Hi,
Thanks to all that responded. Have received much valuable
information.
Glen

Paul Monfils wrote:
>
> Glen,
>
> It can be very difficult to find a suitable appraisor.  It would have to
> be someone who knows both species and values exceptionally well.  A
> malacologist from a major museum might know the species well, but have
> little knowledge of current retail values.  Someone fairly local would
> be preferable, unless you want travel and lodging expenses added to the
> appraisal cost.  Appraising a large shell collection is a fairly
> time-consuming job.  It isn't like doing a walk-through appraisal of a
> home.  The appraisor cannot individually assess each specimen of course,
> or the job would take weeks.  So, it has to be someone who can overview
> a drawer, visually pick out and note any specimens of exceptional value
> (which means verifying the identification on the spot), approximate the
> number of specimens in the drawer, and make a reasonably accurate
> assessment of the average value of the remaining specimens in the
> drawer, considering not only species represented, but also apparent
> average quality.  For a drawer of volutes or cones, in which a number of
> specimens may have high value, this can take considerably longer than
> for a drawer of Nassariidae, where you can say "250 specimens at $1.00
> apiece - $250.00".  Of course, finding someone who is qualified to do it
> is only the first step.  In my experience, most people who are qualified
> to make such an appraisal simply don't have the time to do it, or are
> uninterested for other reasons.
>
> Paul M.