‘Market value’ is a central concept for Art and Antiques valuations. But many objects, classified as ‘Cultural Heritage’, destined to be handed down to future generations, demand a much broader and more comprehensive approach. They need special valuation techniques- and standards, and have to be understood in their own historical context and environment. Their ‘economic return’ may not be correctly defined by using only market value, but can be reflected in many different areas.

Although the more traditional items, like paintings and sculpture, are an important part of this fascinating category, we regularly value artworks as varied as fresco’s, architectonical decorations and sculpture, archives, religious patrimony, wooden ceilings, artistic construction work and so on. 

Our ‘Heritage’ valuations are designed to obtain workable, reliable and motivated figures that help the responsible management of such items and situations. It may serve for a possible sale, often for an appropriate insurance, to plan restorations or a fitting cultural and economical employment.

Frequently we establish a scientific inventory, and sometimes forgotten treasures surface again.

The valuation of these highly diverse and often rare objects involve real specialists in every field (rather than ‘generalists’) and the know-how and experience to coordinate often complex situations.  Vasaris has acquired much experience in this field, estimating on the artistic contents, fixed or mobile, of important villas and palaces, corporate, ecclesiastical and institutional collections, archives, museums and Historic Houses throughout Italy.

Vasaris handles the complex problems that come with Heritage Items, Historic Houses and Institutional collections. Apart from a thorough knowledge of both Art history and the ‘Market’, it requires the experience to organize the material and to program the various approaches in such a way that the result is a comprehensive and detailed assessment.

Vasaris operates according to the international standards for the valuation of historic buildings. These Accounting Standards Board guidelines are set out here: Download Vasaris IAS (Financial Reporting Standard 30 ‘Heritage Assets’).