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Estate and probate valuation for art and collectibles

Independent, defensible date-of-death valuations for executors, solicitors and families — with full documentation, division schedules, and an honest account of what is and isn't worth keeping.

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Clearing an estate is difficult enough without also having to guess what a houseful of unfamiliar objects is worth. We document everything properly, tell you what matters and what doesn't, and give executors and beneficiaries one defensible set of numbers to work from.

1–3
Weeks, typical turnaround
100%
Confidential
NZ
On-site nationwide
Who We Work With

Executors, solicitors and families

01

Executors

You have a legal duty to account for estate assets accurately. We give you a documented, evidence-based record of every item of value, prepared in a form that stands up to scrutiny from beneficiaries and from IRD.

02

Solicitors & trustees

We work directly with legal and trustee professionals, deliver in the format you need, and keep the family out of the technical detail where that's easier for everyone.

03

Families

Often the hardest part isn't the money, it's dividing things fairly without falling out. Independent values give everyone the same starting point and take the argument out of the room.

The Work

What an estate valuation involves

We attend on site, work through the property room by room, and record everything of consequence. Nothing is moved or removed without your instruction, and we work at whatever pace the family needs.

Where an item warrants specialist research — an unattributed painting, an unusual piece of furniture, an inherited card or coin collection — we do that research rather than reaching for a guess.

  • Room-by-room inventory with photographs of every recorded item
  • Identification and attribution of artworks, antiques and collectibles
  • Fair market value at date of death, with comparable sales evidence cited
  • Clear separation of items with real value from items without, so effort goes where it counts
  • Division schedules to help beneficiaries split by value rather than by argument
  • Insurance figures for anything that needs cover while the estate is settled
  • Digital archive shared with the executor, solicitor and family as required
A Warning

The things that get thrown out

The most expensive mistakes in estate clearance are almost always made in the first weekend, with good intentions and a skip bin. We are regularly called in after the point where something valuable has already gone.

  • Boxes of trading cards and comics — routinely assumed to be children's clutter, occasionally worth more than the furniture
  • Unsigned or unframed works on paper — often mistaken for prints when they are originals
  • "Ugly" ceramics and Asian works of art — taste and value are not the same thing
  • Paperwork — receipts, exhibition catalogues, letters and labels are provenance, and provenance is money
  • Costume jewellery boxes — real pieces get mixed in and go out with the rest

If you are about to clear a property, the cheapest thing you can do is have someone look before anything leaves. An initial walkthrough conversation costs nothing.

After The Valuation

Selling without losing a quarter of it

If the estate decides to sell, the default route is an auction house — and the default cost is a seller's premium of typically 15–25%, plus photography, cataloguing and insurance charges, with settlement months later. On a $60,000 collection that difference is not a rounding error.

We sell directly into the market instead, and we manage the transaction end to end. The estate keeps materially more, and beneficiaries wait considerably less. There is never any obligation — plenty of the estates we value never sell a thing, and that's a perfectly good outcome.

More on how we value →

Common Questions

Questions we're asked most

What is a probate valuation and when is one needed?
A probate valuation records the fair market value of assets at the date of death. Executors generally need one where an estate contains art, antiques or collectibles of meaningful value, so the estate can be administered accurately and assets divided fairly between beneficiaries. Solicitors will usually ask for it in writing.
How quickly can you turn an estate valuation around?
For a typical household we can usually attend within a week and deliver the report within two to three weeks. If a property settlement date or a court deadline is driving the timetable, tell us at the outset and we'll work to it.
What if the family has no idea what anything is?
That's the normal situation, not the exception. We identify and research everything from scratch. You don't need to know what you have before you call us — that's the job.
Can you help divide items fairly between beneficiaries?
Yes, and it's often the most valuable part of the work. Once every item is documented with a defensible value, beneficiaries can divide by value rather than by argument. We stay strictly neutral and provide the same information to everyone involved.
Do you work with solicitors and trustee companies?
Regularly. We can deal directly with the estate's solicitor, accountant or trustee company and provide reports in the form they need, which usually saves the family a considerable amount of back-and-forth.
What happens to items that turn out to be worth nothing?
We tell you, and we tell you early. Knowing which two-thirds of a house doesn't need valuing, storing or insuring is often the single biggest cost saving in the whole process.
Can you sell items on the estate's behalf afterwards?
Yes, if the estate wants to. We sell directly to the market rather than consigning to an auction house, so the estate isn't losing 15–25% in seller's premium. There is never an obligation — the valuation and any sale are separate decisions.
Is the process confidential?
Completely. Estate work is sensitive by nature. We don't discuss clients, contents or values with anyone outside the people you nominate, and we're happy to sign a confidentiality agreement.
Explore

Other ways we can help

Valuation
Art valuation & appraisal
Trading Cards
Pokémon & TCG valuation
All Services
Cataloguing, sales & more

Settling an estate? Start here.

Before anything is cleared, sold or thrown out, have someone who knows what they're looking at take a look. The first conversation is free.

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Or reach us directly at artservices.nz@gmail.com  ·  027 489 7801