Program

Continuing Education

We Thank Our Silver Sponsors!

The Conference is valid for 6 CE credits per day.
You may access your Certificate of Attendance by logging into your profile on our website after the Conference. 

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Blake Gopnik, Art Critic and Historian
Andy Warhol’s career provides a fascinating case study for appraisers because of his ability to crossbreed aesthetic and commercial concerns. Gopnik will discuss Warhol’s prescient notion of ‘Business Art’  and his ideas about art and its role in the market — and the market’s role in the making of art.

*Only audio will be streamed, with no visual component. This session will NOT be recorded*
 

9:30 A.M. - 10:30 A.M. EST
 
 

Chinese Contemporary Art: Post-Mao Era to the Present 
The panelists will discuss the art world in mainland China after the passing of Chairman Mao in 1976. Panelists will share with attendees the environment of making art, the platforms that emerged for exhibiting art and the relevance that the audience found when engaging with it. 

Carolyn Hsu, Collector
Philip Tinari, UCCA Center for Contemporary Art
Craig Yee, Director, Ink Studio
Moderator: Dorinda Elliott, Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies

Coffee Break 10:30 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. EST

Sponsored by

11:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. EST

Sponsored by

Betty Krulik Fine Art, Limited 

12:00 P.M. - 1:00 P.M. EST



 

Influential Women in 20th Century Design 
Explore the far-reaching influence of women in 20th century design, how their aesthetic conventions shaped the Mid-Century Modern movement, and their impact on Postmodernism. The panel will survey renowned and newly appreciated designers, objects associated with the movement, and the major auction houses, dealers, and collectors who drive the market. There will be a discussion of market trends, collector demographics, and gallery vs auction realized prices. A question and answer session will follow.

Megan Whippen, RAGO | WRIGHT
James Zematis, R and Company
Moderator: Laurel Porcelli, AAA, Founder and Principal Appraiser, Artisan Advisory Group

Lunch 1:00 P.M. - 2:15 P.M. EST
Sponsored by

 

Networking Luncheon, Award Presentation and Appraisers Association Update

Michael Capo, AAA: Recipient of the 2023 Belmont Society Award

Mexico Silver: Roots to Revival
Creating a historical overview of Mexican silver design, from its pre-Columbian origins and historical revival, culminating with contemporary examples from well-known designers such as Fred Davis, William Sprawling, Hector Aguilar, Matilde Poulat, and Antonio Pineda. This lecture will weave market analysis, identification pitfalls, and history to create a comprehensive narrative on Mexican silver. 

Maranda Moran, Vice President and Mexican Silver Specialist, John Moran Auctioneers

Sponsored by Appraisals and Collection Management Services LLC

Van Gogh: An Adventure of a Lady of Letters
Malinowski will recount her discovery of a cache of long-lost Vincent Van Gogh letters. The letters, replete with drawings, were found in the most unlikely place and the story that followed is nothing short of extraordinary. 

Marsha Mailnowski, President, Marsha Malinowski Fine Books & Manuscripts LLC

2:15 P.M. - 3:15 P.M. EST

Sponsored by

Contextualizing Condition: Andy Warhol, Joan Mitchell, and Jean-Michel Basquiat
A conservator's understanding and knowledge of the techniques and typical conditions of an artist's work impact how we interpret the condition and "health" of artworks. As appraisers and conservators work together on assessments, knowing what is the hand of the artist, an expected condition, or damage is key.

Suzanne Siano, Chief Conservator/Director, Modern Art Conservation

*This session will not be streamed, nor recorded*

Coffee Break 3:15 P.M. - 3:30 P.M. EST

Sponsored by

3:30 P.M. - 4:45 P.M. EST 

Sponsored by

Ask the IRS

Q&A forum with representatives from the IRS on recent changes, current issues, concerns and frequently seen errors.

Karin Gross, Special Counsel, IRS Office of Chief Counsel
Meredith Meuwly, Appraiser, IRS Art Appraisal Services
Moderator: Cynthia Herbert, AAA, President and Principal Appraiser, Appretium Appraisal Services

*This session will not be recorded, however it will be livestreamed*

Thursday, November 9, 2023

9:00 A.M - 9:30 A.M. EST

Keynote Speaker: Marc Porter, Chairman, Christie's Americas, Christie's
Expanding Dimensions of Provenance
2023 marks the 25th anniversary of the Washington Principles, the international agreement that opened a new era of restitution work and transparency with respect to the enduring and unresolved issue of assets lost or stolen during the Nazi period between 1933 and 1945.

The Principles are the foundation of Christie’s commitment to restitution matters  - our commitment to governance, scholarship and resolution -  Today, we will explore the history of how Christie’s confronts the vast challenge of looted but unrestituted property circulating now and in the future and the emerging discussion about the sources of wealth.

9:30 A.M. - 10:30 A.M. EST

 

Postwar Contemporary Fine Art Mid-Market 
Amidst todays changing art market, the Postwar and Contemporary middle market has remained a bread and butter sector among auction houses, collectors, dealers and art advisors. In this panel, we will discuss the current market for PCW works priced between $25,000 and $250,000, the market participants, and the role that increasing interest in artists not previously included in the art historical and art market cannon has played.

Meredith Hilferty, Rago | Wright
Lowell Pettit, Pettit Art Partners
Louis Stern, President, Louis Stern Fine Arts
Moderator: Deborah G. Spanierman, AAA, President, DGS Fine Art Consultants, Inc.

11:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. EST

American Furniture: The Current State of the Market
Esteemed panelists John Hays (Christie's), Stuart and Liz Feld (Hirschl and Adler Galleries) and Andrew Holter (Nye and Co.), will give an overview of the market in the past 20 years. They will also explore what is currently happening in the high end and middle markets, the causes of market changes, and projections for the future of the market.

Elizabeth Feld, Director, Furniture & Decorative Arts, Hirschl & Adler
Stuart Feld, President and Director,  Hirschl & Adler
Andrew Holter, COO & Director of Business Development, Nye & Company Auctioneers and Appraisers
Moderator: John Hays, Deputy Chairman, Americas, Christie's 
 

12:00 P.M. - 1:00 P.M. EST

Conversation with a Collector
Dr. Thomas Kaplan is, with his wife Daphne Recanati Kaplan, the founder of the Leiden Collection, the most important private collection of Dutch painting of the Golden Age in the world. With its core of works by Rembrandt, and paintings by every significant artist of the era, the collection is remarkable for its scholarly, educational, and philanthropic endeavors. Old Master dealer and former Appraisers Association of America President Robert Simon will discuss with Dr. Kaplan the genesis of the collection, the passions and principles that inform it, and his view of the market for Old Master paintings and the art world in general.

Dr. Thomas Kaplan, Founder, The Leiden Collection
Robert Simon, AAA, Robert Simon Fine Art

Lunch 1:00 P.M. - 2:15 P.M. EST

 

Recipients of this year's awards are:

Karen T. Bacon, AAA: President's Award
Christopher Vroom: Director's Award
Mee-Seen Loong, AAA: Education Award
Benjamin Farina, AAA: Regional Award
Patricia Hickson: Student Award

2:15 P.M. - 3:15 P.M. EST

Sponsored by

Codex Sassoon and Hebrew Bibles – A Market Overview
In 2023, Sharon Liberman Mintz, Senior Judaica Specialist, Sotheby’s, researched and catalogued the most expensive book ever sold at auction, Codex Sassoon: the earliest most complete Hebrew Bible. In this talk, Ms. Mintz will discuss the history of the Codex Sassoon and provide an overview of the market for other Hebrew Bibles, with a focus on those that appraisers might come across in their practice.

Sharon Liberman Mintz, International Senior Specialist Judaica, Sotheby's

2:15 P.M. - 3:15 P.M. EST


Sponsored by

Non-Glass Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany is justifiably famous for his extraordinary creations in art glass, leaded windows and lamps, but this is only part of his artistic story.
This lecture will shine a light on his technical and aesthetic achievements in media as diverse as metal, pottery, enamel and wood. We will discuss historical and cultural influences on his designs, as well as Tiffany's restless sense of innovation and how he presented his work to the buying public.

Benjamin Macklowe, President, Macklowe Gallery

Post War Studio Ceramics
*Due to unforeseen circumstances, this session has been cancelled*

Coffee Break 3:15 P.M. - 3:30 P.M. EST

Sponsored by

Define Your Definitions- How to Choose the Correct Valuation for an Assignment 
Jay and Susan will discuss the nuances of Fair Market Value and explore the complexity of using FMV in the real world. Ample time will be allotted for Q & A and discussion. 

Jay Grimm, AAA, Jay Grimm Art Advisory
Susan McDonough, AAA, McDonough Fine Art Appraisals, LLC / Art Valuation Audit, LLC