Burke & Co. Fine Art Consultants, based in St. Petersburg, Florida, and serving collectors, estates, museums, attorneys, fiduciaries and institutions throughout Florida, including Tampa Bay, Sarasota, Naples, Fort Myers, Orlando and surrounding communities. Travel is available for significant collections and specialized appraisal assignments throughout the state.
We are fine art museum professionals trained in appraisal services from the Appraisal Institute of America, part of the Appraisers Association of America. With extensive experience working with museum collections, we specialize in research and preservation of all types of artwork. This makes us uniquely qualified to identify, document, research and value decorative and fine art with a broad approach to the larger context of art history and the current art market. When specialized identification, conservation analysis, or authentication is required, Burke & Co. can help identify and coordinate appropriate outside scholars, foundations, conservators, laboratories, or other specialists.
Services Provided
Valuing collections is more than just browsing auction databases. As museum professionals, we approach every work with an eye to the importance (considering the larger context to the artist's body of work), condition, quality, rarity, desirability (scholarship), and provenance (ownership history). Understanding the full scope of an individual artwork ensures the most accurate appraisal possible.
In addition to valuation, we provide documentation and preservation services to protect the long-term investment of artwork ensuring every work retains its highest value possible. We help businesses, collectors and museums develop a plan for display, create storage solutions and even develop disaster/emergency plans. Preservation and documentation are important components of legacy planning.
Who needs an appraisal?
Typically, individuals and institutions seek appraisal services for estate planning, insurance coverage (blanket and itemized policies), charitable contribution (museum donation) or when considering a potential sale or deaccession.
The market for artwork changes often. It is advisable to update an appraisal every few years to ensure adequate insurance coverage, or when working with an estate planner to properly account for the full value of a collection in consideration of estate and inheritance taxes.
What to know when choosing an appraiser
Burke & Co. is led by Ashley C. Wieser, an Accredited Member of the Appraisers Association of America specializing in Postwar, Contemporary and Emerging Art. Appraisals are prepared in compliance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).