The world of furniture appraisal has become more popular thanks to television shows like “Antiques Roadshow.” Estimating the value, age, and manufacturer of furniture pieces is one of a furniture appraiser’s main responsibilities. You’ll need to devote years of your life to education and field research if you want to become a furniture appraiser. Fortunately, there are several schools and real-world opportunities that can assist you in developing your knowledge database and becoming an appraiser.
To work as a furniture appraiser, you’ll need keen eyes and a knack for research. You must be able to evaluate the work and know how much it is worth and where it came from, whether you are looking at an antique desk, an antique table, or a department store knockoff. This necessitates a thorough understanding of furniture styles, materials, and markings.
You’ll also need to estimate the value of a piece of furniture based on your findings. This means you’ll need to know not only the history of the furniture, but also what the current market demand is for it. Many items appreciate in value over time, while others fluctuate wildly, so if you want to work as a furniture appraiser, you’ll need to stay up to date on trends and prices in order to provide accurate estimates.
Developing these abilities does not happen overnight or even over a period of years. If you want to work as a furniture appraiser, you must never stop learning. Although there are few educational requirements for appraisers, many study fine arts or art history in college. This course teaches students how to research art history and how to evaluate artistic values in various works. Furniture appraisers use these skills on a daily basis.
Schooling alone is insufficient, and some appraisers avoid going to school at all. Whatever path you take to becoming a furniture appraiser, you’ll need to evaluate thousands of pieces of furniture to gain the knowledge and confidence to call yourself an appraiser. If you want to learn more about antiques, look for an apprentice position at an antique store or a gallery of antique furniture. Expert appraisers will be present, and you will be able to learn from them.
You’ll be able to accurately appraise furniture after inspecting countless chairs, desks, couches, and other items. The required research and artistic abilities will not be easy to come by, but they will provide you with an incredible understanding of history as seen through furniture. You will be able to appraise any item with continued study and a passion for this art.