Appraising fine art and personal property since 1992
Written reports for estates, insurance, donations, and trusts.
Fine art and personal property appraisals in Texas and New Mexico
Suzanne Staley has appraised paintings, antiques, and family collections since 1992, and is qualified for every federal tax-function appraisal.
Suzanne Staley
ISA CAPP certified 1995
30+ years appraising
Written appraisals to ISA and USPAP standards for every situation that calls for one:
Estates & Probate
When a family member's collection needs to be settled, an estate or probate appraisal establishes fair market value for each piece, from paintings and silver to furniture and family heirlooms. Suzanne prepares written reports that executors, attorneys, and courts can rely on to divide or settle an estate fairly.
Insurance Coverage & Claims
Whether you are insuring a collection for the first time or filing a claim after loss or damage, an accurate appraisal protects you. Suzanne documents condition, provenance, and current replacement or fair market value so your policy reflects what your art and antiques are actually worth.
Charitable Donations
Donating art or antiques to a museum or nonprofit for a tax deduction requires an appraisal that meets IRS federal tax-function requirements. Suzanne is qualified to prepare these reports for donations of paintings, decorative arts, and collections, written to withstand IRS review.
Trusts
Establishing or settling a trust often calls for a formal valuation of the art, antiques, and personal property it holds. Suzanne's appraisals give trustees and beneficiaries a clear, defensible record of value at the time it is needed.
Divorce & Equitable Distribution
Dividing a shared collection during a divorce requires a neutral, well-documented appraisal both parties and the court can trust. Suzanne provides fair market valuations that support an equitable division of art, antiques, and personal property.
Bankruptcy & Litigation
Bankruptcy proceedings and litigation, including expert witness work, call for appraisals that can stand up to scrutiny. Suzanne documents her methodology and conclusions in full, and is available to testify to her findings when needed.
Patience, curiosity, and respect for what a piece means to its owner.
A Personal Practice, Built Since 1992
Suzanne C. Staley, ISA CAPP, is certified by the International Society of Appraisers in Fine and Decorative Art and trained in Residential Contents through the ISA ARC program.
“Clients tell me my appraisals are like memory books of their family's belongings.” — Suzanne Staley
Many clients return after ten or twenty years for a new appraisal of the same collection. Values move, insurance needs change, and a report written for one purpose rarely serves the next.
Her specialty areas include the arts of the Southwest, Italian fine and decorative arts, and pre-Columbian material, along with the antique and mid-century furniture, silver, and ceramics found in a complete residential collection. Learn more about Suzanne.
Have something you'd like appraised?
Suzanne will talk through what you have and which kind of report it calls for before any work begins.