Revisiting the ISA Dealer Directory

Christine Guernsey,
ISA CAPP

At Assets 2018, we announced the new ISA Dealer Directory. This new directory connects prominent invited and vetted antique, jewelry, and fine and decorative arts dealers with our qualified ISA appraisers across the United States and Canada. The purpose of the Directory is to provide ISA appraisers and dealers with opportunities to facilitate appraisals, acquisitions, and the disposition of fine and decorative art as well as antiques and jewelry. This directory is a subscription-based service for dealers and gives free access of the postings to all ISA members.

View the Dealer Directory

The ISA Dealer Directory is an exclusive ISA member benefit. Only ISA members and subscribed vetted dealers have access to the Directory. It is completely private and not accessible to other appraisal organizations, non-subscribed dealers, or individuals. The directory is the first of its kind to be created by a professional appraisal organization.

The directory provides many unique benefits for our membership. Most importantly, the directory introduces our appraising members to leading dealers across the US and Canada. Using the directory, appraisers will discover top dealers along with the areas of collecting and selling in which they specialize. This creates opportunities to meet and build relationships with these featured dealers.

Whether we are in search of replacement cost information or have general questions about an artist, creator, movement, or market trends, working with dealers directly can give our appraisers access to current information they wouldn't normally find researching online. Asking price information for works in galleries or works which will be sold privately, usually isn't listed publicly. Calls have to be made to acquire this type of information. Dealers unfamiliar with an appraiser are often hesitant or too busy to share this type information. In becoming known as a qualified ISA appraiser and developing relationships with dealers who specialize in what you are appraising, you can gain valuable information about sales and market trends, discover unpublished asking prices and learn about private sales which will elevate the credibility in the final valuations of your appraisal reports. This alone can help you stand out among your appraisal competition.

Knowing which dealers specialize in specific areas of collecting and what items they are looking to acquire helps our appraisers add another service to their appraisal practice. Often appraisers are in the front line of knowing when their clients are thinking about selling something from their collection. This is especially true when we do estate appraisal or work with a client who has recently inherited something that they don't particularly want to keep.

There are many options for disposing of an item. Often these many options are confusing to the client especially if they are unfamiliar with collecting. Being able to connect your client with an appropriate dealer who can offer a fair deal, adds additional service for your client. The client is able to dispose of an item in an efficient and private manner, often for a higher sale amount and without additional fees. A successful transaction will make your client very satisfied with your services.

If you have clients who are interested in selling an item, be sure to log into the ISA member site and check out the Dealer Directory. Dealer requests change often. Our list of dealers continues to grow. If you know of a dealer you feel should be included in the Directory, please let us know so we can send them an invitation.

- Christine Guernsey, ISA CAPP, is recent past president of ISA and currently serving on the ISA Board of Directors. She appraises all areas of American paintings, works on paper, sculpture, and outdoor sculpture, specializing in 19th and 20th centuries.