USPAP-compliant appraisals by best-in-class appraisers
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Joe Kattan
Anne Hay, ISA AM
Jason Dolph, CAGA
Ashley Innes, ISA AM
Aron Blue
About AppraiseItNow's Antique Furniture Appraisal Services
AppraiseItNow provides professional antique furniture appraisals for estate tax reporting, charitable donation filings (IRS Form 8283), insurance coverage and claims, divorce proceedings, and probate. Our appraisers evaluate period pieces, decorative furniture, and historically significant furnishings with the depth of research and documentation required by the IRS, insurance carriers, and courts. Antique furniture appraisals are a specialized subset of professional personal property valuations, and our team applies the same rigorous standards to a single heirloom piece as to a full estate collection. Our mission is to deliver defensible, USPAP-compliant valuations with exceptional speed, professionalism, and client service.
Our appraisers serve individual collectors, families managing estates, attorneys handling probate or litigation, CPAs preparing tax filings, and auction houses or dealers requiring independent valuations. Many antique furniture appraisals can be completed remotely using detailed photographs and provenance documentation, though onsite inspections are coordinated when the collection size, condition complexity, or intended use requires physical examination. We offer Fair Market Value (FMV), Replacement Value, and Actual Cash Value (ACV) appraisals for various intended uses.
What Types of Antique Furniture Do We Appraise?
AppraiseItNow appraises antique and period furniture across a wide range of styles, origins, and centuries. Our appraisers are equipped to evaluate:
- American Colonial and Federal period furniture
- Victorian and Edwardian case pieces, chairs, and tables
- Arts and Crafts and Mission-style furniture
- French and Continental European period furniture, including Louis XV and Louis XVI styles
- English Georgian and Regency furniture
- Asian antique furniture, including Chinese and Japanese lacquered pieces
- Shaker furniture and early American country pieces
- Renaissance Revival and Baroque furniture
- Mid-century antiques transitioning into collectible status (pre-1970 pieces)
- Painted, gilded, and marquetry-inlaid decorative furniture
Who Does AppraiseItNow Serve?
AppraiseItNow serves individual collectors, families settling estates, and dealers seeking independent valuations, as well as attorneys, CPAs, and estate planning professionals who require credentialed appraisal reports for legal or tax purposes.
How much does an Antique Furniture appraisal cost?
Appraisal Type
Standard Fee Range
Pricing By Volume
What Drives Cost?
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How our Valuation Process Works
Written USPAP-compliant personal property appraisals for when defensibility matters.
Given the USPAP-compliant nature of AppraiseItNow’s appraisal reports, we prepare our deliverables for major legal, tax, and financial reporting purposes for individual and commercial clients.
Popular uses of our appraisal reports include:
Taxes, Estates & Financial Planning
- Gift Tax - IRS Form 709
- Estate Tax - IRS Form 706
- Charitable Donations - IRS Form 8283
- Estate planning, equitable distribution, and probate
- Loan Purposes
Life Events & Special Circumstances
- Divorce
- Social Security reporting or Medicaid Application Filings
- E-2 visa applications
Insurance & Risk Management
- Insurance coverage
- Insurance claims
- Third-party & legal damage claims
What types of antique furniture does AppraiseItNow appraise?
AppraiseItNow appraises antique furniture across all periods, styles, and origins. This includes pieces such as:
- American Federal, Chippendale, and Queen Anne furniture
- Victorian, Arts and Crafts, and Art Nouveau pieces
- European Baroque, Rococo, and Biedermeier furniture
- Mid-century modern and early 20th-century decorative furniture
- Asian antique furniture and lacquerwork
- Individual statement pieces as well as full estate collections
Are your antique furniture appraisals USPAP-compliant?
Yes. All antique furniture appraisals prepared by AppraiseItNow comply with USPAP Standards 7 and 8, which govern the development and reporting of personal property appraisals. Our reports include detailed descriptions, photographs, methodology explanations, market comparables, and signed certifications, meeting the documentation requirements of the IRS, insurers, and courts.
What are common reasons someone needs an antique furniture appraisal?
There are several situations that call for a professional antique furniture appraisal:
- Insurance coverage to document replacement value against damage, theft, or loss
- Estate settlement and probate to establish fair market value for asset distribution
- Charitable donations, where the IRS requires a qualified appraisal for contributions with a fair market value over $5,000
- Estate tax reporting on IRS Form 706 for larger estates
- Divorce proceedings requiring independent valuation of marital assets
- Buying or selling decisions where an independent opinion of value is needed
Can you appraise antique furniture in poor condition, with unknown provenance, or with limited documentation?
Yes. Appraisers assess antique furniture based on what is observable and verifiable, including construction techniques, materials, hardware, patina, and wear patterns, even when documentation is limited. Unknown provenance does affect value, since a documented ownership history from a notable estate can significantly increase what a piece commands at auction, but its absence does not prevent a credible appraisal. Our appraisers will note any limitations in the report and apply appropriate methodology given the available evidence.
Can you appraise large collections or multiple pieces of antique furniture?
Yes. AppraiseItNow regularly appraises small groupings, room-sized collections, and large estate inventories with dozens or hundreds of pieces. Volume pricing is available for collections, and our team can coordinate the scope and logistics to ensure every piece is properly documented and valued.
Do you provide online or remote antique furniture appraisals?
Most antique furniture appraisals are completed remotely using photographs and documentation submitted by the client, which is efficient and accurate for the majority of pieces. For larger collections, complex estates, or situations where hands-on inspection is warranted, we can coordinate an in-person appraiser anywhere in the United States.
How much does a antique furniture appraisal cost?
Fees depend on the purpose and scope of the appraisal. Standard appraisals for insurance coverage, personal use, probate, and estate distribution start at $195, while advanced appraisals for charitable donations, estate tax, divorce, and legal proceedings start at $295. Volume pricing by collection size is as follows:
- 1 item: $195 to $495
- 10 items: $695 to $1,200
- 50 to 100 or more items: $1,600 to $3,500 or more
Do you offer discounted pricing for large volumes?
Yes. AppraiseItNow offers discounted per-item rates for larger collections of antique furniture. A collection of 50 to 100 or more pieces is priced between $1,600 and $3,500 or more, which represents a meaningful reduction compared to appraising each piece individually. Contact us to discuss your collection size and we will provide a fixed-price quote before any work begins.
How long does an antique furniture appraisal take?
Most remote antique furniture appraisals are completed within 7 to 10 business days. Onsite inspections or larger collections typically take 2 to 3 weeks from the time of inspection. If you have a deadline, rush service is available for same-day or next-day turnaround upon request.
Who prepares the appraisal report?
Appraisal reports are prepared by credentialed personal property appraisers with specific expertise in antique furniture and decorative arts. Each appraiser meets IRS qualified appraiser requirements, meaning they hold recognized credentials, have relevant education and experience, and have no financial interest in the property being appraised.
Are your appraisers ISA, ASA, or AAA credentialed?
Yes. AppraiseItNow's personal property appraisers hold credentials from recognized professional organizations including the International Society of Appraisers (ISA) and meet the standards set by the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) and related bodies. These credentials require demonstrated competency in personal property valuation and ongoing USPAP compliance.
Do you prepare appraisals for IRS Form 8283 (Noncash Charitable Contributions)?
Yes. When you donate antique furniture with a fair market value of $5,000 or more to a qualifying organization, the IRS requires a qualified appraisal attached to your return via Form 8283, Section B. AppraiseItNow prepares fully compliant appraisal reports that meet all IRS documentation requirements, including the effective valuation date, methodology, and appraiser certification.
Do you prepare appraisals for IRS Form 706 (Estate Tax)?
Yes. For estates that meet or approach the federal estate tax threshold, currently approximately $13.6 million for 2024, a qualified appraisal of antique furniture is required to support the values reported on Form 706. AppraiseItNow prepares USPAP-compliant reports with the detail and documentation the IRS expects, including comparable sales data, condition assessments, and signed certifications.
Do you buy, sell, or broker antique furniture?
No. AppraiseItNow is an independent appraisal firm and does not buy, sell, or broker antique furniture. This independence is a core requirement of USPAP and IRS standards, ensuring that our valuations are objective and free from any financial interest in the outcome.
What information do you need to get started?
To begin an antique furniture appraisal, it helps to provide:
- Clear photographs from multiple angles, including close-ups of joinery, hardware, labels, and any damage or repairs
- Dimensions and a description of the piece including wood type if known
- Any known history of the piece, such as prior ownership, purchase receipts, or auction records
- Existing documentation such as prior appraisals, certificates of authenticity, or provenance letters
- The intended purpose of the appraisal, such as insurance, estate, donation, or divorce
Can AppraiseItNow appraise antique furniture located anywhere in the U.S.?
Yes. Remote appraisals are available to clients in all 50 states, and the majority of antique furniture appraisals are completed without requiring a physical visit. For larger estates, complex collections, or situations where an in-person inspection is necessary, we can coordinate a qualified appraiser in any state.
Will my appraisal be accepted by the IRS, insurers, or courts?
AppraiseItNow's reports are prepared to meet the standards required by the IRS, insurance carriers, probate courts, and other legal proceedings. Our appraisers are IRS-qualified, our reports are USPAP-compliant, and each report includes the methodology, comparable market data, effective valuation date, and signed certification that these institutions require.
How does restoration or repair history affect the appraised value of antique furniture?
Restoration history has a significant and sometimes counterintuitive effect on value. Even professional repairs can reduce value by 20 to 50 percent if they alter original patina, replace original materials, or obscure authentic wear patterns, because serious collectors and auction buyers prize original, unaltered condition. Appraisers examine pieces carefully for signs of restoration, sometimes using UV light or magnification, and will note any alterations in the report along with their impact on the final value conclusion.
How do appraisers determine whether a piece of antique furniture is authentic versus a later reproduction?
Authenticity assessment is one of the most technically demanding parts of an antique furniture appraisal. Appraisers examine construction details such as dovetail joinery, where hand-cut dovetails indicate pre-industrial manufacture and machine-cut joints suggest a 19th-century or later reproduction, a distinction that can mean a 90 percent difference in value. Other markers include tool marks, wood aging, hardware styles, and stylistic consistency with the claimed period, such as whether cabriole legs and carved details match documented Chippendale examples from the 18th century.
What valuation date must be used on an antique furniture appraisal for estate or donation purposes?
The effective date of the appraisal must match the date of the relevant asset transfer, which is the date of death for estate tax purposes or the date of contribution for charitable donations. Using a valuation date that does not align with the transfer date can invalidate the appraisal for tax purposes and expose the taxpayer to IRS penalties, which can reach up to 40 percent of the underpayment in cases of gross valuation misstatement. AppraiseItNow appraisers confirm the correct effective date at the outset of every engagement to ensure the report is fully defensible.
APPRAISEITNOW APPRAISERS ARE BEST-IN-CLASS & CREDENTIALED BY LEADING APPRAISAL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE ISA, ASA, & MORE.
