About Nora

Growing up, my parents' hobby was antique collecting. Weekend countryside drives with them to auctions and shops, from infancy on, was my early exposure to the world of antiques and collectibles. Unwittingly, I learned the trade by osmosis.

After graduating with a BA from a private liberal arts college in the mid-90’s, I ran a $1 Million dollar wine cellar at a fine dining restaurant in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

In the late 1990’s I moved to Los Angeles, California to 'work in the wine business', there, I managed the wine program at a very popular, highly rated restaurant in the Valley. By sheer happenstance, a Hollywood movie producer who was dining with his wife, offered me a job at his movie offices only a few blocks from my bungalow on Laurel and Melrose. I went from Executive Assistant to Creative at the film company. It was during that time I learned something about myself - that I enjoyed being in museums, art galleries, auction houses, antique stores and junk shops more than being in the 'movie biz' and working with actors.

So to convert my passion into a profession I moved to London, England where I studied at Christie’s Auction House. In 2002, I finished top of my class at Christie's in their post-graduate program on Connoisseurship of Antiques and Fine Art: Renaissance through Contemporary. In 2003 I moved to Manhattan, where I immersed myself in *THE* international Art World scene working in galleries, auction houses, 2 magazine publications, fine art storage, logistics and transportation, and representation of contemporary artists, all while also maintaining a regular schedule of treasure hunting at the donation stores to sell items online.

For nearly 3 decades I have studied, researched, authenticated, valued, sold, brokered and handled hundreds of thousands of fine art paintings, antiques, collectibles and luxury goods.

After 9 years in NYC, I moved back to the quiet idyll of the Pennsylvania countryside to help take care of my mother. In October 2012 I was appointed an 'expert' in the antiques and appraisals categories of an online answer platform. Over a decade later, I have provided hundreds of thousands of online valuations for clients from every corner of the world.

In 2015, I became USPAP, or Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, compliant through the American Appraiser's Association in NYC. I renew my USPAP compliancy with a course every two years. In 2016, after another series of examination courses, I became a member of the International Society of Appraisers. Five years later, I passed another series of courses and exams to attain Accredited Member level with the ISA. I am also a member of the Association of Online Appraisers.

I am qualified to provide standard appraisal reports that adhere to guidelines set forth by the IRS.

I offer expert personal property appraisal services for estates, including IRS-taxable; divorce; bankruptcy; liquidation; insurance coverage; IRS charitable donations; damage claims; equitable distribution to heirs; downsizing; and financial planning, as well as online identification and valuations of objects, live valuation events and in person presentations on the how to identify antiques in your own.