Need some help on an estate appraisal

[gdustin]

Fellow appraisers:

We''re performing an estate appraisal for a client. They have a pre-Incan burial "pendant" that has been authenticated by the Smithsonian. They have documentation from the Smithsonian that is approximately 30 years old. The piece was acquired by the deceased family member and the family doesn''t know how it was acquired.

We do not know how to assess a fair market value on this piece or know another source to ask. Can anyone help us out or lead us in a direction that could help us?

Gina Dustin
Norhern Appraisal Services

 

[fire&ice]

Find an art & antique dealer who specializes in this genre. Or contact the specialist at one of the major auction houses.

 

[perry]

Timing is everything on this idea....

Is there an "Antiques Roadshow" anywhere at this time.

At a minimum those professionals should be able to direct you to the best source.

I will note that for some items they cannot provide an appraisial due to rarety - other than state that major museums would be interested as that is where the item belongs when it passes from private hands. For example: How much is the original copy of "Is there a Santa Clause" letter worth, etc...

Perry

 

[Petra]

While I know nothing about the value of the piece -- I do know some of these pieces are "hot." All of them are grave goods the only way for them to be in possession of it is for someone to have robbed a grave. The theft might have been long ago, or might have been recent. PreColumbian art is usually very expensive.

Always makes me sad to see a country''s history forsale. This woman might be able to help though: http://www.susanlerer.com/colombia.htm

 

[gdustin]

I without a lot of research, I would have to agree with Perry. I think it''s one of those items that won''t have a value because it''s more of piece of interest. I''ve been told to call museum curators however, how can they assess a value? Perhaps auction houses are the way to go since they are forced to assess value since items are going to auction.

By the way, is Incan pre-Columbian? I''m clueless when it comes to geography of South America and the history. I''ve been referred to two Pre-Columbian art professionals. I assume this is a correct fit.

As for grave theft, I agree it is a shame. However, we have to assume this piece was taken out of the ground many many years ago and we have no control of that. We can only preserve what we have now.

 

[Petra]

Pre-Columbian just relates to something in the Americas before the arrival of Columbus.


I''m suprised by how deeply this troubles me and I know I''m going to come off as a shrew here; but they say it was theirs and they got it legally, yadda, yadda yadda. The fact is the black market is allowed to flourish there and elsewhere because appraisers and auction houses don''t take it seriously. So priceless artifacts are lost because these little trinkets sell well, are pretty and people are willing to go up into the mountinans and break apart inca mummies for some yuppie to have a peice of really old jewlery.

There is very little of the Pre-Columbian world left because some people went to great lengths to destroy it. It just seems mean spirted to me to take a nation''s heritage and see how much it is worth, and that''s the last I''ll say on it.

 

[perry]

I have to raise a caution to the idea that Petra has posted that this "has" to be grave theft.

Almost all modern culures arround the world have recovered much art from various grave sites. Much of this was done under government approved if not government sponsored digs. Look to the museums of the world for examples of this.

It is only in the recent past (15 - 40 years) that some countries have started to errect legal barriers to this practice.

Chances are in fact very good that if this item was orriginally dug up over 30 years ago that it was likely not an infraction of national laws.

This is a different issue than the various cultural issues of the sanctity of graves, which are more often involved with religious beliefs than with national laws arround the world.

I would also like to point out that many objects have also been recovered over the years from buried religious sites that were not grave sites.

While I agree that each country has the right - and need - to preserve their heritage, and have no problems with laws that now restrict the removal of various artifacts from the country (in many countries today such artifacts needs to go to a local or national museum when dug up). Even then, after review of rarity, the musium may allow the export of certain items in most countries.

I would also like to point out that I'm not sure there is any country in the world that bans archaeoligical digs into burial sites; but that most countris now regulate such digs (how valid is the sanctitiy of grave site issue?).

In the end, you cannot say that this item was stolen from a grave site. It might have been, it might have not been, and it even might have been removed from the country of origin with the full knowlage and approval of that country at the time. Some goverments even sold items.

We do not know the history of when it was discovered, where it was discovered, how it was discovered, the laws and customs in effect at that time, and how it got to the US.

Applying current laws and current moral standards to past practices is not overall in the best interest of the world. Afterall, if you are living in the US are you not living on stolen land from the American Indians, Is not your house built using materials stolen from the land, and I could go on and on...

What is most important is for such pieces to be properely documented so that future transactions can be done in accordance with current laws and standards.

I find it very significant in this case that the Smithsonian documentation exist on this item from aproximately 30 years ago. The Smithsonian would probably not have provided any domcumetation for something that was overtly illegally obtained. The provenance is very good here that this is a legal piece under the laws and customs that existed at the time of discovery.

I will note that the proper documentation approach is how the blood diamond issue has been brought under control. We cannot properely account for many diamonds put into circulation years ago. That does not mean that there is not a market for them as they are resold and reused time and time again.

Perry

 

[loupe]

Contact John A. Buxton, ISA CAPP in Dallas, TX. - 972-239-4620 or [email protected]. He is listed as a Pre-Columbian specialist with the International Society of Appraisers. He will also be able to clear up any moral conflicts.

Here''s a thought for your client: donate the piece for tax purposes/charitable contribution to the museum of their choice or return it to the country of origin, if that can be determined.

loupe