Guide
How to appraise a vintage object
Identify before valuing. Show the comparables. Own the uncertainty. The Vintage Expert method, plainly put.
Appraising is not “finding a price”. It is establishing what the object is, then placing what it might be worth on a given market — with an explicit level of confidence.
1. Photograph in order to read
A sharp, straight-on photo, no flattering filter. Add a close-up (signature, stamp, wear, movement) if you have one. The tool does not replace opening a case or a physical examination — and it says so when that is what is needed.
2. Identify
- Type and use (seating, shop sign, clockwork toy and so on)
- Period and style (ranked hypotheses)
- Materials and visible authenticity clues
- Confidence score — and what is missing
3. Check against the market
A range is built from comparable sales: same type, similar period, comparable condition. The sales that are discarded matter as much as those kept (gold vs steel, signed vs anonymous, boxed vs unboxed).
4. Estimate — or decline
The range is reasoned, never magical. If the object cannot be identified reliably, the honest estimate is not to estimate at all. At Vintage Expert, that case is not normally charged.
What this is not
This is not a certificate of authenticity, nor a court-appointed appraisal, nor a guarantee of sale price. It is a methodological assistant — for collectors and professionals alike.
To go further: reading artist attributions · choosing where to sell.
From theory to a finished record
Three free analyses to apply the method to your own objects.