When Sharon Sly’s aunt died in June 2013, she found herself in all new territory as trustee of her relative’s Northern California estate.
“They had quite a collection of things in their home,” including a 1970s painting worth $17,000, Sly said of her aunt. After doing some research, Sly and family members found Clars Auction Gallery, an Oakland, Calif.-based art appraisal and sales firm. And it turned out they had recently opened a Northwest regional office in Vancouver.
“That worked out perfect,” said Sly, who lives in Portland. “If it would have all had to be done long distance, it would have been a very different experience. I thought it was a very personal experience.”
Sly worked with Jan Krane, an appraiser of fine art who heads up the local Clars office.
The Vancouver office at 500 W. Eighth St. was established last spring and serves as a central location for its appraisers who travel all over the Pacific Northwest to evaluate items for auction.
Sitting in his office, an 1898 golden French clock on his desk, pricey paintings in boxes to be opened and bookshelves filled with literature on antiques, Krane said business has been good. It’s so good, Krane said, that he’s ready to expand and wants to open a 20,000-square-foot auction house in Vancouver that would serve Oregon, Washington and Idaho.
“We have a lot of work to do setting up an auction house here,” said Krane, who picked Vancouver over Seattle or Portland “because I live here.” Krane said the plan is to open within the next year.
Clars specializes in higher-end items such as jewelry, paintings, furniture, glassware and pottery. Krane said the business, which advertises on the PBS Antiques Roadshow, has pulled in $270,400 in sales in the past eight months, or about $35,000 a month.
“We’re trying to build up clientele for people to know that we’re here,” Krane said. In addition to the house calls that Clars makes, sending out experts to appraise items for auction, the local company trucks items from the Northwest once a month to Oakland, Calif. to be auctioned off. Krane said the truck is full most months.
Once Clars sets up a local auction house, Krane said he’ll pick a weekend there is not an auction in Oakland and hold one in Vancouver. He said at first he will likely use auctioneers from Oakland, but eventually he’ll look for local workers.
“I think there is enough talent in the area, especially in Portland,” he said.
Leonard Smith, owner of West Coast Antiques in Portland, which also serves Vancouver, said there is a need in the region for this type of business. Smith has been in the antique business for 42 years.
“The Portland, Oregon, metro area has very few auction houses,” he said. “I think there’s room for several up here.”
He said a lot of people are not getting the money they could for their items.
“An auction house would help it,” he added.
Sly said her experience with Clars was positive and that Krane answered all her questions.
“I had quite a few,” she said. “It was my first (estate appraisal) experience.”
