Collectors, family trusts, and fiduciaries hold works whose value may have changed significantly since acquisition. A collection planning appraisal provides current valuation to inform decisions about whether to hold, sell, donate, or redistribute holdings—whether for a single significant work or across a broader collection.

These engagements are driven by the needs of living collectors and active trusts rather than by tax filing deadlines or insurance requirements. A trustee evaluating disposition options for a major work, a collector considering a sale at auction, a family office assessing the current composition of holdings, or a buyer seeking independent valuation before committing to a significant acquisition—each requires valuation grounded in current market conditions to make informed decisions.

We provide collection planning appraisals for private collectors, family trusts, and fiduciaries who need to understand value in the context of a decision. This includes pre-acquisition valuations for collectors considering purchases at the highest levels of the market, where independent assessment of asking price against comparable data and current market conditions is essential before committing capital. Reports are prepared to the same USPAP-compliant standard as our tax and insurance work, ensuring that the valuation is defensible should it subsequently be relied upon for a transaction, donation, or estate planning purpose. We function as an independent valuation resource within the client's broader advisory team, working alongside art advisors, dealers, attorneys, and financial planners. Our role is to provide the market intelligence and valuation analysis that informs decisions, not to broker transactions. This independence is central to the value of the engagement.

Some collection planning engagements are one-time assignments—a single work requiring valuation before a purchase or disposition decision. Others develop into ongoing relationships where we provide valuation perspective as collecting activity and planning needs require. The scope reflects the client's circumstances and is structured accordingly.