Professional Insurance Appraisals & Estimating

 

 

 

INSURANCE - ART - SALVAGE

How does art work with a history of damage and professional conservation perform when re-introduced into the art  market place? Often sale at an auction is the most expeditious venue for works with a pre-incident value of six figures or higher. What about art work that is not as valuable? Many factors affect performance at public auction.

To help decide if sale at auction is viable, many insurance companies turn to Patrick B. King & Associates, Ltd. for salvage advice. First compare professional conservation cost to actual pre-incident value (which in this volatile market might be less than the scheduled or agreed value). Consider the type and degree of damage and the quality of restoration and or treatment.

A quick rule of thumb: when a of work art can be successfully restored for under 10% of its current value, it is definitely appropriate to pursue this avenue. Analyze the merit of the artist in the market place. Research is important here. King & Associates reviews research data collected by Art Facts to identify the auction that will offer the greatest potential for sale. Contemporary art is tricky. Works by obscure artists traditionally do not perform well at auction. The "name" is important in the auction "game". Rely on professional research to gather the important information.

Salvage Case Study

Dollar recovery expectations: will you get all of your money back? Probably not!! How much can you expect? A contemporary metal sculpture by a well known artist was scheduled for $45,000 which the owner collected after minor damage was sustained. The insurance company took the damaged sculpture as salvage. The adjuster contacted Patrick B. King & Associates for guidance. Armed with research prepared by Art Facts and the analysis by Patrick B. King & Associates, the adjuster made a wise decision to invest in the cost of conservation.

scheduled value                                                                  $45,000

conservation cost                                                              $2,000

gross disbursements  by insurance company           <$47,000> 

receipt from sale at  auction (less expenses)           +$21,000

     

net loss to insurance company                                      $26,000

 

This adjuster reduced an initial loss of $45,000 to only $26,000. The company’s "bean counters" were thrilled!

 

Our Company offers insurance companies cost effective salvage processing solutions through a variety of different methods of sale, including percentage of sale consignment and purchase agreement. 

 

We have successfully completed insurance art salvage dealing with, but not limited to:

 

 

Insurance salvage of Fine Art and Painting

Insurance salvage of Ceramics

Insurance salvage of Fine Art Lithographs

Insurance Salvage of Gems and Jewelry

Insurance salvage of Fine art Serigraphs

Insurance salvage of Fine Art Sculptures

Insurance salvage of Oriental Rugs

Insurance salvage of Tiffany

Insurance salvage of Silver

Insurance salvage of Crystal

Insurance salvage of Rare Books

Insurance Salvage of Coins and Stamps

Insurance Salvage of Antique Furnishing

Insurance Salvage of Fine Art Prints

Insurance Salvage of Fine Art Drawing

Insurance Salvage of Fine Art Photography

 

Author:  Patrick B. King

              Patrick B. King & Associates

              847-679-4747

              847-679-4191 Fax

 

e-mail us at:  pbking2@sbcglobal.net

 

 

back to Articles

 

Ó Copyright Patrick B. King & Associates 2008