Mark Secrest Appraisals 202.718.2521 washington, dc 917.268.7477 new york
mark secrest
fmr. sr member ASA
Mark Secrest Appraisals 202.718.2521 washington, dc 917.268.7477 new york
mark secrest
fmr. sr member ASA
About Mark
Mark is an Honours graduate of the Study Centre for the History of the Fine and Decorative Arts, Victoria & Albert Museum, London England.
This academic footing launched a career which has spanned 48 years of providing undisputed appraisal reports for English, French, Continental and American art, works of art, antique furniture, silver, porcelains, Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities and all manner of residential contents.
Mark was privileged to serve the Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama White House Administrations. And was appointed by former D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty to the Board of Appraisers of the District of Columbia Licensing and Regulatory Commission.
Other clients, past & present, are foreign and domestic dignitaries as well as members of the diplomatic corps with the mainstay of clients being the citizenry.
Mark continues to act as intermediary for clients who lend, exhibit or make charitable contributions of artworks to the Phillips Collection, Smithsonian Institute, Freer Gallery of Art, Austin City Museum of Modern Art as well as state, regional and private museums across the United States.
He is an acknowledged expert in Circuit Courts, District Courts, Federal Court, Tax Court, Bankruptcy Court and his lower courts transcripts admitted in United State Court of Appeals.
Valuation Services
Mark offers a broad range of appraisal services, fair market value and replacement cost for insurance, probate, family division, non-cash charitable contribution (donations) and consultations regarding conservation and restoration.
(the best bit)
Beyond identification and an opinion of value everyone has a purpose for wanting an appraisal. Those who are unfamiliar with or infrequent users of appraisal services are often at a loss as to how best to use it to advance their purpose.
One example is those who inherit an estate and suddenly finds themselves owners of the entire contents of another home and are overwhelmed by the task of sorting it out. This requires knowledge of all the resources at one's disposal. Not to worry, Mark has decades of experience assisting with every aspect of estates, from appraisal, to selling, posterity, charitable donation to closure.
(and more)
Mark's experience and expertise extend to conservation and restoration techniques. Mark knows what has and has not and what should and should not be done to maintain art and antiques, this is reflected in the Condition section of his appraisal reports.
Valuation Services, cont.
(forthright)
Mark is fee based and neither asks for nor accepts commissions, compensations or gratuities other than the said hourly rate.
The hourly fee for Valuation Services includes an initial consultation, examination of artworks, antiques and residential contents, a formal written appraisal report, relevant sales data research and analysis and all subsequent consultations, without limit to the number (of) or time constraints until your purpose of the appraisal are satisfactorily met.
The appraisal fee is $225 per hour with a one-hour minimum after which the fee is in quarter hour increments of $56.25.
Mark offers a good faith estimate of the time required for an examination of items, estates or collections. There are no additional fees over and above the initial quoted fee, period.
Estates, collections, multiple or individual items may be examined at your residence or other location(s.) or when possible, examined remotely. The same hourly fee applies.
Please specify your purpose for an appraisal, its intended use i.e., fair market value, insurance, presale, etcetera.
NOTE: About selling. Mark cannot foretell a particular sales forums audience attendance or number of ready buyers; his role and commitment is to consistently consult with and furnish clients with reliable information of current market trends and sales platforms or other means of divestment.
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What You need to Know
Most potential clients are unaware that art and antiques appraisers are not required to be licensed. Nor are there State Certified or Accredited appraisers other than titled designations of professional appraisal organizations.
Furthermore, there is no mandated standards of professional conduct or code of ethics.
(of overriding importance)
Those, Mark included, who hold themselves out as expert appraisers are engaged in an unregulated profession. This should be an overriding concern and at the forefront for anyone considering the services of art and antiques appraisers.
One safeguard is to request a resume and a sample appraisal report. A professional appraiser should not be offended, resistant or reluctant to provide both.
Mark encourages everyone to interview and consult a number of appraisers; you should be comfortable with and reasonably confident that an appraiser is a competent expert.
Be Forwarned
A pitfall for laypersons is appraisers who may have a contemplated future interest, by way of commissions or other compensations, in a piece which is the subject of an appraisal.
The simple reason being is the possibility of bias on the part of the appraiser since there may be anticipation of future financial gain above and beyond their appraisal fee.
The duality of appraiser and dealer is evident when an appraiser gives an opinion of value, pivots and become a dealer and makes an offer or accepts an offer to buy or takes on consignment a piece at a price equal to or near their opinion of value. This is ethnically questionable scenario.
The Appraisal Process
Appraisals are narrative and should contain a number of headings, herein are several key components, Scope, defines the "boundaries" of the report, Condition, past conservation, restoration, repairs and alterations that affect a piece's marketability. Valuation Methodology identified sales data sources and the specific method(s) used to arrive at the opinion of value, The report itself, a detailed identifying descriptive inventory with individual aggregate values. Signature, the signing appraiser(s) accepts full responsibility for content, conclusions, opinions and final opinion of value.
Appraisal reports should demonstrate two material elements, Credibility, factual conclusions demonstrable throughout the entirety of the report. Competency, acknowledge by the appraiser of the Report Writing Criteria and Code of Ethics as defined by the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP.)
Of utmost importance is that an appraiser must bring the reader of their appraisal report to the same conclusions and final opinion of value as themselves.
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Contact US
Mark Secrest Appraisals serves the Washington Metropolitan Area and New York City and is pleased to offer sensible fee quotes for outside the two Metropolitan Areas.
Mark may be reached Monday thru Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm EST, Saturday with reduced hours 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and Sunday 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Closed most holidays.
for questions or immediate assistance please telephone
202.718.2521 main
917.268.7477 nyc
or
(recommend)
mark secrest appraisals
washington, dc
new york
Mark Secrest Appraisals looks forward to being of assistance to everyone who pleases to engage our valuation services.
by appointment
A+ rated accredited member of the
Better Business Bureau