Antique painting appraisal, online
That landscape that hung in a relative's hallway for years, or the portrait you inherited and never quite placed, you are right to wonder what it might be worth. Our team researches your painting against real sale records and returns a clear value report within three days.
Structured research, reviewed for clarity
Once you submit photographs and any details you have, our team researches your painting from several angles at once. We compare it against recent sale records for similar works, not asking prices, and weigh its condition, period, medium, and any signature or inscription on the canvas or stretcher. We read maker marks, gallery labels, and old auction stickers where present. You receive a plain-English report with an estimated value range and the reasoning behind it, reviewed by our team before it reaches you.
What affects the value of an antique painting
The value of a painting rarely rests on a single detail. Our team weighs several factors together, because a celebrated signature means little on a heavily restored canvas, and a modest subject can carry real value when the maker and condition line up. Here is what we look at most closely.
Artist, attribution & signature
Who painted the work, and how confidently that can be established, sits at the centre of value. A clear, documented signature from a recorded artist carries far more weight than an unsigned canvas or one marked 'after' a known name. Period, school, and style all help place a work and the market that surrounds it.
Condition & originality
Original, untouched surfaces are prized. Relining, overpainting, flaking, and old varnish that has yellowed all affect value, as does whether the canvas, panel, or frame is original to the work. Honest age is expected in an antique painting; heavy or clumsy restoration is what tends to pull a value down.
Comparable sales
We ground every estimate in what comparable paintings have actually sold for at auction and through dealers, not what hopeful sellers are asking. Recent results for works of similar maker, size, subject, and condition give the most reliable picture of where your painting sits.
Signed, attributed, or 'after'? Why the wording matters
A small difference in how a painting is described can mean a large difference in value. A work confidently given to an artist, one only attributed to them, and one painted in their manner long after are three very different things to the market. Establishing which applies to your painting takes careful comparison rather than a quick glance, and it is one of the questions our team works through for you rather than something you need to resolve before getting in touch.
Inherited a painting or a whole collection?
Paintings often arrive together, a few canvases from an estate, a wall of family portraits, or a folder of works on paper no one has looked at in years. You do not need to sort or identify anything first. Send us clear photographs and whatever history you know, and our team will research each piece and return a value report. If you are weighing what to keep, insure, or sell, start by submitting your painting and we will take it from there.
A few reports we've delivered
Illustrative: signed Victorian oil landscape on canvas by a minor listed artist, original gilt frame
$500 – $1,400
Illustrative: 19th-century oil portrait on canvas, unsigned, relined, period frame
$300 – $900
Illustrative: early 20th-century signed marine watercolour, lightly toned mount
$250 – $750
Illustrative: 19th-century Continental still life, oil on panel, carved giltwood frame
$900 – $2,800Estimated ranges shown to guide research — not official appraisals for insurance, tax, or legal use. Illustrative examples.
Questions, answered honestly
How old does something have to be to be an antique?
As a rule of thumb, an antique is generally at least 100 years old. Items roughly 20–99 years old are usually called “vintage,” and the line shifts by category — but age alone never sets value. A 60-year-old designer piece can be worth far more than a century-old everyday object.
What affects the value of my item?
Value comes from a combination of factors: who made it, its age and rarity, condition, originality, provenance (its documented history), and — most of all — what comparable pieces have actually sold for recently. Our research weighs each of these to produce an estimated range.
I’ve inherited a collection — what do I do?
Start with the pieces you’re most curious about, or the ones you suspect are most valuable. Submit them individually, or for more than ten items use our white-glove service and we’ll research the whole batch together at a tailored rate.
Is this an official appraisal?
No. Every report is a thorough, researched estimate to guide your research — not an official appraisal for insurance, tax, or legal purposes. For those uses you’ll want a certified appraiser, and our report is a great, fast first step before that.
How accurate is a researched value report?
Our research is based on real comparable sales and a structured assessment of condition, era, and maker. It’s designed to give you a credible, well-researched estimate quickly. Like any estimate it isn’t a guarantee of sale price, which is why we always give a range rather than a single number.
“I had a vase from my grandmother and no idea where to start. The report was detailed, fast, and honest about the range.”
“Three days, a fair price, and a genuinely useful breakdown of comparable sales. Far better than waiting weeks.”
“Loved that it was upfront about being an estimate. It gave me exactly what I needed before talking to an auction house.”
Illustrative examples shown during launch — verified customer reviews will replace these as reports are delivered.
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