May KSP: Silver for the Generalist Appraiser

May 21

Course Details

Description

Many generalist appraisers find silver to be a challenge (a polite word for “headache”) when they encounter it in an estate because it can be inordinately complex and time consuming both at inspection and in the research and valuation phases. Grounded in conventions of material culture research, Carolyn’s presentation offers specific, practical strategies that any generalist appraiser can apply on site and in the office to make the inspection, documentation, and valuation of silver more efficient.    

ABOUT CAROLYN LAW

Personal property appraisal is Carolyn’s second career. Before launching Carolyn Law Antiques LLC, her research and valuation business, in 2020, she had been an academic researcher and editor for more than 30 years. She has a master’s degree in English literature and doctoral coursework in literature and interdisciplinary arts, focusing on Modernism, the 20^th-century avant-garde, and the theory and rhetoric of aesthetic movements.

Her interest in silver was sparked by a reference to Hester Bateman in the Kovels’ syndicated antiques column of her local newspaper. That spark grew into a wildfire as she applied her skills in research and analysis of texts to the study and interpretation of physical objects, seeking in particular to understand silver as a multivalent artifact of material culture.

Her research focus today is on the history of women in the silver trade and she collects 18th-century English silver by women silversmiths. She is also working on a genealogical survey of silver and Old Sheffield Plate produced by Law silversmiths in England, Ireland, and Scotland. She is a full member of the Silver Society (U.K.), the world’s foremost organization for the study and appreciation of silver, and her articles on silver connoisseurship and appraisal practice have appeared in Silver Magazine (U.S.) since 2018. She is also a frequent public speaker on topics related to silver, decorative arts, antiques, and collectibles.

During COVID, Carolyn began planning her retirement from the academy and started looking for ways to monetize her personal interests using the professional training and skills she already possessed. She found the perfect match in personal property appraising and the perfect opportunity in the ISA education program of courses and credentialing. She has been an involved member of ISA since 2022 and is currently working toward achieving the Accredited Member designation.

Carolyn’s expertise in silver is sought out by regional and national appraisal firms, solo generalist appraisers, dealers, and museum curators around the country. Recent appraisals have run the gamut from Colonial American coin silver and noteworthy MCM flatware to 18^th-century English sterling, Old Sheffield Plate, and world silver of Europe, Russia, India, and Mexico.

Instructor(s)

Carolyn L Law

ISA Member since April 2023

Appraisals, research, and related services for individuals, institutions, and the antiques trade in northern Illinois and Chicagoland. Specializing in silver, antiques, furnishings, and decorative arts.

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