How can I get a painting appraised for free?

You can get a free preliminary estimate from an auction house or online appraisal service by submitting clear photos and details of the painting, but a free estimate is not the same as a formal, USPAP-compliant appraisal you can use for insurance, estate, or tax purposes.

Auction houses and some online services will look at photos of a painting, front and back, along with close-ups of any signature, label, or inscription, and give you a rough sense of value at no cost. This can be useful for a quick gut check on whether a piece is worth pursuing further. But there's a real limitation: these free estimates are usually informal sales opinions, not independent valuations. Auction houses have an incentive to estimate toward what they think will sell in their next sale, and dealers offering free pricing may also want to buy the piece themselves. Neither situation gives you a document that holds up with the IRS, an insurance carrier, or a Surrogate's Court.

If your painting is going toward an estate filing, an insurance policy, a charitable donation deduction, or a divorce settlement, you need a report prepared by a qualified appraiser, not a free estimate. That's the point where it's worth having a professional fine art appraisal done properly: our appraisers document condition, provenance, and fair market value in a report prepared in accordance with USPAP.

To get a useful quote (free or paid), have ready:

• Clear photographs of the front and back of the painting
• Close-ups of any signature, label, stamp, or inscription
• Measurements without the frame
• The artist's name and any provenance history you have

For more on how our process works and what a report includes, see our FAQ page.