Tag: auction

Antiques and Auctions

Syl-Lee Antiques - 19th Century French Glass

…Adam: If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that the unfolding of life events can be utterly unpredictable. Even the best-laid plans for our personal well-being, for that of our families, and for our finances can abruptly, and dramatically, be altered almost overnight.  In the most stable of times, the management of our personal estates, or those of our parents, grandparents, or other loved ones, can appear intimidating, mysterious, and overwhelming.  In times of greater uncertainty, all of those feelings can be even more intense.  This is especially true when — as is often the case — estate issues arise because of unexpected life transitions or illness.  The good news is that understanding in advance the process of dealing with potentially valuable estate items, in particular antiques, can take a lot of the pressure off of managing an estate.  It can also put the estate owner or their heirs in the best possible position to see the financial benefits that can come with the successful liquidation of physical items in an estate, such as furniture, jewelry, and art.

Super Exciting Work

Earlier this week my friend Adam Zimmerman of Syl-Lee Antiques put me in touch with a mutual contact that is a leader in the art auction world. I was in East Meadow at World Auction Gallery where I was hired to take photos to help authenticate a large painting that was recently found in a warehouse in New York City.

Even though the piece was signed by the artist, World Auction Gallery partner Ben Nejat is having the piece authenticated so his client can get the maximum value of the sale, and the buyer has 100 percent confidence that the painting is indeed an original.

I was thrilled to be in front of an unknown work of a popular artist. I am honored to be entrusted with a critical, but by no means final step of the authenticity certification process. After finding the art, photographs are the next step. Details need to be captured as accurately as possible as they are vital for authentication.