We not only work closely with clients to meet individual goals and maximize results at auction; we are invested in connecting at the personal level too. As a trusted point of contact throughout the buying and selling process, Freeman’s Client Advisory Services forms the bedrock of these ongoing relationships, providing start-to-finish guidance and expertise and helping to navigate the intricacies of the art market and demystify what can seem a closed or niche industry.
Whether you’re seeking a valuation report for a private collection, an important estate, or an institution, our thorough and fully illustrated reports are recognized in the United States by financial institutions, insurance brokers, and government agencies, including the IRS.
The expertise of Freeman’s Appraisals teams covers more than thirty collecting categories, including fine art, decorative art and objects, jewelry, books and manuscripts, and more; each member of our team is an Accredited or Certified Member of the Appraisers Association of America (AAA), and each report is executed in accordance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).
With thoughtful consideration to each client’s unique situation, we issue reports for the purposes of estate tax, estate planning and collection management, equitable distribution, gift tax, insurance, non-cash charitable donation, and loan collateral.
An auction evaluation is a complementary service, in which an auction estimate is provided if we have a market for the work or works in question. The estimate may often be provisional if based on images and information, and subject to first-hand examination. An appraisal is a formal opinion of value, often culminating in a document, primarily for estate tax or insurance purposes. There is a fee for this service, based on the time necessary to conduct and complete the appraisal.
Auction evaluations place an estimate derived from current market conditions expressed in a range (ie, $3,000 – 5,000). These complimentary value estimates are placed by our specialist teams and are used when a collector or estatewants to liquidate, or sell, a collection or work of art via auction. Appraisals for insurance are formal written reports executed by our team of USPAP qualified appraisers, which can be used for filing paperwork with insurance brokers.
Freeman’s Collections team works closely with clients to intimately understand their collection and determine the best sales and marketing strategies to maximize returns.
We pride ourselves in not only weighing the essential components of value, but leveraging the unique narrative associated with each private or corporate collection. Freeman’s is honored to be entrusted with these sales, and meets this client trust with tailored solutions and expert guidance to maximize auction results and foster meaningful, ongoing relationships.We act as a dedicated contact for private collectors, advisors, fiduciaries, and family offices, working across more than thirty areas of specialization to assist in the pricing, buying, and selling of works for large, multi-category collections.
With 23 single-owner selling events totaling over $31M since 2010, Freeman’s considers the successful sales of single-owner collections to be one of our strongest achievements.
A great first step is to get in contact with a member of our team to discuss the collection. Next, it would be helpful to send us photographs (iphone images are great!) as this will help us determine the scope of the collection and the categories covered. This will help in determining next steps.
Freeman’s Collections team takes into consideration the nuances associated with each and every collection, in conjunction with the market in which they exist. Some have a strong narrative weaving a story from object to object, while others works are important and rare when evaluated independently from the overall collection. The Collections team will work closely with you to determine the best strategy that meets your dispersal needs.
Yes, absolutely. Freeman’s Collections team takes into consideration the unique situations associated with each collection and will work closely with you to achieve a sale and marketing strategy that meets your needs.
Freeman's offers expertise to fiduciaries, law firms, executors, wealth managers, beneficiaries, and private clients in the valuation and selling of individual works and collections of all sizes and across categories.
We utilize the decades of experience of Freeman’s specialists to create bespoke sales and marketing plans that are fully customized to meet key deadlines, honor legacy wishes, and ensure the best possible return for beneficiaries.
We present “clean sweep” solutions tailored to your estate settlement needs, including: timely valuations, options for the sale of select items at Freemans as well as tertiary auction outlets, and flexible fee structures to maximize returns, all overseen by a Trusts and Estates account manager.
Give our team a call or send some general photographs (iPhone photos are great!) This will help us get a sense of the scope of the collection or types of works included. Our team will be in touch to provide guidance from there
If you are looking to sell items at auction, Freeman’s is happy to provide complimentary auction estimates. Auction estimates are a range of values that reflect current market conditions for a specific work or collecting category. If you are looking for a singular value for insurance coverage or estate tax filings, our Appraisals team will be happy to work with you on creating these formal reports.
It’s always helpful to keep records or receipts of when and/or where works were purchased. It’s also a good idea to keep collections insured and inventoried.
It depends on the scope of the collection. We’re sensitive to current CDC and city-wide guidelines related to Covid-19 restrictions, so will work with you to figure out the best option based on what you have. Photos are often a great starting point for giving our team a sense of the categories covered in the collection.
Yes, absolutely. Freeman’s Trusts & Estates team is happy to provide a variety of recommendations to experts in niche collecting areas (such as coins or vintage fashion) or to alternative auction outlets in the tri-state area.
Our experienced team of specialists is sensitive to institutional considerations and creates tailored solutions for each organization. Whether assisting in the long-term growth of institutional collections via acquisition, in the possible sale and marketing of a single item or entire collection in the process of deaccession, or in offering a full range of timely valuation services, Freeman’s Museum Services forges strong connections with museum curators, senior staff, and non-profit institutions across multiple needs and collecting categories.
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Free Library of Philadelphia
Woodmere Art Museum
James A. Michener Museum Of Art
The Metropolitan Museum Of Art
George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Museum Of Fine Arts
Smithsonian Institution
Musée Marmottan-Monet
The National Gallery
Freeman’s trusted team works with clients to find tailored selling approaches, and leverages our national and international reach to discreetly connect prospective buyers with a single object or an entire collection. Our team of specialists is flexible, responsive, and deeply knowledgeable across subject areas—making Freeman’s the ideal destination for private sales.
