Valuation Principles & Insights

Read expert guides and insights into the valuation process of fine art, antiques and collectibles.

Discover how fashion, rarity, provenance and condition impacts value, what insurers require, and how our experts determine market worth.

Antique Snuff Boxes: An Expert Guide

16 February 2023

Snuff is a type of finely ground, or powdered, tobacco that is sniffed (snuffed) through the nose. It has been used for centuries as a form of nicotine delivery as well as a social…

10 Types of Art Print Edition Terms

6 February 2023

When examining a limited fine art print you should notice an edition number, something like 5/25 or V/XXV for example, normally written in the margin in pencil. However there might be other acronyms instead…

How to Identify British Antique Silver & Plate

20 January 2023

Antique silver and its plated counterparts come in many guises. What is sterling silver? What is the difference between Old Sheffield Plate and Sheffield Plated? Is white metal, silver? How can I tell if…

16 Art Mediums to Know

5 January 2023

What is an art medium? The ‘medium’ simply refers to what material is used to create, or construct, the artwork. To understand art, and thus appreciate it better, one needs to know what it…

French Carriage Clocks: An Expert Guide

25 November 2022

In a blog article from earlier this year, Expert Guide to Antique French Clocks, I gave a general overview of the different types of antique French clocks that one might encounter. This article aims…

How to Sell an Antique

17 October 2022

Here at iValuations we are often asked how to go about selling antiques or collectibles. As a rule we don’t get involved with any buying or selling as we believe it creates a conflict…

14 Tips for taking the best photographs of your stuff with a smartphone

14 April 2022

The way iValuations works is that in addition to written information, we rely on good clear images from you, our customers. Simply put the better the image the better the accuracy of the valuation. Art,…

7 Common Items in your Home that could be Valuable

6 October 2021

Many of us have some valuable inherited art or antiques in our homes. However, they might be stashed away in a dusty box in the attic or stuffed unceremoniously under the stairs. Not having…

Why Pay for an Online Art, Antiques or Collectibles Valuation?

16 July 2025

The rise of online platforms has made it easier than ever to get a free valuation for art and antiques. A quick upload to a dealer’s website, a post in a Facebook group, or…