ABOUT AVES APPRAISAL, VALUATION & ESTATE SERVICES

Aves Appraisal offers individually designed valuation services, made to respond directly to our client's needs.

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We are independent and objective.

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Given our experience and membership in professional appraisal organizations we're able to draw upon a large field of knowledge, skills and experience as needed. 

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Edward is a member of the International Society of Appraisers with the Accredited Member designation, a member of the New England Appraiser's Association, several estate planning councils and specialty collector organizations.

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ABOUT EDWARD KITSON:

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Tell me about your background! What’s the path you took to get to AVES? 

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I'm a native New Englander and  I always enjoyed history and the stories told by objects. My first career was as a working archaeologist, primarily in the Northeastern United States but with a few years of experience in the Pacific Northwest. While I had a couple areas of deep specialty as a working archaeologist, I never really knew what any project would hold. As result I was compelled to become a generalist which has proven useful in the appraisal business. It was really great training in how to apply material culture analysis skills to a wide variety of situations.

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After many years of archaeology I took a position helping a struggling non-profit ramp up their fund-raising sales in a boutique thrift store environment. We started with a small resale operation, just a few sales a year. I refocused my material culture skills on a more recent range of goods. Within a few years we grew it into a multiple location and online business, responsible for raising over $500,000 every year, covering more than one-third of operations costs. In the meantime I co-wrote an award winning blog about the goods we handled.

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After 10 years I decided it was time to stretch my skills, so I joined the team of the Pacific Northwest's most respected high value antique, estate sales and appraisal firm. I was very fortunate and got to work with some of the finest antiques and objects of virtue. I worked with everything from Assyrian cylinder seals through collectible glass like Tiffany and Chihuly, fine china, art work, books and pretty much all residential contents.

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It was a great operation and I'm thankful for the opportunity to work with such fascinating items and people.

 

Being originally from New England I have a lot of family and connections here so it was a natural fit to come back.

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Since then I started my appraisal business; one with a northeast regional focus. I've had the honor of working on fine estates, presidential owned material, early printed books and a fun project assessing the collection of a small but amazing public institution.

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What do you love most about your job? 

 

I love that it's not predictable, the variety of objects I see and discovering the stories that they can tell. Sometimes it can be relatively mundane, like the sales slips from the family store of a man who later won an Academy Award but which he kept for over 70 years. Sometimes it's simply the tales told by the family, like how mom was a spy for the French resistance. Other times it's working with one of a kind museum quality pieces. My most favorite recent project is helping a collector rediscover the story of a early 20th century female artist as I researched the history of a family heirloom.

 

Do you have any volunteer/non-profit experience?

 

In addition to the ten years I spent working for a small non-profit and helping their partner agencies I've volunteered my time and expertise with valuing and handling items for several organizations.

I currently volunteer for a small thrift store that does great work for a local hospital. It has amazing stuff, staff and greatly under appreciated potential.

I volunteer with my local historical society, helping shape the future of educational exhibits and displays.

I am also participating as a volunteer in an ongoing archaeological research project that is focused on identifying and studying settlements from the early to mid-1600's in coastal Maine.

Finally, I am part of a key committee for one of the premier national appraisal organizations.

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