<p>I inherited a large wood carving from my grandparents. I don’t have any background info other than it came from a church in the Philippines. I’ve always known it was old and visitors to our home have told us it looks very old. This summer, when we were in a museum in South America, DH pointed out some carvings that look similar in style to mine. They were dated back to the 18th century. Its piqued my interest. I know I’ll probably have to take it somewhere to have it looked at but where? Is there somewhere I can email a photo just to get started?</p>
<p>You might want to start by comparing it to pieces for sale online. Or your library or book store might have antique appraisal books. </p>
<p>I’m assuming you just want to know the general range of value and are not seeking an appraisal for insurance or legal reasons. Auction houses have appraisal clinics a couple of times a year – kind of like Antiques roadshow without the cameras. Go early to avoid ling lines. I’d avoid the super-high-end places; places that have a mix of high and more moderate sales are Bonhams and Heritage (among many others). You could also search auction sites for sales with similar items and then email photos to the specialist in charge of the particular sale. They could probably tell you at a glance if the piece has more than “decorative” value. Finally, you could search for a dealer of similar goods.</p>