Art appraiser in Como

The studio

I receive clients by appointment at my studio in via Lambertenghi 41, in the historic centre of Como. My field as an appraiser is modern and contemporary art: paintings, sculpture, works on paper, fine art photography, multiples and editions.

I am a registered expert with the Milan Chamber of Commerce and a court-appointed technical consultant at the Court of Milan, as well as an Accredited Member of the Appraisers Association of America (AAA), of ICRA and of CRSA. My reports follow the USPAP and IVS standards, the international benchmarks that banks, insurers and courts recognise, and they are written in English or in Italian, as the file requires.

I work in a position of complete independence and my fee is never a percentage of the value appraised. I do not trade in works of art and I do not act as an intermediary for galleries or auction houses. My only principal is the client who instructs me, and every assignment is covered by strict professional confidentiality.

When an appraisal is needed

An appraisal is a written opinion of value, reasoned and signed. It becomes necessary when the value of a work has to be used before third parties and stand up to their scrutiny: co-heirs, insurers, courts, notaries or banks. The situations I am asked about most often are these.

Estates and division of property

After a death, the works have to be identified, described and valued before any decision is taken. An independent appraisal gives every heir the same starting point, whether the collection is to be divided or sold. Tax and succession formalities remain with the notary and the accountant, to whom the appraisal supplies the figures they need. For families with assets in more than one country, the report is prepared so that it can be read by the professionals following the estate abroad.

Insurance cover and damage

Taking out or renewing an art policy calls for a current, documented valuation. After a loss, I prepare reports that set out the extent of the physical damage and the resulting loss in market value.

Disputes and expert evidence

In proceedings concerning works of art, the judge may appoint a court expert (in Italy, consulente tecnico d'ufficio) to establish the facts. The parties may in turn instruct their own expert to protect their position.

Inventories and collection records

Private and family collections are often held without any systematic record. An analytical inventory, with descriptive entries, photographs, provenance and current values, is the instrument that protects a collection, makes it possible to plan, and allows it to pass to the next generation in good order.

How an assignment works

The work begins with an examination of the piece in person. Documentary research follows — provenance, exhibition history, literature and checks with the artist's archive — together with a comparative analysis of the relevant market.

The written report identifies the work, states the purpose of the valuation and the basis of value adopted, and sets out the methodology and the comparables used. It carries the date, my signature and qualifications, and a formal statement of independence. Timing and fees are agreed in writing beforehand: the fee is fixed and entirely unrelated to the value of the works. To begin, a short description of the piece and the purpose of the appraisal is enough; photographs help to form a first impression, but the valuation itself is always carried out with the work in front of me.

Como, the Lake and Switzerland

I carry out inspections at private residences, bank vaults and storage facilities in Como, along the lake, in Brianza and in the Italian-speaking cantons of Switzerland. For assignments in Milan, see the page on the art appraiser in Milan.