ABOUT US
Hobart Associates, Inc. is a comprehensive personal property appraisal company that understands complex valuation issues regarding personal property, from family heirlooms to large, high value art collections. We are committed to offering clients a combination of expertise, cost-effectiveness, service and confidentiality to protect their personal assets.
Kathryn Wilen Hobart, ASA
President, Hobart Associates, Inc.
Kathryn Hobart founded her first personal property appraisal company in 1982 with the concept of offering clients a complete service with expertise across the spectrum of fine and decorative art. As a senior member of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) for over thirty years, she sets the highest professional standards for the specialists who work with her. Hobart Associates, Inc. has appraised artworks and objects ranging from historic silver to a contemporary glass cupola on a church in Rome; from a rare early American chest on stand to works by important contemporary artists. Kathryn has also worked extensively on high volume appraisals of artist estates and corporate assets, and has a firm understanding of the concepts of blockage and sampling for fair value purposes.
Lisa Costa, ASA
Vice President
The valuation of a work of art or object depends on understanding style, technique and materials. Lisa Costa’s background in art history is enhanced by her experience as an artist. A senior member of the American Society of Appraisers with a specialization in Fine Art, Lisa takes pride in her attention to details and tenacious research skills. Joining Hobart Associates in 1995, she sees helping clients manage their art collections as a significant part of her role as an appraiser.
Liza Hickey, ASA
Liza has been with Hobart Associates since 2007, beginning at the para-professional level. She earned her Senior Appraiser designation in the American Society of Appraisers in 2015, with a specialization in Antiques and Decorative Arts. She holds a Master of Philosophy degree in Art History from the University of Glasgow, an intensive program under the auspices of Christie’s, London. She has a keen appreciation of the history of objects, and is a rigorous researcher of unusual items.
Elizabeth Conlan
Elizabeth Conlan has over 20 years experience appraising furniture and decorative arts. Prior to her placement at Hobart Associates in 2016, she worked at several auction houses, holding positions from Department Manager to Director of the Furniture Department. Elizabeth trained staff in cataloguing and brought the first online sale to fruition for specialty departments. Additionally, she has participated with museums and other institutions, coordinating onsite appraisal events. She holds a Masters of Philosophy degree in Furniture and Decorative Arts from the University of Glasgow.
Sven H.A. Bruntjen, Ph.D.
A specialist in Old Master paintings, sculpture, prints and drawings, and fine books, Sven has over thirty years experience as an appraiser-consultant and private art dealer. He has appraised library collections as diverse as California books, wine, flight and science, natural history, and Italian and Northern European graphics. Sven is also an author, lecturer and reviewer. He has contributed bibliographical background to sales catalogues of rare prints and books. Working on behalf of a private family, he led restitution efforts to reclaim World War II confiscated works on paper. He advises both private collections and public institutions on acquisition and deacquisition.
Consultants
Our associates bring both education and experience to the fields of fine art and decorative art. We further have developed a national network of specialists in fields as diverse as Asian art, ethnographic art, sports and entertainment memorabilia, intellectual property and wine. In the specialized area of jewelry, our gemologists travel to clients’ homes or banks with a portable laboratory in order to grade and identify jewelry on-site.
