Antique Appraisal - Why Are You Looking for One?
The type of antique appraisal you need will determine whether or not an on-line appraisal will do. If you need the appraisal for insurance purposes, ask your insurance agent to cover the TOA (Terms of Agreement) on property valuation prior to making your decision. If you are only seeking an antique appraisal to satisfy your own curiosity as to the value of an item you have come across, then by all means consider finding a place online to provide you with such an appraisal. But, no matter how cheap the antique appraisal is -- get something in writing.

Antique Appraisal - What to look for in an appraiser.
To start, any antique appraisal firm you find online should clearly communicate: cost, what you get for your money and their contact information (telephone, email and physical address).

If you are considering using an online antique appraisal firm, consider this: Does their website look professional? Is their website fully functional (like it works and is not full of broken links)? Is there any "very small print" that you need to read? You should get the point by now -- use common sense.

Antique appraisal firms are numerous, so investigate an adequate number of them before deciding on one. This amount of research you should do, of course, depends on the value of the item you are considering for appraisal.

Antique Appraisal - Considering Selling Your Item?
Although it is not a hard and fast rule, we would suggest you do not sell you item to the same person or firm doing your antique appraisal. If you need to break this rule, make sure the appraiser does not know this is your intention prior to performing the appraisal.

And Finally, Get References
Ask a professional you already do business with to recommend one. Ask your bank manager or your attorney -- they are both good sources. You can also contact the American Society of Appraisers, where each member must pass an exam on valuing property and on ethical standards associated with the practice.