Appraisals
The Penn State University Libraries cannot provide appraisals or endorse commercial appraisal services. Researchers may consult library resources, such as price indexes, to estimate the approximate monetary value of works of art. Please note that this area of research is not a strength in the Libraries' collection.
To locate price indexes and related materials in The CAT, search the following keywords:
- 'prices' and [medium], e.g. prints prices
- 'sales catalog'
- 'art auctions'
- 'art as an investment'
- 'collectors and collecting'
These Web resources may also be useful in appraisal research:
- The Art Newspaper
The Art Market section of the online version of this newspaper provides information about recent art sales. - artnet.com: Research
Provides access to the Fine Art Auctions Database and the African Art Auctions Database, as well as links to appraisers and other art services. - AskART.com
Extensive information -- biographies, bibliographies, images, museum holdings and exhibits, and auction data -- on 25,000 North American artists of all periods, as well as links to museums, dealers, auction houses, and professional associations (including three appraisers' organizations) - Auction Sales Indexes
The New York Public Library provides a thorough guide, including the scope and content of auction sale indexes, price guides and catalogs. - Specialized National and Local Resources for Conservation, Appraisals, and Selling
Compiled by Jeffrey Weidman, this brief guide lists a few key resources for researching appraisals. For a more comprehensive list, see the sections on Auction Guides and Sales in Weidman's guide to Art Works' Documentation.