It's hard to believe the year is almost over. But here we are, mid-December, gratefully anticipating Christmas and perhaps only dimly remembering that New Years Eve and the beginning of a new year are just a few weeks away. But it will be here before you know it. It's a natural thing to perhaps pause and reflect on what has transpired at the end of a year. We are looking, maybe, at mistakes made and the lessons that can be learned from them. And certainly, we want to remember the high points - the successes, the special memories, the milestones reached, and/or the quirky happenings. Remembering and thinking about all of these things is part of makes this time of the year special. With this in mind, here are some of engagements I had this year and the impact they had on my customers' lives.
In January, I updated my website to provide an easier way for customers to request online appraisals. This service is for those who are interested in how much their item might be worth for purposes of possible resale. I have had good success with this so far. It's a great value and quite easy - just upload your pictures and description and I can usually get back to you within two days.
In February, I took my 7-hour refresher course on the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). These standards, issued by The Appraisal Foundation, are the generally recognized ethical and performance standards for the appraisal profession in the United States. As a member of the International Society of Appraisers, I am required to adhere to these standards and must take a refresher course every two years. I know, not exactly a thrilling moment to remember, but it is important to make sure I am providing the best service to my customers.
Also in February, I appraised a collection of guitars for purposes of buying insurance. It's important to realize that your homeowners' insurance does not automatically cover items of unusual value such as antiques and collectibles. Should you suffer a loss such as fire, theft, or damage, you may not be able to recover the value of your collection. Later in the year, I appraised a collection of guns for the same purpose. These appraisals are key to making sure you and your insurer are on the same page.
In April, I was contacted by a couple dealing with the estate of the wife's recently deceased mother. As part of their estate settlement planning, they determined they needed more information about the value of various items in the estate. It was not the entire estate, but those items that were to be distributed among the heirs. Without detailed instructions from the deceased, they were left having to make decisions about who would get what. This is not uncommon. Making such decisions can be hard and having additional information can make it easier to fairly distribute items and ensure that no hidden treasures are overlooked. This kind of estate appraisal can also be useful when preparing to pay Pennsylvania's inheritance tax.
In June, I started a new venture - I launched a podcast! I'm calling it Collecting Objects for now and it's about collectors, collections, and those who are connected in some way (think antique dealers, auctioneers, etc). Sadly, I have only managed to get two episodes out so far, but I hope to pick up the pace in 2025. If you have any suggestions for who I should interview, let me know at jstearns@penroseappraisals.com. You can listen to episodes here.
Summer was apparently the season for trying something new as I did my first public presentation aboit appraising to residents at the Parkside at Westminster senior living facility in Erie. I followed that up later with a visit to the Asbury Springhill facility (also in Erie), where I gave a short talk amd then treated my audience to a brief "Antiques Roadshow" - style presentation, giving fair market value appraisals for objects that they had brought in. This was a lot of fun for everyone and I look forward to doing more in the future. If you'd like me to do an "Antiques Roadshow" for your organization in NW Pennsylvania, let me know!
I was delighted to begin a relationship with the Crawford County Historical Society in July whereby I will be donating my time by appraising the furnishings in their house museum, the Baldwin Reynolds mansion. The home is packed with a wide range of Victorian furniture and decorative arts making it a great place in which to work. You can find out more at http://baldwinreynolds.org.
In the Fall, I attended the Allentown Paper Show, a large event featuring antique advertising, books, comic books, and other emphemera. It's always fun to do this kind of market research! I found a vendor practically giving away vintage sports pennants and couldn't resist vintage Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers ones!
Other clients served during the year included a party to a divorce settlement case, a business owner seeking to donate a WWII-era model ship to a museum, and several more clients asking for internet appraisals. I did also manage one estate sale this year - a home in Erie being readied for sale after my client's mother passed away. She (my client) was just about ready to either dispose or donate everything but we had a good two-day sale and I found a few treasures along the way while preparing for the sale.
Well, that's a wrap on 2024. I'm looking forward to seeing what 2025 brings! All the best to you and yours in the coming new year.
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