can be seen in the collection of the British Museum.  During the Yuan dynasty (1280-1368) and Ming dynasty (1368-1644), there are very few ‘native’ Chinese glass artifacts that exist to be studied, as the Chinese definitely seemed to prefer importing foreign painted glass during this time.  

Since jade has traditionally been revered by the Chinese as a precious material, it is not surprising that glass objects were not held in as high esteem.  Glass was likely regarded as a less expensive substitute for jade and other precious hard stones.  However, rare glass objects such as beads were probably only accessible to the wealthiest individuals.  Below is an image of a bead found at a Chinese burial site, from the Corning Museum of Glass collection:

Photo credit: Collection of the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning N.Y. (68.6.3), Height 2.6 cm; Diam. 2.90 cm.

This bead, known as the “horned eye bead,” dates to the 4th century BC.  It is composed of translucent dark blue, grey, yellow, opaque white, and pale-yellow glass, and was hot-worked by Chinese craftsmen, demonstrating a very complex design and excellent workmanship.  However, as noted in Glass Beads, “the high quality of glass bead-making exemplified in this object disappeared at the end of the Zhou dynasty, and Chinese glass beads reverted to simpler forms in the ensuing centuries.”  Such beads rarely come up for auction.  However, a similar bead was offered by Marchance Auctioneers Ltd. in 2016.  That bead is later in date, from the Warring States Period (475-221 BC).  Unfortunately, despite the scarcity of such beads and their rare appearance at auction, the bead was Bought In.  It is a cliché, but the market really is all about supply and demand, and there is not a great demand for ancient Chinese glass beads.  The estimate of $43,750-64,338 US was quite aggressive, which may have been another factor in it being unsold.

http://www.artnet.com/WebServices/picture.aspx?date=20160601&catalog=402027&gallery=425935455&lot=00313&filetype=2&maxwidth=640&maxheight=480&resize=1
Photo credit: Marchance Auctioneers Ltd.

Real efforts at glassmaking by the Chinese began in the Qing dynasty (1644-1911).  This is the type of glass known as “Peking Glass,” as it was initially made in the capital of Peking [known as Beijing today].  The fourth Qing Emperor, Kangxi (1654-1722 AD), a contemporary of France’s King Louis XIV, was responsible for encouraging new ties with the West, specifically French Jesuit missionaries.  Kangxi was open-minded about importing scientific knowledge in the areas such as astronomy, cartography and medicine, as well as the technology of glassmaking.   The establishment of the glassworks workshop in 1696 within the walls of the Forbidden City in Beijing, marked an advancement in artistic ambitions in this area.  While the Chinese were masters of bronzes, ceramics and jade artistry, glass had been long neglected.  With the arrival of the German missionary Kilian Stumpf (1655-1720) in Beijing who had a strong knowledge of kiln construction and method of creating a variety of colours, there was a dramatic improvement in the quality and quantity of glass production.  During the Qing dynasty, gold was also introduced in both porcelain glazes and glass making, with great results. 

The pinnacle of Chinese glassmaking took place in the 18th century during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1735-1796).   Below is an example of the cameo-carving technique, featuring ruby glass encasing the inner frosty white glass vase.  A master craftsman would have carved through the ruby overlay to expose the white ground to compose the battle scene- hence the name of this object known as ‘The Warrior Vase.’ 

This vase, which is part of the Corning Museum of Glass collection, is an example of technical virtuosity because of its unusually large size and elaborate decoration.  It is ‘cameo glass’ at its finest.  The neck and body serve as a canvas to depict a famous battle scene in Chinese history.   The inner white body can be described as ‘snowflake glass’ (sometimes also referred to as ‘frosted’ glass).  Notice the very high depth of the relief carving.  Depth of carving is a factor in terms of quality and value, just as it is with other Chinese decorative objects, such as those made from lacquer.  

A close up of a glass vase

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Warrior Vase with Stand. China, 1736-1795. H. 49.2 cm, D. 24 cm. Collection of The Corning Museum of Glass (57.6.10).  Gift of Benjamin D. Bernstein.
A picture containing indoor, table, cake, food

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(Detail) Warrior Vase with Stand. China, 1736-1795. H. 49.2 cm, D. 24 cm. Collection of The Corning Museum of Glass (57.6.10). Gift of Benjamin D. Bernstein.

Colour is one of the most important factors in appreciating glass.  While it comes literally in a rainbow of colours, however, egg-yolk yellow is highly valued because of its association with the Imperial family, and ruby red glass is one of the most visually impressive.  Glass makers usually copied shapes of porcelain and bronzes. 

This rich deep yellow shown below is associated with the Imperial family and has a wheel-carved four-character mark within a square of the Emperor Qianlong.  Its provenance is also solid since it was from the Ina and Sandford Gadient Collection. 

http://www.artnet.com/WebServices/picture.aspx?date=20160312&catalog=394495&gallery=171951&lot=00282&filetype=2&maxwidth=640&maxheight=480&resize=1

Carved with warrior scenes like late of the Corning Museum of Glass example, this stunning glass vase sold at Freeman’s auction in March of 2015 for $6,875 USD.
It is interesting to observe how many examples of Qing dynasty Chinese glass echo ancient times with their archaic theme and/or imitation of the colour of jade. The belt buckle, carved with swirling gui dragons, and pair of vases, both dating to the late Qing dynasty, are jade-like green in colour.  Imitation is, as the saying goes, the sincerest form of flattery:

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A picture containing indoor, table, wall, sitting

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Belt hook.  Photo Credit:  Collection of the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY. (51.6.371)
Pair of vases.  Photo Credit:  Collection of the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY, (56.6.5), Gift of Mrs. E.C. Chadbourne 

Reverse Glass Painting:

In Chinese art, reverse glass painting uniquely combines the genres of glass making, and the tradition of meirenhua (paintings of beauties).  Unlike Peking glass made in the capital in the northern part of China, this art form was predominantly painted in the southern area of China, particularly where the foreign business lived and worked, in Guangzhou.  The colours and style of export reverse glass portraits appealed very much to the European taste and fascination with Chinoiserie in the 18th and 19th centuries.  This technique is described as: “Painting a design on the backside (often the interior) of a glass vessel.  The design is viewed through the glass.  Because of this, the pigments must be applied in the reverse of normal order, beginning with the highlights and ending with the background.”


The history of reverse glass painting at the Imperial Chinese court is an extremely interesting one, and it involves another Jesuit priest, the Italian painter Guiseppe Castiglione (1688-1766).  He was frequently commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor and whose works are included in the Imperial Palace Collection.  It is believed that Castiglione painted one of Qianlong’s concubines in the technique of reverse glass painting.  In fact, most reverse glass paintings typically feature a portrait, often of a woman, and are regarded as belonging to the genre of export art.  However, in more recent years, export art has begun to be re-evaluated by the academic attention of such scholars as James Cahill.  Unfortunately, reverse glass painting has suffered from past opinions of it being “lesser” in quality and value because it is later in date.  Astutely noted in the article on the Chiswick Auctions website: “Whilst primarily an export art, its Imperial patronage, technical sophistication and Chinese aesthetics demand that it receives closer academic attention within the canon of Chinese painting art.”


Below is a fine example of two reverse glass paintings of meihuaren

http://www.artnet.com/WebServices/picture.aspx?date=20190117&catalog=471599&gallery=110889&lot=00562&filetype=2&maxwidth=640&maxheight=480&resize=1

Photo Credit: Christie’s New York

Each of the paintings depicts a seated lady of obvious wealth and status, with a vase of flowers (one of which is made from transparent glass), and is mounted in a gilt, lacquered frame.  Dating to 1775-1825, the pair was sold at Christie’s New York in January 2019 for $20,000 USD, which includes the buyer’s premium.  

These examples would be considered at the very high end of the scale of reverse glass paintings in terms of condition, quality and age.  The one below is more typical of what appraisers will see in the field: 

http://www.artnet.com/WebServices/picture.aspx?date=20181112&catalog=466587&gallery=425935821&lot=00249&filetype=2&maxwidth=640&maxheight=480&resize=1

Photo credit: Chiswick Auctions

This painting, which is filled with erotic subtext, sold for $8,037 USD (includes buyer’s premium), at Chiswick Auctions in November of 2018. Because of this new interest by scholars in reverse glass paintings, prices overall are gaining in strength along with the appreciation of it as an art form.

Snuff Bottles:

Glass was a prolific medium used in the creation of snuff bottles.  The timing of the introduction of snuff (powdered tobacco) to China by Portuguese Jesuits in the late 16th century, worked out very well with the establishment of the glass workshop in the 17th century.  Due to the humid weather in China, a container with a stopper/seal rather than the European snuff box was needed in order to keep the powder dry.  Miniature glass bottles with a stopper were the ideal solution.  Snuff was initially only used amongst members of the Imperial family and household, and the bottles were produced in the Imperial workshop for them specifically in mind.  Glass bottles proved to be a lightweight, portable luxury good also convenient for gift-giving.  As the popularity of snuff spread over the next two centuries, so too did the production of snuff bottles outside of the Imperial workshop in a myriad of materials.  

There are several types of glass snuff bottles, including monochrome, painted (outside or inside), cameo or overlay type, mottled, and imitations of other stones.  The technique of carving overlay glass (as exemplified in the ‘Warrior Vase’) was commonly used in snuff bottles of the 18th and 19th centuries.  Glass snuff bottles produced during the Qing dynasty often imitated semi-precious stones such as realgar, aventurine, and jade.

http://www.artnet.com/WebServices/picture.aspx?date=20180615&catalog=455809&gallery=424398405&lot=00041&filetype=2&maxwidth=640&maxheight=480&resize=1
Photo credit:  Galerie Zacke Vienna

The example above depicts a finely carved pink glass lotus snuff bottle, dating to the Qing dynasty (1740-1830), featuring a lotus flower with petals and stem, carved in high relief from pink glass, and having incised details of veins.  The stopper consists of green aventurine glass, 6.5 cm (2.6 in.) in height.  It had a provenance of being from a private American collection and was sold at Galerie Zacke Vienna for $6,389 USD in 2018.  This is a very solid price for a superb quality, likely Qianlong period, snuff bottle.  It reflects the lower prices being achieved in the past few years, since the generation of collectors who admired snuff bottles is passing away.  For the most part, children of the collectors in the 1970s and 80s no longer share their parents’ interest in snuff bottles, and thus there are fewer potential buyers when they come up for auction today.  However, there was a time when the sales of the Ruth and Carl Barron Collection of Fine Chinese Snuff, The J&J Collection, and the Mary and George Bloch Collection garnered incredible attention and high prices.  

Of all the glass objects in the market today, snuff bottles remain the most collectible and valuable.  Records have been set in the past for enamelled glass snuff bottles, such as the most expensive snuff bottle ever sold, a Qianlong-era creation, featuring a rare painted enamel on glass of a European woman, which achieved $HK25,300,000 ($3.2 million USD) at Bonhams Hong Kong in November 2011. 

Standing just three inches high this miniature Chinese snuff box stunned the art world as it sold for £2 million
Photo credit:  Bonhams, Hong Kong.

Nineteenth and twentieth-century interior-painted glass snuff bottles are very common for appraisers to encounter.  Most interior-painted snuff bottles can be dated to the Daoguang period (1821-50), when this technique of painting bottles became very popular, or later.  If the bottle is signed by a well-known artist, then it can often fetch a decent price of a few thousand dollars, even in today’s deflated market for snuff bottles.  For example, the inside-painted snuff bottle below sold by Bonham’s New York last year is signed by an artist for whom there are many comparables in art databases, Ye Zhongsan.

AN INSIDE PAINTED GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE Ye Zhongsan, 1926
Photo credit:  Bonham’s New York.  

Lot #216, Bonhams, New York, sale #24827, March 19, 2018.  Ye Zhongsan, 1926.  This snuff bottle, which is very finely painted, sold for US$ 2,375, including buyer’s premium.

The overall market for Chinese glass fluctuates because glass is easy to copy.  There are many fakes in the market and the Chinese have both a tradition and reputation for making excellent copies.  For this reason, as well as the overall decline in the numbers of buyers currently collecting glass items prices for Chinese glass is rather weak. Although excellent examples of glass snuff bottles can still command high prices.  In addition, there has been a historical-cultural bias in China against glass, as it was always regarded as “lesser” than jade.  Or in the case of export reverse glass paintings, “lesser” than other genres of traditional Chinese painting.  Since glassmaking reached its zenith of quality in the Qing dynasty, and it proliferated both inside and outside the Imperial court in the 19th century, it is often regarded not as worthy to collect as jades, porcelain and paintings.  The situation with Chinese glass is similar to Republican porcelain.  Values for it dramatically increased when collectors were priced out of the Qianlong period porcelain market.  So much so, that even Republican porcelains are now being faked.  A similar attitude is held towards Chinese glass objects.  The market continues to change.  In the early 1980’s they were relatively inexpensive because of low demand. However, by the end of the 1980’s the market was improving and glass objects were being sought out at auction.  Today, prices achieved at auction depends on the rarity, condition and particularly provenance of an item.  There will always be buyers for the very high end of the market. While average pieces may not sell, or sell for modest prices. 

The best strategy to hone one’s connoisseurship skills is to study collections in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the British Museum, National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan, and the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.  These museums have easy access to their collections online.  Take the time to do some research with an open mind.  Chinese glass is worthy of a serious second look by appraisers, collectors, and scholars alike in its varied forms- from ancient ritual items, vases and bowls, and reverse glass paintings to snuff bottles.  


  1. While there is no exact date of when glass was first made, it is likely to have been around the end of the third millennium BC, in Mesopotamia.  It is also interesting to note that vitreous glazes were already used on ceramics at this time.  
  2.  Tait, ed., 5000 Years of Glass, p. 141.  Scientists have examined later Chinese ‘native’ glass and noted that it has a higher lead composition than the soda-lime composition of Western glass.  In the Tang, the small glass items tended to be figures of Buddha and animals, as well as very practical, plain implements such as bowls.
  3.  P.12, Glass Beads.
  4.  Wednesday, June 1, 2016 [Lot 00313]. Bought In. A Chinese ‘Seven Eye’ Circular Mosaic Glass Bead, from the Warring States Period (475-221 BC).  Length 2.3 cm. (1 in.) Width 2.3 cm. 
  5.  P. 10, Looking at Glass, defines ‘cameo glass’ as: “Glass made of two or more layers of glass of different colours.  During manufacture, the primary layer is covered with one or more layers of contrasting colour, usually by encasing.  The outer layers are carved, cut, engraved, sandblasted or acid etched to produce a design in relief, and the primary layer serves are the background colour for the design.”
  6.  From the Corning Museum of Glass website: “The elaborate scene on this vase illustrates an episode from the legend of the Song-dynasty general Yue Fei (1103-1141). Four Song warriors fight with hammers against a single enemy, a soldier of the Jin dynasty who is armed with two spears. The fight ends in a draw, but the brave Jin soldier later learns that he is the son of a Song general who had been killed by the Jin. This moment of revelation is set in a pavilion that is shown in the background of the scene on the vase.”
  7.  March 12, 2016 [Lot 00282].  Height 7.8 in. (19.7 cm). 
  8.  P.73, Looking at Glass.
  9. Christie’s New York: Thursday, January 17, 2019 [Lot 00562], each 17 ½ x 12 ¾ in. (44. X 32.4 in.) from the sale of Chinese Export Art, Featuring the Hodroff Collection, Part IV.
  10.  Circa 1700-1799, 10.2 x 7.9 in. (26 x 20 cm.) November 12, 2018 [Lot 00249].  
  11.  Galerie Zacke Vienna, Friday June 15, 2018 [lot 00041], $5,500 Euro (Hammer)
  12.  Of rounded rectangular form, the sloping shoulders rising to a flared neck and flat lip, an oval foot ring enclosing a convex foot, the inside painted with a continuous scene of a mossy bank, with insects resting on rocks and hovering by a willow tree over a school of fish, dedicated to Lisheng, dated bingyin liuyue (1926, fifth month), and signed Ye Zhongsan with a painted seal reading yin. 2 3/8in (5.9cm) high

Bibliography:

A Chorus of Colors: Chinese Glass from Three American Collections (San Francisco: Asian Art Museum, 1995).

Byrne Curtis, Emily.  “A Plan of the Emperor’s Glassworks”, Arts Asiatiques, Vol. 56, 2001.  pp. 81-90.

https://chiswickauctions.co.uk/chinese-reverse-glass-painting, “Through the Looking Glass:  Chinese Reverse Glass Painting,” April 11, 2016.

The Corning Museum of Glass: A Guide to the Collections, The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York, 2001.

Gennett, Adrienne V. Glass Beads: Selections from The Corning Museum of Glass, New York, 2013.

Hess, Catherine.  Looking at Glass: A Guide to Terms, Style and Techniques. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, 2005.Tait, Hugh, ed., Glass:  Five Thousand Years.  New York, 1991.


Not The Antique Roadshow: Myth Busting about Appraising Art

As a professional art appraiser, I get asked the question daily: ” How much is this worth?” And while this may seem like a simple inquiry that can be answered quickly based on a visual inspection of age, artist, medium, and condition of a specific decorative or fine work of art, in fact, there are numerous factors and methodology required to answer accurately. As well as a lot of myth busting.

The Antiques Roadshow, while entertaining to watch, does not convey the complex process of appraising art or create realistic expectations of what appraisers do. It gives an almost magical illusion that experts pick numbers out of thin air to the delight of amazed owners.

Here are some of the most common myths I regularly encounter:

Myth #1

Old items are always more valuable than newer items. Just because an item is a thousand years old, doesn’t automatically translate to a high value. Buyers decide what is desirable in the market. For Example, back in the late 1970’s and 80’s, interior designers often included Tang dynasty ceramic horses (dating to the 10th century AD) in homes. Wealthy clients paid top dollar for late tri-coloured glazed horses, sometimes upwards of $30,000. In today’s market, however, because they are not currently popular, the seller would likely get significantly less. The same goes for signed works of art. Value depends on whether the artist has an established market, and factors such as subject matter, rarity and provenance. An Andy Warhol limited edition lithograph print might be”worth”m more than an older original oil painting by a lesser-known artist.

Myth #2

There is only one monetary value for an item. In fact, there can potentially be six or more different values for the same work of art depending on the purpose of the appraisal. Values typically rand from the low end for probate tax purposes to the highest for insurance replacement cost. There are more values in between, such as auction value and Fair Market Value for donation or equitable distribution in divorces. Sometimes a piece has more sentimental value than monetary value for an owner. Sadly, appraisers can’t take personal feelings into the equation when estimating value. Appraisers provide an unbiased opinion based on facts. Appraising is an art, not a science, but it has definite criteria and appraisal theory that is applied to reach accurate value conclusions.Viewers can be mislead watching a TV appraisal program when a dollar amount is announced as a value, if they don’t understand there are many ways of answering the question what a piece is ‘worth.’

Myth #3:

Image of Susan Lahey appraising a statue

Anyone can be an art appraiser. Technically any person walking down the street can offer an opinion on your work of art, but how much confidence can you have in that opinion? Guessing isn’t good enough. Qualified art appraisers belong to recognized appraisal organizations such as the International Society of Appraisers, the American Appraisers Association, or the American Society of Appraisers. Like doctors, electricians and other professionals, appraisers must meet qualification standards of formal education and experience to be a member of these organizations. He/she must pass exams, including the Uniform Standards of Appraisal Practices (USPAP) to ensure a level of competence in the art appraisal field. Professional credentials are based on testing and successful course completion. Fortunately for clients, awareness of the importance of hiring qualified appraisers is growing. The Canada Revenue Agency now suggests that individuals and institutions hire qualified appraisers, and lawyers, banks and insurance companies also recognize the expertise of professional appraisers as resources. Whether it is a Group of Seven painting or a collection of Coca-Cola memorabilia; a Qing dynasty Chinese ink and colour scroll painting or a Lalique glass vase, another consideration when hiring an appraiser is to find someone who specializes in appraising a particular type of artwork. Experts are familiar with items that are faked (items made with the intention to deceive) and specific markets. In other words, don’t ask an appraiser who is an expert in French furniture to value your Greek coins. A good appraiser wouldn’t accept an assignment outside of their field.

Myth #4

Appraisals are free. Appraisals are not free, whether they are verbal or written. Unfortunately, people expect appraisers to give information away, like on the Antiques Roadshow. Research is required, which takes time. An appraiser should charge according to the time necessary to inspect, research and prepare a report, but never according to its potential value. It’s unethical for an appraiser to charge a percentage of the value. Each individual appraiser sets her/his own rates, as there is no official standard hourly rate. A professional services agreement should be signed by both parties outlining the scope of work, fee payment and other critical information to ensure objective, satisfactory results. While we all hope our works of art are treasures just waiting to be discovered, appraising is a complex task. The next time you are watching the Antiques Roadshow, enjoy it, but remember what it is: entertainment with a splash of education. In real life, there are professional appraisers available to help guide you through the process of learning what your works of art are truly ‘worth.’


Susan Lahey, MA, ISA CAPP, is a professional art appraiser specializing in Asian art. She provides independent art research, advisory, collection management, teaching and public speaking services.

Susan writes the Art Buzz column for the East Gwillimbury’s Bulletin Magazine

Need a piece appraised? Contact Susan here

CSDA/CCAD Sundays: The Art of Appraising – What is it Worth?

About This Event

Appraisal reports are an essential component of the collection process. This talk will focus on unveiling the mystery that surrounds appraisals by presenting a variety of objects and discussing the elements that make each of them desirable. Like a detective, the appraiser uncovers the clues to value questions in order to produce accurate results. Co-presenters Susan Lahey and Julie Riches will provide tips on how to better understand the current market and share past experiences identifying unique and challenging appraisal projects.

Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions in real-time.

Date and Time

Sun, September 12, 2021

3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EDT

Location

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/csdaccad-sundays-the-art-of-appraising-what-is-it-worth-tickets-164906240003

Susan at exhibition

Biographies

Susan Lahey, MA, ISA CAPP, is President of Eastern Art Consultants Inc., specializing in Chinese works of art. She has two decades of experience providing professional appraisal services for private clients, museums, and insurance companies. Susan holds an Honours BA in Chinese Studies from the University of Toronto; an MA from the University of British Columbia; and a Post-Graduate Diploma with Distinction in Asian Art from the School of Oriental & African Studies (University of London, England)/Sotheby’s. She is a frequent speaker at conferences and her articles are published in journals and magazines. Ms. Lahey regularly teaches courses on Chinese Art Connoisseurship. Currently she is working as managing director of the Asian Art Department at AH Wilkens Auctions & Appraisals.

Julie Riches, AM ISA is principal of Riches Appraisals & Consult. Julie is a generalist appraiser, specializing in the field of decorative arts and is an Accredited Member of the International Society of Appraisers. She serves as Vice Chair to the Antiques, Furnishings & Decorative Arts Committee of the ISA. Julie is a member of the Executive Committee of ISA’s Canadian Chapter and a member of CSDA/CCAD. Julie has a broad range of knowledge backed by over a decade of experience in researching, cataloguing and valuating objects of art for several auction houses throughout Canada.

Questions to Ask When Hiring An Appraiser

What qualifies you to appraise this object?

Appraising personal property is an unregulated profession which leaves the consumer with the burden of determining whether the appraiser they engage is qualified. A qualified appraiser is knowledgeable about the object being appraised and trained in appraisal theory, the principals of valuation, ethics and law. It is advisable to request a copy of the appraiser’s credentials.

Do you belong to a professional appraisal society that tests its members and have you been tested?

The educational requirements of appraisal organizations vary and it is important to know whether the knowledge and abilities of the appraiser you are hiring have been scrutinized.

Does that organization have a written Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct?

A code of ethics and professional conduct will identify the standards of ethical behaviour subscribed to by the appraiser and should specify their commitment to accuracy, objectivity, competence and professional standards.

What precisely does your membership designation signify?

Appraisal organizations use terms like affiliate member, accredited member, senior accredited member and certified member. How these terms are defined can differ from one group to another and it is important to understand the distinctions.

Are your credentials current?

Professional appraisal organizations require appraisers to maintain their qualifications through continuing education, work experience and testing. It is critical to verify that the appraiser you hire is professionally active, competent and current. This can be done by checking the organization’s website to see if the appraiser is listed.

How long have you been doing appraisal work?

The merits of experience are difficult to overemphasize.

Can you provide references?

While professional appraisers maintain the confidentiality of their clients, they should still be able to provide you with business and personal references.

How do you charge for your services?

Charging fees based on the value of the object or fees that are contingent on a predetermined result or the occurrence of a subsequent event are unethical. Professional appraisers will charge an hourly rate, a flat rate or a fee per object.

Will your report comply with the professional standards?

The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) is a set of rules for appraisers but it is also intended for users of appraisals so that they can assess the report they commission. Professional appraisers will be committed to work to these standards.

What protocol do you employ in handling confidential information and what type of security do you have for appraisal records?

The purpose of the appraisal is to be set out by the client in consultation with the appraiser. In doing so, the client determines who is to have access to the appraisal and the information it contains. The format and mode of transmission of the final appraisal is also to be determined by the client in consultation with the appraiser.

Appraisers are required to ensure high standards of security in both the dissemination of their appraisal reports and the storage of records. In consideration of the variety of contemporary communication possible, and aware of the vulnerability of electronic communications, appraisers ensure the same high standards of security.

Compiled and prepared by my ISA colleague, Kathryn Minard, Art Advisory.com for AXA Art Insurance

 

Being An Asian Art Appraiser: Issues and Anecdotes

Being An Asian Art Appraiser: Issues and Anecdotes

Lemur monkeys and Asian art. What is the connection? Being an appraiser of Asian art means encountering the unexpected. And my “monkey experience” represents the sort of adventure which would make the appraisal profession and auction world rich material for a reality TV show.

The appraisal process often begins with a call from a client who is interested, most commonly, in knowing what his/her piece is “worth”. The word “worth” requires some explanation as I will outline later, however, determining value almost always entails a visit to the client in order to visually examine and evaluate the objects in question. It was on one such occasion many years ago while employed at an auction house, that I went to look at what was described as an assortment of exotic objects from various parts of the world acquired through travels. The home contained, among other bizarre things, an elephant skull, an African penis sheath collection, a taxidermied elk (covered in an inch of dust) in the living room, and as I was to be startled by, a pair of live lemur monkeys hopping about, with glowing yellow eyes and ringed tails. In fact, there were no familiar objects such as Chinese porcelain or Japanese prints to appraise, but to this day, that experience remains one of my most memorable.

I wish I could say that I had discovered an extraordinarily valuable Qing dynasty vase, like the ones recently appearing on the market in England, but that dream remains illusive. One such vase sold in November of 2010 at Bainbridges auction house outside of London, for the astounding record-breaking price of $85 million (includes buyer’s premium and taxes). The Qianlong vase, c.1740, was found during the routine clearing out of a bungalow belonging to a deceased senior. It is a rare reticulated double-walled vase featuring pierced archaic-inspired chilong dragons, and four reserved roundels depicting pairs of fish. Its trumpet neck of primrose yellow highlighted by a delicate Y-pattern in pink. While the happy relatives who inherited it were overwhelmed by their unexpected good fortune, imagine what might have happened to the vase if it had not been noticed by an auction employee with a good eye?

Much closer to home there is the true story of an elderly woman who in the 1980s unknowingly purchased a 17th century Qing dynasty rhinoceros horn libation cup (featuring finely carved detail of the ‘Hundred Boys’ motif) at a church yard sale of donated items here in Toronto for $1 (yes, that figure is correct, $1), which she consigned for auction at Waddington’s Auctioneers and Appraisers. Estimated at $40,000/60,000, it sold on Monday December 13, 2010 for $893,750. (Both of these auctions can be viewed on YouTube.)

That sort of experience, akin to winning the lottery, although infrequent, reinforces the lesson that individual owners need to educate themselves on their works of art. It is crucial to get an objective appraisal by a qualified professional appraiser before making decisions to donate, sell or distribute objects. Knowledge, as the cliché goes, is power, and could be of significant financial benefit as well.

What makes a good appraisal and appraiser?

Whether having Asian or other works of art appraised, the principles are the same. The selection of an appraiser is key to the quality of information received in the written appraisal. The client must consider whether this person is a member of an appraisal society which adheres to the code of ethics and practices of the Uniform Standard of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). The International Society of Appraisers and the Appraisers Association of America are such organizations. Fortunately, public awareness is growing about the standards they uphold; standards which are required to be used, for example, if applying to the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board when donating cultural property for tax credit.

A proper appraisal will follow the standard Getty Object ID format of description which includes the artist’s name/object type; title; date/period of manufacture; medium; dimensions; signatures/marks; description; provenance; condition; and very importantly, a photo of each object because an image really is worth a thousand words. The appraiser’s certification should include the statement that he/she has no undisclosed past, present or future interest in the property; the values he/she determines should not be contingent upon reporting predetermined results desired by the client; and the compensation/fees for the appraisal should never be contingent upon the value of the items, because it is unethical to charge a percentage of the overall value of the appraised items for his/her services.

The purpose of the appraisal will determine the type of value sought. Simply explained, on a scale from from high to low value, there are four typical kinds of appraisals: for insurance (which is at the top because the values are comparable to retail replacement value); for fair market (which is defined in Canada as “the highest price, expressed in terms of money, that the property would bring in an open and unrestricted market between a willing buyer and a willing seller who are knowledgeable, informed, and prudent and who are acting independently of each other”); for auction (which is an estimate range the object might sell for within that environment); and for probate (which is done for estate tax purposes).

Other factors, in addition to the most basic ones of workmanship and age, which affect the determination of value are: condition of the piece, its provenance, and current market trends. It is the trained eye of a professional appraiser who knows what to look for and how to look at an object to find hairline cracks, ‘invisible’ repairs, and aspects of a work of art which could indicate that it is a newer reproduction. The Chinese are skilled at reproducing earlier pieces, often unfortunately with the intention of deliberately deceiving the buyer for monetary gain.

Provenance is another critical factor in determining the value of a piece. Knowing where an object was purchased, and having receipts and documents to prove whose hands and collections the object has passed through, can significantly increase the value of a piece. Therefore it is important to keep receipts when acquiring objects.

Market trends are a factor beyond an owner’s control. At present, Chinese art in the auction market is on fire. This trend has lead to the dramatic increase of prices across various media (painting, jades, bronzes, ceramics) for high quality or rare pieces. For example, prices for white jade carvings, prized in Chinese culture, have increased astronomically. A recent New York Times article noted that white jade from Xinjiang province in China is now surpassing gold in value, selling for $3,000 an ounce which is a tenfold increase from a decade ago. In November of 2010, again in London, an Imperial white jade carving of a deer sold for over $6 million. The growing and volatile market for Chinese art is fuelled by many newly wealthy Mainland Chinese buyers. This kind of electric atmosphere in auction houses has lead to frenzied buying and strong prices.

As an appraiser, one of the most pleasurable aspects of the job is having the chance to handle beautiful objects, and being challenged by identifying unusual objects, rather like a detective solving a mystery. I enjoy learning new things, such as I did when appraising a Korean celadon-glazed stoneware cup with pointed base which is displayed in the permanent Korean gallery of the Royal Ontario Museum (see illustration). Its function was initially perplexing, for how could a cup of such unusual shape be used? It is in fact an “equestrian or on-horse” cup (masangbae) for a rider to drink wine from while on horseback. The green glazed stoneware cup is inlaid with sangham-coloured chrysanthemums, and dates to the 12-13th century (Goryeo dynasty), part of a collection gifted by Mrs. George G. R. Harris in 2003. The cup is also exceptional because when it was chipped on the rim, the original owner valued it so highly, he had it repaired in gilt.

In conclusion, it has been my experience that individuals have varying levels of awareness of the value of their art objects. While collectors are often knowledgeable, many surprisingly leave themselves vulnerable because they do not insure their collections; and other owners who may have acquired pieces handed down through their family may not be aware of objects’ true values and lost their stories of origin over time. Then there was the gentleman I spoke with once, who religiously watched the Antiques Roadshow, and was convinced that his early 20th century Japanese Satsuma-style vase (broken and glued) was identical to one he saw on the TV show (which was an 18th century Edo piece in pristine condition with a maker’s mark and documented provenance.) Delivering disappointing news to the owner who was hoping for a luxury holiday on the sale proceeds of his vase, required the skills of a diplomat to reduce the impact of this information. However, regardless of whether the news is pleasantly surprising or disappointing, knowing the value of one’s objects should always be viewed in a positive light.