While assessing an estate, I was asked to look at a table laden with costume jewelry to be donated or disposed of. I found a $10,000 Art Deco emerald and gold ring, a pearl and ruby bracelet, and its matching ring on the other side of the table. The daughter handling the estate was thrilled to keep the emerald ring for herself, which she tried on, and it fit perfectly. She planned to give the bracelet and ring set to her granddaughter…
When I worked with JWalter Thompson Company, I was also asked to inspect items in a Maspeth warehouse, where I found wonderful sculptural panels by artist George Michaels, which had clad columns on the executive floor. When I reported to the accounting office, I was told to just throw them out. Through my research however, I found a non profit that would accept them and display them, so the company benefited tax wise, from the $250,000 appraised value. The chairman was happy…
A client showed me two works of art that were in a drawer, not installed on her walls. One was a painting by George Condo and the other a drawing by the same artist…Sold for $65,000 which helped her start her business…
I was called in to help resurrect a deceased artist’s reputation by his daughter-in-law. While there, the client casually took a work of art from its drawer…a 3×5” o/c by Jean Michel Basquiat. This post card sized painting, resulted in $180,000 for my client, which at the time, changed her life.