Steve has particular expertise in 19th century European paintings. Victor Gabriel Gilbert (French, 1847 to 1933), "Lady of Nobility" oil on canvas.
Besides rare coins, Steve specializes in 17th to 20thcentury European and American paintings and sculptures, including Texas artists. He can work with his team to handle entire estates encompassing diverse categories of objects, providing accurate values for evaluative purposes and helping maximize value when it comes time to sell.
Steve does not typically buy works that he is providing advisory services on, but rather will connect you with the sales venue that will get the most value. With particular expertise with auction houses, Steve can work with you to maximize value by crafting a strategy that works to each auction house’s unique strength. By placing your objects in the correct venues and negotiating favorable rates with the individual auction houses, you can maximize the amount that you receive.
Appraisal services
Appraisals can be prepared for insurance purposes, estate planning and probate, equitable distribution, charitable donations, damage claims, and pre-purchase or sale advisory.
After an initial conversation, we can decide if you need a formal, written appraisal or simply a verbal approximation of value. After in-person inspection, I will research your objects and prepare an illustrated report that conforms to the current standards of USPAP, the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.
A sample client
Steve also works with a wide range of mid-century and Texas artists. James Brooks (American (Texas/New York), 1906 to 1992), "Untitled Collage" gouache on paper, 1962.
Steve was referred to client through a financial advisor, as she needed assistance in evaluating and liquidating a large estate filled with paintings, Asian art and furniture of various levels of quality. Steve put together a team of experts, negotiated favorable terms with multiple auction houses, and the sales nearly doubled expectations to a low six-figure total. Client was charged a flat hourly rate for services provided and wrote:
“I am still just stunned at the sales! I so appreciate your help in all this. I certainly could not have done it without you. I knew what I needed to do, just didn’t have a clue as to where to start! You certainly made my life easier by taking care of it.” EG
In his work with auction houses and as an independent appraiser, Steve has provided his expertise to a variety of financial clients including: Bank of America, Chase Bank, Frost Bank, Northern Trust Bank, Wells Fargo and Merrill Lynch. Some of the institutions that Steve has provided expertise to include the Metropolitan Museum of Art (English coins and medals), American Numismatic Society (coins and medals), American Numismatic Association (coins and medals), Oklahoma City Museum of Art (paintings), George Washington University Gallery of Art (paintings), Dallas Museum of Art (paintings).
Selected artists handled:
Over the past several years, I have handled works by a wide range of artists including:
Uta Barth, David Bates, James Bidgood, James Brooks, Edward Burtynsky, Gene Davis, Marcel Dzama, Alexander Dzigurski, Inka Essenhigh, Eric Fischl, Victor Gilbert, Nan Goldin, Jasper Johns, Barbara Kruger, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Morris, Vik Muniz, Richard Phillips, Sarah Pickering, Robert O. Preusser, Robert Rauschenberg, Ed Ruscha, Dana Schutz, Jem Southam, Amy Stein, Julie Speed, Doug and Mike Starn, Wordsworth Thompson, Jehan Georges Vibert, Albert Wang, William Wegman, Jack Youngerman and many others.
Steve is a rare coin and fine art expert appraiser and consultant who writes the widest-read weekly report on the rare coin market for Coin World, the world's largest hobby publication. He has worked with ANACS (Columbus, OH), Christie's (New York, NY), Heritage Rare Coin Galleries and Heritage Auctions (Dallas, TX). Steve is an accredited member of the International Society of Appraisers.