Appraisals

Professional Quilt Appraiser

"Watching you appraise is like watching a mystery unfold."

"This is like the Antiques Roadshow, only better!"

Comments such as these are commonplace from onlookers during appraisal sessions given by Marilyn. Known by many as "The Quilt Psychic" for the history of quilts she is able to discern from hands-on examination, Marilyn has given more than 1000 quilt appraisals, both oral and written, since attending three day-long classes in quilt appraising in Paducah, Ky. A full-time appraiser since 1997, she has also studied quilt restoration, fabric identification, dating fabrics, the use of dyes, mordants, paints and inks to print fabric, and different printing techniques.

She served as the quilt appraiser for the Folsom History Museum in Folsom, CA, for three years during their annual Antique Quilt Show.

She has appraised quilts to benefit the PBS station in Redding, CA, as well as appearing as co-hostess on the air during the station's fundraising event dedicated to quilting in the North State. She has also appeared twice in that program; once speaking on antique quilts and once about quilting in Russia.

A written appraisal includes a full description of the quilt, photographing, measuring and making notations regarding anything special about the quilt, and assigning a monetary value, whether for insurance, donation, or fair market. An oral appraisal is identification of the quilt and any information gleaned from it, but no value given or recorded.

Marilyn also provides advice on the proper care of your quilt, whether antique, vintage, or contemporary. By definition, "antique" is 100 years old or older; "vintage" is 50 to 100 years old, and "contemporary" is within the last 50 years.

Wearable art and contemporary art quilts have also been thoroughly researched and studied, and Marilyn is available for appraisal services on these items as well.

Protect your valuable quilt --

get an appraisal today while you still can.

Once something happens to it, no appraisals can be given.

* * * * *

Just what IS an appraisal, anyway?

(and why should I have one?)

There are three types of appraisals:

Insurance Value

Fair Market Value

Donation Value

Insurance Value:

The majority of quilt appraisals are for insurance value. This means replacement in like and kind. Therefore, it is the replacement value of the quilt should it be lost, stolen or destroyed. If you do NOT have an insurance value appraisal on your quilt, and it is not insured by your insurance company, and it is lost, stolen or destroyed, insurance companies will only reimburse you the value of a blanket under your homeowner’s policy. ($50 or so is the going rate.) That is why it is important to have a written appraisal on your valuable quilts. Insurance companies will not insure a quilt for replacement value without a written appraisal by a qualified appraiser. Typically, the insurance companies will want a written appraisal and then can insure your quilts under a Fine Arts Rider, not under your Homeowner’s coverage. Also, if you are shipping your quilt to a show, UPS, FedEx and the Post Office need a written appraisal to insure the quilt for its true value.

When placing an insurance value on a quilt, the appraiser must take into account whether a comparable quilt could be found on the market and the price one would need to pay for it, as well as what it would cost to replace the quilt if a comparable one could not be found; i.e., the cost of materials and labor…..paying a reasonable wage to a qualified quilter to remake the quilt. Therefore, if there are lots of quilts similar to yours available on the market, the value will be less than if your quilt is one-of-a-kind, has won awards, you have a record of sales of quilts, etc.

Fair Market Value:

There are very few, if any, written Fair Market Appraisals done in today’s world. The reason for this is that Fair Market Value is what a willing buyer will pay and a willing seller will accept at a given date and time in a specific location for a specific item. Fair Market Value appraisals are only “good” under those specific conditions. For example, if you have a Fair Market Value appraisal in California, the value will not be the same in New York. Fair Market Values are regional in nature, just like real estate values.

Donation Value:

Falling in between these two is the Donation Value appraisal. It is the amount acceptable to the IRS and is used when donating a quilt to a nonprofit corporation such as a museum, etc. It is typically deductible on your tax return, under certain circumstances. Check with your accountant before relying on a donation value appraisal.