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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.
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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.


Libraries That Inspire – Around the World and In Our Own Backyard

 Susan is a proud advocate for libraries.  She served on the Town of EG’s Library Board for two years (2017-2019) and has been a Friend of the EG Library since 2016.  

I dream about libraries and books. Heaven for me is curling up by a cozy fireplace, drinking hot chocolate and reading a book. Places, where books are stored, read, or sold, are inspiring spaces for writers and readers alike. Did you know that renowned author J.K. Rowling was inspired by one of the most beautiful books stores in the world, the enchanting Livraria Lello bookshop in Porto, Portugal, where she lived for two years? Its winding staircase, wood panelling and stained-glass skylight designed in the Gothic Revival style are distinctly reminiscent of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts.

Libraries are some of my favourite spaces in any community, especially here in East Gwillimbury, where we are fortunate to have two branches – one in Mount Albert and the other in Holland Landing. In January, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with the Chair of the EG Library Board, Diana Robichaud, and one of the Board’s longest-serving volunteers of more than a decade, Lynda Young, to ask them to share their favourite library memories. For Diana, her favourite library is the Holland Landing branch because it was one of her family’s first stops in the new neighbourhood when they moved here: “We would walk to it often, visit the park. Use the parking lot for my daughter to practice her bike. I’ve attended the grand opening of the new playground, the splash pad. We’ve had picnics in the grass after checking out books to read. It helped us become part of the community, so when asked if I would consider volunteering, that was an easy answer.” She finds amazing e-books on Hoopla and takes shorts courses that help broaden her knowledge on LinkedIn Learning which are all available through the digital branch.

The Holland Landing branch also serves the community in another special way as home to the monthly Food Pantry, so if anyone needs a hand up, they are welcome to attend, typically on the last Saturday of the month. Right now, Diana is enjoying reading ‘Winter Wives,’ the book featured last month by the Friends of the East Gwillimbury Library in their author series which they hosted virtually. It is a thrilling new psychological drama from Canadian journalist and Scotiabank Giller Prize winner Linden MacIntyre.

Lynda’s favourite library is the Mount Albert branch, also because of special memories created when she moved here more than 39 years ago. At that time, the library wasn’t located on Centre St. in the Ross Family Complex. It was in fact on Main Street, beside where the Duca bank is now, “the smallest library you could imagine.” She can remember, “My kids loved watching the librarian stamp their card and then put it in the pocket of the book jacket. My son Matthew asked what it was for, and I told him that it showed the date of when the book had to be returned, but for two weeks it was his book. Then when he brought it back it would be another little boy or girl. He thought that was wonderful.” It’s treasured moments such as Lynda’s that make libraries so meaningful. Diana Gabaldon’s, ‘Go Tell the Bees I Am Gone,’ the ninth book in the ‘Outlander’ series (for those of you familiar with her writing, you will know this is a serious time investment to read at 928 pages), is the book that Lynda is currently relishing.

Exciting news: The final phase of the Mount Albert branch renovation was just completed. With the support of Council and Municipal staff, two new study rooms have been installed which provide the community with more places to meet and collaborate. The spaces will be open as Covid restrictions permit and residents can reserve them up to a week in advance.

Diana Robichaud, Chair of the EG Library Board, notes that especially during Covid, “As more of our community works from home, owns small businesses and needs somewhere to meet people or a quiet place to work, the two new study rooms add value to our communities. Reliable Internet is still a struggle for many and kids and adults attending school and having somewhere to go that has a quiet space and strong Internet close to home is a real advantage.” Library programming is varied and entertaining, including virtual trivia and escape rooms. And I’ve saved the best news to last: There is a third library coming to EG as part of the Health and Active Living Plaza development in Queensville that will be the jewel in the crown of local library resources. Literally, check them out! Create memories! Be inspired! Dive into the magical world of books. I know you will be greeted warmly by the friendly library staff. For more information on their hours and services, visit HERE


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

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

First Educational Talk of 2022: Canadian Society of Decorative Arts

I am excited to also announce my first educational talk of 2022 will be for the Canadian Society of Decorative Arts.  The CSDA/CCAD is a charitable foundation that encourages the exploration and cultivation of the decorative arts in all its forms.  The CSDA defines decorative arts, “As creative works, often of a practical or useful nature, produced by an artist, craftsman or amateur, which have intrinsic aesthetic and/or historical value. These arts include interior design, furniture and furnishings, ceramics, glass, metalwork, graphics, textiles, theatre arts, together with aspects of architecture, industrial and landscape design.”   

 
The topic I will be discussing is as part of the CSDA/CCAD Sundays:  Expert Series on April 3, 2022 at 3PM EDT

Topic:
Chinese Porcelain in Canada in the 18th & 19th Centuries:  Featuring Examples in Nova Scotia & Quebec Collections

Did you know there are more than 69,000 fragments of Chinese blue and white porcelain in the archaeological collection of Nova Scotia’s Fortress of Louisbourg?  Or that Chinese famille rose porcelains were imported to Canada from the famous Imperial kilns of Jingdezhen?  Join Asian art expert Susan Lahey, MA, ISA CAPP, for a visually engaging presentation exploring Chinese porcelain in museum collections from Quebec and Nova Scotia.  Not only will she examine the history of when and how these pieces arrived in Canada, but also provide a brief background on the development of blue and white in China.  The significance of these porcelain wares and the symbolism of decoration depicted on them will be discussed in a way that is entertaining to a broad audience of both Western and Chinese porcelain connoisseurs alike.

You can Register for the Canadian Society of Decorative Arts Event HERE

Read Susan’s Presidential announcement HERE

Chinese Art Connoisseur Short Course: Listening to the Object

What is a Connoisseur?

Connoisseur [kon-uh-sur, soor]

A person who is especially competent to pass critical judgments in an art, particularly one of the fine arts, or in matters of taste.  1. A discerning judge of the best in any field.

How do I sign up for the course?

Registration link:  https://www.isa-appraisers.org/courses/course/397

What will I learn in this course?

In collaboration with Toronto auction house A.H. Wilkens, Susan Lahey, MA, ISA CAPP, specialist in Asian art, will present a three half-day virtual online course providing knowledge essential to the connoisseurship of Chinese art.  It will focus on the traditional collecting areas of ceramics, jades and paintings, and provide familiarity with a wide range of decorative arts such as ivories, cloisonné, bronzes and snuff bottles.  A critical awareness of materials, techniques and themes will be developed, as well as an understanding of the key challenges specific to appraising Chinese works of art.  Susan will demonstrate strategies to hone observation skills through the examination of objects available at Wilkens.  The goal is for online participants to increase their ability to identify, analyze and compare examples of good, better and best works of art, including fakes. The current market for Chinese art and global history of collecting will also be discussed.

This course will take place from 12:00-5:00pm ET on June 24, 25 & 26, 2021. 

Students are expected to be present online for the entirety of the course. 

Join Susan at Assets 2016

Susan is proud to participate in Assets, the International Society of Appraiser’s 2016 annual conference to be held in Dallas – Fort Worth, Texas from April 15-18. Join Susan as she discusses the unique challenges of appraising international art in today’s changing global market during a joint FA and ARC session on Sunday April 17. For more information or to register for the event, click here.

Susan will also be teaching a course on Chinese ceramics,Asian Arts III: Foundation Course in Asian Ceramics for Appraisers, through the ISA’s educational program in San Francisco. To learn more about this course and other educational courses, visit Art Education.