Watch
video of Dr. Lori now talking about stolen art,
Royal Doulton figurines, and inexpensive insurance coverage.
Video courtesy CBS 3 TV.
Protecting Your Property from Theft #4
& #5 (below)
Protecting Your
Property from Theft #1 - #3 (previous)
Email page to a friend
Protecting
your Personal Property - Dr. Lori's Tips
As a certified antiques appraiser and an established scholar on the subject of art and antiques, I have heard many stories about valuable works of art, antiques, and valued collectibles—some good and some bad.
To help you protect your personal property from theft, I’ll share with you, here, some of the real life stories. This advice results from the experiences of others who have suffered a loss from personal property theft.
4. Don’t Leave it without Proof
If you decide to consign your antiques, art, or collectibles to a dealer or an auction house, take a photograph first and get a detailed receipt for the item before you leave it in their care. Document condition of the item on the photograph and make sure someone of authority at the establishment signs, dates, and prints his or her name on a receipt indicating their assumption of authority for your property.
Ask about any insurance terms or the businesses coverage if your item is lost or damaged while in their care. I have heard numerous stories of how an object does not sell at the auction or in a shop and then suddenly, that object is somehow lost. The consigner is told that they have no recourse because they don’t have any proof regarding the specific item. I have heard some people recount that when this happened to them, the consignee wanted to see a receipt demonstrating that the piece was left with them in the first place.
If your car mechanic lost your car when it was in the shop, we’d expect them to be responsible for the loss. It’s
don’t leave it up to the dealership or the auction house to protect your items. Protect yourself--snap a picture, document the condition, and get a signed receipt.
5. Don’t Auction your Address
Many people enjoy their part time online auction business as they happily sell that old coffee grinder and make a few extra bucks. For you online auctioneers, be sure that you know the actual value of your objects before you post them as the online marketplace is not always an accurate indicator of value and don’t publicize that your late Aunt Polly’s Staffordshire platter which you are trying to sell online is currently residing at your home address.
If you frequently sell online, others that have your address could get ideas of skipping the auction process and paying you a visit as in
tip #3. If you accept checks or money orders for your online sales, get a post office box. The post office box will save you from advertising to the online world the actual location of your expensive offerings.
If you missed it, in Part I of this article, I outlined other
tips about how to protect your property from theft when hosting yard
sales and going on vacation.
Dr. Lori
Director
Masterpiece Technologies Inc.
