Biography

Nancy has owned her own appraisal firm in Southern California for more than 25 years. She has extensive training and experience in the fields of American and European furniture, silver, ceramics, and glass. Her practice specializes in Insurance, Charitable Contribution, Dissolution, and Estates, with special emphasis on controversial issues such as loss claims, fraud, tax issues, and disputes. 

Nancy is a senior member of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), accredited in the areas of Antiques, Decorative Arts, and Residential Contents.  ASA is the oldest and only major appraisal organization representing all of the disciplines of appraisal specialists and maintains stringent mandatory continuing education and recertification requirements for its members that must be met every five years. Completion of these specific requirements is listed on Nancy's statement of qualifications.  To maintain ASA certification and to ensure familiarity with recent updates, Nancy successfully completes a USPAP update course and exam every five years.  The Uniform Standards of Appraisal Practice (USPAP) were established by the federal government in 1987 as a detailed list of minimum standards for appraisers, including the requirement that the appraiser act as a neutral, disinterested third party who reports the facts in an unbiased manner. All of Nancy’s appraisal reports include a signed and dated certification that these USPAP requirements have been fulfilled.  More information regarding USPAP can be found at www.appraisalfoundation.org. 

As an instructor and Advisory Committee member for the University of California, Irvine Appraisal Studies Program, and co-author of various ASA personal property courses and exams, Nancy maintains strong ties with current developments in the valuation profession. Nancy has co-authored and repeatedly taught two foundational Appraisal Studies core courses, and authored and taught the courses “Appraisers, Insurance & the Law” and “Appraising Antiques and Decorative Arts.” Additionally, Nancy has also co-authored the proficiency exams for both the Residential Contents and the Antiques and Decorative Arts disciplines of the ASA.  During the past 25 years, Nancy has served on ASA’s International Board of Examiners and Personal Property Committee, and in various offices for the Los Angeles Chapter of ASA, including President of the Board of Directors.

Additionally, Ms. Martin has held positions on the Board of Directors for the Decorative Arts Council at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), acted as a docent in the American Wing at the Huntington Library and Art Collections in San Marino, California for ten years, and sat on several Los Angeles area boards of advisors concerned with personal property, appraising, preservation and the arts.  Nancy’s continued community involvement ensures her access to other respected specialists and appraisers in highly specialized fields such as rare books, gems and jewelry, coins, sports memorabilia, and fine arts.