Our Mission

The mission of ISA is to advance the professionalism and effectiveness of personal property appraisers.

ISA Course Summaries

CORE COURSE IN APPRAISAL STUDIES
REQUALIFICATION COURSE
APPRAISAL OF FINE ART
APPRAISAL OF ANTIQUES AND RESIDENTIAL CONTENTS
EXPERT WITNESS COURSE
DISCOVER YOUR INNER ART LOVER - DECORATIVE ARTS AND THE HISTORY OF ART
APPRAISAL OF JAPANESE PRINTS
USPAP COURSE – 15 HOUR NATIONAL
CORE COURSE IN APPRAISAL STUDIES - Distance Education
REQUALIFICATION COURSE - Distance Education

This is a "nuts and bolts" approach to personal property appraising for use in all of the specialty disciplines. Standardized checklists and sample appraisal reports are included. Special attention is paid to identification and authentication, market and value research, and analysis, ethics and professional conduct, and preparing professional reports. This course is also offered as a text-based home study course with ongoing registration.

A refresher course on appraisal studies and report writing. Emphasis placed on new regulations and standards affecting appraisals, report writing skills, research resources and methodology. Also offered in a text-based home study format. Open only to those who have completed the ISA Core Course in Appraisal Studies or an approved equivalent course, and those bridging to ISA CAPP. Course fee includes all requalification application fees.

Emphasizes the primary categories of fine art frequently encountered by appraisers and dealers: paintings, sculpture, works on paper, frames, photography, animation art, Russian icons and Spanish Colonial art. Major areas of focus: art history, looking at artworks properly, identifying and researching fine art works, properly describing art works, correctly employing specific vocabulary, and art conservation. A field trip to The National Gallery provides students with close exposure to the property categories being studied. Test given the afternoon of the last day. Pre-course reading and a written assignment are required for this course.

This course provides information necessary to properly identify and value items falling into the broad category of antiques and residential contents. Focus is on analysis of construction and manufacturing, discerning the difference between "good", "better", and "best" quality, design characteristics pertinent to general periods and styles, and research resources for the appraiser. Course sections include furniture, ceramics, glass, silver, toys and dolls, and vintage fashions as well as general household contents. The course includes an off-site field trip to MESDA for a full day of hands-on activities. Pre-course reading and a written assignment are required for credit in this course. Exam given morning of last day

Polish the professionalism of the Expert Witnessing you currently do, or add a new client service to your portfolio. Our contemporary society is a litigious one. An increase in lawsuits creates an equal rise in the number of expert witnesses needed in every field. Unfortunately, most who serve as expert Witnesses are unprepared for the onerous task of trial preparation and giving testimony.

In this course you will learn about evidence and proof, the qualification an expert needs to be credible, the rules of discovery, what to expect when giving a deposition or going to trial, and professional tips on handling yourself when appearing as an expert witness.

Examples from real life situations illustrate how seemingly innocuous questions from an attorney can trip you up and damage your credibility in the courtroom. Being prepared in advance will allow you to handle these situations effectively. What you learn in the course will also help you write appraisals you can be confident of defending should they be challenged.

2 Days: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
15 ISA Professional Development Credits

DISCOVER YOUR INNER ART LOVER - DECORATIVE ARTS AND THE HISTORY OF ART

This course is designed for appraisers who think they don't know a thing about art. This fun two day course will introduce you to:

• major periods in the history of art and elements that make each period identifiable
• art vocabulary which will assist in your general appraisal practice
• looking at art in order to find clues that will help you with identification
• most fun of all, how decorative arts and fine arts share common elements
• some "art stuff" you don't know, so you can sound intelligent when you speak with an art appraiser

So, come to the class and immerse yourself in art for a couple of days. Find out that it isn't as intimidating as you thought.

APPRAISAL OF JAPANESE PRINTS

This course by Daphne Rosenzweig, Ph.D., ISA CAPP is presented exclusively by ISA. Gives students a background of history, artists, periods and styles that appraisers/dealers/collectors must know to analyze and value Japanese prints. Students must do pre-course reading and data collection at home prior to coming to the course, bringing their completed work with them. The course then provides a two-day workshop with formal instruction plus a "hands on" connoisseurship session with prints. Students are encouraged to bring a Japanese print or two of their own to be reviewed in class if they wish. Final course test by proctor is optional. An additional five professional development points is given for passing the exam.

USPAP COURSE – 15 HOUR NATIONAL

The 15-hour National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) material is designed to aid appraisers in all areas of appraisal practice seeking competency in the USPAP. This course is intended to fulfill the USPAP requirement for credentialed membership levels within professional personal property appraisal organization and will be taught by an active Personal Property Appraiser.

This course focuses on the requirements for ethical behavior and competent performance by appraisers that are set forth in the (USPAP). The course material emphasizes the role of the appraiser and the impartiality associated with this role. In addition to lectures, the course includes Discussion Examples that show how USPAP applies to situations that appraisers encounter in everyday practice.

Students enrolling in the ISA Core Course distance education program use the same text materials used in the on-site course offerings coupled with a series of interactive learning exercises and open book quizzes that must be completed as the course progresses. Each student is assigned to a personal instructor who answers questions, grades assignments and reviews the final appraisal project. Students are allowed one year to complete this course, with a maximum of two six-month extensions available at a cost of $200 each. Successful completion of all assignments and exams are required for credit in this course.

This course provides a refresher on report writing and an update on happenings in the appraisal field, new requirements and information of importance to practicing personal property appraisers, and current checklists and sample appraisals. Designed to keep ISA members on the cutting edge of appraisal knowledge, this is a good preparatory course for taking the ISA Requalification exam (required every five years) or the certification exam. Students are allowed six months for completion of this course, with two three-month extensions available for an extra fee. Completion of assignments and a final exam are required for ISA credit. Course fee includes all requalification application fee. Open only to those who have completed the ISA Core Course in Appraisal Studies or an approved equivalent course, and those bridging to ISA CAPP.

CORE COURSE IN APPRAISAL STUDIES
REQUALIFICATION COURSE
APPRAISAL OF FINE ART
APPRAISAL OF ANTIQUES AND RESIDENTIAL CONTENTS
EXPERT WITNESS COURSE
DISCOVER YOUR INNER ART LOVER - DECORATIVE ARTS AND THE HISTORY OF ART
APPRAISAL OF JAPANESE PRINTS
USPAP COURSE – 15 HOUR NATIONAL
CORE COURSE IN APPRAISAL STUDIES - Distance Education
REQUALIFICATION COURSE - Distance Education