Valuations
Are you interested in learning about the value of items you own and/or selling the property with Clars Auctions?
Check out Clars appraisal services so you can get the most for your items. We offer a fast turnaround so you can get your items auctioned and appraised quickly.
Clars has produced record selling prices for a wide variety of items including fine arts, furniture, decorative arts, Asian arts, jewelry, automobiles, and special collections. Clars’ specialists have many years of experience evaluating fine property in a vast range of fields, from fine arts to decorative arts to Asian art, as well as furniture, automobiles, fine & rare wines, and special collections. Our appraisal services will help you understand the true value of your items.
Whatever it is that you want to sell – fine arts, rugs, automobiles, jewelry, silver, furniture, wine, or other special items – it’s important to understand the value. To learn about the value of items you own and/or to sell the property with Clars, use one of our options for Valuations:
Send Us Photos
If you have items that you know you want to sell at auction, send us photos with approximate dimensions if possible, and we will give an estimate. Take two to three photos of each piece, from various perspectives. Send us the photos via email or postal mail.
Send the photos via email, making sure to include your name, phone number, email address as well as dimensions of the item with any pertinent information such as condition and history to: [email protected] or mail them, with the same contact information, to: Valuations, Clars Auctions, 5644 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, CA 94609.
We cannot give jewelry valuations based on photos. All estimates based on photos may change, once we actually see the items.
Limits: We will give estimates on 5 items per person.
However, if you just want to find out whether we will accept your items for auction, you may include photos of up to 15 of the best or most representative items, with a brief description of the other items you have.
Schedule a Virtual Valuation
We offer virtual valuations through zoom where you will be able to show your property and ask questions in real time. To schedule a virtual appointment or for more information, email [email protected].
Schedule a Specialist to Make
If you have just a few items, or you live far away, we prefer that you utilize one of the options mentioned above initially. Based on this information, we can make a decision on scheduling a Specialist for a visit.
There are two types of visits Clars’ specialists may make.
- The Courtesy Look (roughly 95% of all visits made) for which there is no charge. In this situation, the specialist will take a quick walk through the home, apartment, or business. If requested, they’ll be happy to give verbal estimates on a couple of the items, if they can, but will not give estimates on each item. They will discuss which items make sense for auction and which don’t, and sometimes they can give a global estimate what the entire collection/estate might bring.
- The Valuation, for which Clars charges $250 the first hour, $150 each additional hour. This includes one hour of travel time. There may be additional time required for research on some items. How long this takes, in addition to the numbers of items and the research involved in determining their value, may depend on how much detail is required (i.e. does the client require estimates on every single item, or perhaps only those worth more than $100?), and whether the items are easy to view, or need to be pulled out of drawers and closets.
Clars’ staff does valuations for insurance purposes, divorces, donations or business evaluations. Occasionally they may recommend non-company appraisers.