All Bernards Appraisal Associates (BAA) appraisal reports adhere to and exceed the requirements of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice developed by The Appraisal Foundation – authorized by Congress as the only source of appraisal standards and appraiser qualifications. BAA reports are comprehensive, certified bound documents, and are court-ready should that requirement need to be met.

Following find a content synopsis of a Bernards Appraisal Associates valuation report:

All BAA reports are precise in their purpose and function – and that includes a discussion of value – both a definition, which specifically addresses what value is being assigned to the items appraised, and an approach to value, discussing how valuations are determined.

Valuation procedure and limiting conditions

Precise methodology is used in the determination of value, and the valuation procedure outlines specific steps employed in the application of a precise value. The limiting conditions set forth in a BAA report ensure that all parties involved in the appraisal understand the purposes, practices and policies of the valuation process.

Property Description

All of the items appraised and inventoried in the valuation document are fully described. This description includes the obvious (what the piece is exactly), with sizes, dates and materials – and the not so obvious, which may include condition (hidden alterations, if any) and provenance, when applicable.

With fine art, the description is specific in its inclusion of critical information regarding the work(s) in question, including; artist (with biography, affiliation and genre/style), title, medium, size, frame description and condition. Resources (representing galleries and auction results) and remarks (provenance, etc.) are included as well.

Summary

A summary page in each appraisal report is included to facilitate quick reference to specific category valuations.

Narrative

A narrative discussion of past, present and possible future market trends that effect valuation is undertaken specifically for each report. These narrative discussions provide perspective on external economic and market drivers that overtly (or covertly) influence values – e.g., Barbra Streisand, in the late-1980’s as a prolific collector of Mission furniture having a net-positive effect on retail and primary auction market prices, and the inverse effect when having sold her collection in the late-1990’s.

Bibliography and Resources

All appraisal reports include an extensive list of both referenced publications in a bibliography, and resources that may include on-line databases, retail galleries and dealers, as s well as recognized field experts.

Photographic Inventory

All Bernards Appraisal reports include a full-color enumerated photographic inventory of the items appraised – and these picture-references include details and artists signatures where applicable and appropriate.