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I Caroline Ashleigh
Getting Value For Your
a
You can do it — with the right help.
Allan Nahajewski { Contributing Writer
T
here's a right time to part with
the valuables you've acquired or
inherited, and when that time
comes, you will know. But how can you
be sure you're getting maximum value?
Caroline Ashleigh has dedicated her
career to that question. She's a certified
appraiser, columnist, author and
lecturer on art and antiques.
She's been on staff at the Detroit
Institute of Arts, Cranbrook
Academy and major auction
houses. We've asked her to share
her story and a few tips.
record for a dress.
When did you start your own business?
In 1994, I created my own appraisal,
auction and consulting firm, Caroline
Ashleigh Associates, to provide services
for private and corporate collectors,
How did you get into appraising
fine art and antiques?
I was raised in Ann Arbor in an
antiquing family and learned the
business at my parents' knees.
Caroline Ashleigh
They were avid collectors all their
lives and, from a very early age, I
can remember going to country
Heritage Auctions
auctions with them. I later
decided to learn as much as I could
about the trade. Like my mom and dad,
museums, auction houses, dealers, law
firms, insurance companies and high net
I developed an eye for interesting and
unique items.
worth individuals throughout the United
In their retirement, they bought an
States.
old church to house the objects they
What services do you provide?
had collected; it's called Noah's Ark
We provide advice on purchasing,
Antiques in New Hudson. I worked there
selling, collection management and
as a college student in the summers,
investing in art and antiques. Some
honing my skills, developing a critical
of our specialties include prints,
eye and my own sense of aesthetics.
works of art on paper, paintings,
Have you had any celebrity clients?
sculpture, photographs, art glass,
Yes. One was Debbie Reynolds, who
couture, manuscripts, books, tribal art,
entertainment memorabilia, jewelry
owned the Hollywood Motion Picture
Collection and Museum, housing many
and estate liquidation services. I also
incredible costumes from the silver
appraise wine. There aren't many
screen. I appraised the white dress that
certified wine appraisers in this country.
Marilyn Monroe wore in the Seven-Year
And we appraise Judaica or artwork
Itch, one of the most iconic dresses in
from Israel. I get a lot of requests for
that.
pop culture. A number of years ago, I
appraised it at $2.5 million. Last year,
Do you only handle high-end items?
it sold for $5.5 million, setting a world
We generally handle estates valued at
24 BOOM Magazine • February 2013
$10,000 or more, and most estates are.
We will assess whether a local estate
sale is the best move, or perhaps in
combination with an auction. Usually,
it's both.
What can you tell us about your new
service to provide global reach to
local clients?
I'm now working as consignment
director with Heritage Auctions,
the world's third-largest auction
house with more than 750,000
registered bidder members and
annual sales of more than $800
million. I'm happy to be part of
such a forward-thinking company.
I'm working locally in Birmingham
to combine my expertise with
Heritage's global marketing power.
For example, recently a Bloomfield
Hills resident came to me with a
Renoir that he wasn't sure was
authentic or not. Working with the
experts at Heritage, we determined it
was authentic and were able to sell it
for three times over estimate.
Any advice to older people who feel it's
time to downsize?
Downsizing is daunting for most people.
You don't do it often, and many times
it's tied to a move or a loss, and both
are stressful. The best thing you can do
is find the best adviser. Start by putting
together a list of items and categorize
them by value — high, medium and
low. I can review the list and let you
know which items I can handle. For
the other items, I always give the best
recommendation I can. I try to point
people in the right direction.
How can readers reach you?
They can call me at (248) 792-
2929 or visit appraiseyourart.com ,
auctionyourart.com , auctionyourestate.
com or auctionyourwine.com . ❑