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Your appraiser, Chad Erichsen
Welcome to Main Street Americana. Chad specializes in antique appraisals including but not limited to advertising, art pottery, toys, and glass bottles.
Inspired by his grandfather in Ohio taking him to country auctions, Chad has worked in the collectibles market for over two decades. Chad works with Auction Charleston Antique Mall and is a Certified Appraiser of the Asheford Institute of Antiques. He is an Advisory Board member and contributor for Antique Trader Magazine. He recently published an article in 2019 entitled, “State of the Union for Collecting Coca-Cola".
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Why an appraisal?
Do you want to donate your item to a museum or another collector?
If your item is particularly valuable and you want to donate it to a third party, you will likely need to know the item's fair market value. Fair market value is the price at which property would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller in today's market. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) often requires a qualified appraisal for items of a certain value. You should contact the IRS for specific details. (see Full Insurance "Replacement" Appraisal)
Do you have a valuable collection or an estate that you want to insure?
To get insurance on your valuable collectibles, you may need to know exactly how much they’re worth. An appraisal will let the insurance company know how much it will cost to replace your items if they are lost, stolen, or damaged. For this purpose you will need to know the likely retail replacement value of your item. This is considered the highest amount that would be required to replace a particular item with another item of similar age, quality, origin, appearance provenance, and condition. (see Full Insurance "Replacement" Appraisal)
Have you inherited a valuable item and want to know it's value for taxes?
If you inherited family heirlooms, you may need to have them appraised for the “date-of-death” value. This value may be needed later to calculate capital gains taxes if you decide to sell the collectibles.
(see Full Insurance "Replacement" Appraisal)
Do you have a valuable item and want
to know it's value before selling it?
If you’re looking to sell your valuable vintage Coca-Cola item, you will need to know how much to charge, and potential buyers may want to know how the item’s value was determined. Fair market value is the price at which property would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller in today's market. (see Simple Appraisal)
What kind of items do we appraise?
Choose the right appraisal for you.
Furniture
Advertising
Posters
Toys
Lighting
Art Pottery
Crockware
Ephemera
Civil War Items
Any household item . . .
The Simple Appraisal for one appraised item.
You receive a single page PDF format report stating:
Estimated Value, Date of Appraisal, Item Appraised Description, Measurements, Material, Country of Creation, Manufacturer, Estimated value if sold retail,
Photo of (1) Appraised Item.
Timeframe: 1-2 business days
Price: 19.99 USD
The Full Insurance Appraisal for one appraised item
You receive a multi-page page PDF format report along with a signed printed report stating — Letter of Transmittal, Appraised Work with Photograph, Narrative Analysis, Comparable, Certificate of Appraisal, Certification of Appraisal, Disclaimer: Assumptions and Limiting Conditions, Definitions & Abbreviations, and Curriculum Vitae.
Timeframe: 5 business days
Price: 49.99 USD
Gather the needed information.
Photos
Attach multiple pictures of the front, back, corners, edges, and anything else helpful.
Dimensions
Please include the exact dimensions of the object. Height, width, and depth.
Description
Add any additional remarks you wish to make regarding issues or concerns about the object.
Markings
If possible include any copyright or manufacturer marks that are present on the object.
