How does online antique appraisal work?

Upload photos, dimensions, marks and provenance. A certified appraiser researches comparables and sends a PDF report within 48 hours.

What can you appraise?

Furniture, porcelain, paintings, clocks, watches, silver, bronze, glass, coins, stamps, toys, militaria and mid-century design.

Is the appraisal valid for insurance?

Yes, our USPAP-compliant reports are accepted for insurance, estate, donation and resale purposes.

How much is my antique worth?

Value depends on authenticity, rarity, condition, provenance and current auction market. Most appraisals range from $25 to $15,000+ per item.

Live • 14 appraisers online now

What is your antique really worth?

Ask Antique Expert identifies, authenticates and values your treasures — from Ming vases to mid-century chairs — with certified reports in 48 hours. Trusted by 84,000+ collectors, estates & dealers.

✦ Appraise My Item — $29 Our Story ↓

★★★★★ 4.9/5 from 6,200+ reviews
Sotheby's • Christie's • Heritage alumni

Antique gallery with paintings and vases

“Every object has a past. We uncover it.”

— ELEANOR VANCE, HEAD APPRAISER

Qing Vase — $12,400✓ Authenticated in 31h

Rolex 1948 — $8,900✓ Valuation + insurance

🔍 2,431 items appraised this monthSee pricing →

PORCELAIN ✦FURNITURE ✦OIL PAINTINGS ✦CLOCKS ✦SILVER ✦COINS ✦BRONZE ✦MID-CENTURY ✦PORCELAIN ✦FURNITURE ✦OIL PAINTINGS ✦CLOCKS ✦

01 — About the atelier

Two decades decoding history in objects

AskAntiqueExpert.com began in 2008 as a tiny Boston appraisal desk. Today we are a global collective of 30+ certified appraisers, art historians and former auction specialists. We blend connoisseurship with auction data science — 4.2M realized prices analyzed.

✓USPAP-compliant reports accepted by insurers, courts, IRS and estate executors across the US, UK and EU.

✓Museum-grade research: hallmarks, maker's marks, provenance chains, UV & wood analysis guidance.

✓No guesswork: every valuation cites 3–7 comparable auction results with photos and lot numbers.

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Meet Experts How it works

02 — What we appraise

From attic finds to auction stars

Upload 3–5 photos. We handle the detective work: age, origin, maker, authenticity, rarity and fair market value.

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01 / PORCELAIN

Ceramics & Porcelain

Meissen, Sèvres, Wedgwood, Chinese export, Majolica. Marks, glaze, paste and firing analysis. Fake vs. period identification.

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02 / FURNITURE

Furniture & Design

Chippendale to Eames. Joinery, timber, patina, dovetails. Restoration impact on value and dating to ±10 years.

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03 / ART

Paintings & Prints

Oils, watercolours, etchings, lithographs. Signature verification, school attribution, condition and auction potential.

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04 / TIME

Clocks & Watches

Longcase, carriage, Rolex, Patek, Omega. Movement calibre, dial originality, service history and collector demand.

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05 / METAL

Silver, Bronze & Glass

Hallmarks decoded (London, Paris, St. Petersburg), Tiffany, Fabergé style, Murano, Lalique. Weight, purity, maker.

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06 / RARE

Coins, Toys & Militaria

Rare coins, stamps, tin toys, medals, swords. Grading, rarity census, provenance and best sales channel advice.

03 — Simple as 1-2-3-4

Appraisal in 48 hours

STEP 01

Snap & Send

Front, back, marks, dimensions + any family story. Takes 4 minutes via our form.

STEP 02

Expert Match

AI routes to the right specialist — e.g. 18th-c. French porcelain goes to Paris desk.

STEP 03

Deep Research

Comparables from Sotheby's, Christie's, Heritage + private sales. Authenticity checks.

STEP 04

PDF Report

Value range, history, care tips, sell-or-keep strategy. Insurance-ready if needed.

Free pre-screening

Not sure it's worth $29? Send one photo — we tell you free if it merits full appraisal.

Try free →

Estate & downsizing?

Whole-house lots, 50–500 items. Flat fee, on-site video call, auction placement.

Book estate call →

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04 — Recent identifications

Cabinet of curiosities

A peek at items our experts authenticated this month. Yours could be next.

Blue porcelain vase — **Qianlong Vase — $12,400**Chinese export, c.1790

Leather armchair antique — **Chesterfield 1890 — $3,200**English leather library chair

Gilded frames — **Barbizon Oil — $7,800**Signed, Fontainebleau school

Antique clock mechanism — **Bracket Clock — $4,150**George III, working

Antique desk — **Bureau Plat — $5,600**Louis XV style, rosewood

Antique bedroom — **Victorian Suite — $9,300**Walnut, full bedroom set

Vintage watch — **Omega 1962 — $2,750**Seamaster, original dial

Rare books — **First Editions — $6,100**Dickens lot, 12 vols

05 — The minds

Meet your appraisers

Eleanor Vance

Porcelain & Ceramics

Ex-Christie's, 22 yrs. Meissen & Asian export.

James Whitmore

Furniture & Wood

Cabinetmaker turned appraiser. 18th-c. English.

Sofia Marchetti

Paintings & Prints

Florence Academy. Old Masters & Impressionists.

David Chen

Clocks & Watches

Horologist, NAWCC. Swiss & English movements.

“They spotted a fake Meissen mark I’d missed for 20 years — and found a real 1740 Chelsea plate in the same box worth $4k. Worth every penny.”

Margaret H. — Estate seller, Charleston ★★★★★

✔ USPAP Certified✔ 4.9 TrustScore✔ Insurer Approved

06 — Honest pricing

One fee. No surprises.

SINGLE ITEM
$29

Verbal + market range

1 item, 48h delivery
Age, maker, authenticity
Auction comparables (3+)
Sell / keep advice

Choose Single

Everything collectors ask us

Still curious? Write to us — a human (not a bot) replies within hours.

How does online appraisal work? +

Upload photos, sizes, marks and history via the form below. Your expert researches auction records and emails a report in 48h (24h rush available).

What photos do you need? +

Overall front/back, close-up of signatures, hallmarks, damage, plus underside/interior. Natural daylight, no flash. 3–5 sharp images are ideal.

Can you tell if my antique is fake? +

Yes — 31% of submissions are reproductions. We explain why: wrong paste, modern screws, laser marks, decal vs hand-paint, etc., with reference images.

Is the report valid for insurance? +

Our $79 Certified tier is USPAP-compliant and accepted by major insurers, courts and the IRS for donations over $5,000.

Where should I sell? +

We recommend the best channel per item: Heritage for coins, 1stDibs for design, local auction for bulky furniture, eBay for $50–300 curios. No commission taken.

08 — Journal & Guides

Antique intelligence

Marks decoded, fakes exposed, auction trends. Written by our appraisers, updated weekly.

Guide•Oct 2026

How to Read Porcelain Marks: Meissen to Made in China

Crossed swords, underglaze blue, impressed numbers — what they really mean and 7 red flags of fakes…

Coming soon →

Market•Oct 2026

Mid-Century Furniture Values 2026: What Sells High?

Eames, G-Plan, Danish teak — auction data shows which pieces doubled and which cooled…

Coming soon →

How-to•Oct 2026

Silver Hallmarks Decoded in 5 Minutes

Lion passant, date letters, pseudo-Russian marks — photograph and identify like a pro…

Coming soon →

09 — Ask now

Get your appraisal today

Free pre-screening. No obligation. Average reply: 3h 42m.

Show us what you found

Attic, flea market, grandma's sideboard — send it. If it's treasure, we'll prove it.

📸Photos + dimensions
Front, back, marks, size in cm/in

📜Provenance helps
Receipts, family stories, old labels

🔒Private & secure
Never published without permission