Estate Appraisers - Meet the Experts

Carol Lee received her bachelor’s degree in Art History from Baylor University and a graduate degree in American Fine and Decorative Arts from Sotheby’s Institute of Art in New York. She then held a position as Studio Manager for a contemporary painter in New York. Following a move to California in 2005, Carol Lee served as Gallery Director for Joseph Bellows Gallery for five years, becoming a specialist in fine art photography spanning the history of the medium. She then held a position as a Specialist at Julien’s Auctions, focusing on photographs, high-profile celebrity estates, and entertainment memorabilia. In 2012, she founded an independent art advisory and appraisal firm, guiding and supporting clients through the process of art collecting and providing professional collection and appraisal services to both private collectors and corporate clients.  

Carol Lee joined Heritage Auctions Appraisal Services in 2020 as Senior Appraiser, preparing formal appraisals for 40 specialist categories. In March 2021, she became the Director of Appraisal Services.  

Carol Lee is a member of the Appraisers Association of America and successfully completed a 15-hour course and examination on the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) in 2013, and 7-hour update courses in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2020, effective through December 2022. Carol Lee serves on the board of Medium Photo in San Diego and is a member of the Photographic Arts Council Los Angeles.

Samantha graduated from Texas A & M University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in History with a minor in Museum Studies. As part of her minor, she interned at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in the Prints and Drawings Department. Samantha joined Heritage Auctions in 2018 as a Cataloger in the Movie Posters Department. In March of 2020 she joined Appraisal Services as an Appraisal Coordinator. Samantha completed a 15-hour course and examination on the Uniform Standards of Profession Appraisal Practice (USPAP) in 2021.

Sadie Howe joined Heritage Auctions in 2022 after working as an appraiser at several different companies and also consulting independently with clients. Prior to that, she received her bachelor’s degree in Art History from Boston University and a graduate degree in History of Decorative Arts from Parsons School of Design. In 2017, she received a certificate of Appraisal Studies from SUNY Purchase.  

As a Generalist Appraiser preparing formal appraisals for Heritage, Sadie has experience appraising all types of property, with specialization in 20th century decorative arts. She is an Accredited Member of the Appraisers Association of America. Additionally, Sadie has completed a 15-hour course and examination on the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) in 2015 & 2019, along with update courses in 2021 that are effective through 2023.

Roberta Kramer is a 25-year veteran of the art and antiques world. Before beginning her career in auctions, she spent two years curating for the Ben Uri Art Society in London. Returning stateside, Roberta served as Gallery Director for J. Rosenthal Fine Art until her interest in Continental Antiques led her to a management position at Rita Bucheit, Ltd. In 1992, with her extensive knowledge of fine art and antiques, Roberta started her auction career at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers as an account executive. In 1995, after taking a leave to found the Antiques Center at Kinzie Square, she was named Consignment Director of newly formed Chicago auction house, Susanin’s Auctions. While at Susanin’s she also managed the appraisal department and served as principal auctioneer alongside Sean Susanin. In 2001 she founded Roberta Kramer & Associates, Inc., a firm specializing in appraisals and art consulting. A recognized USPAP qualified appraiser and licensed auctioneer, Roberta has served as a charity auctioneer for numerous charities and has been a frequent contributor to Art & Antiques Magazine. 

Roberta joined HA in 2016, opening the first regional office in the Midwest for the company.  Along with her staff of specialists in multiple areas of collecting, she serves the Chicago and greater midwestern region of the country.

Elyse Luray served as the Vice President, Auctioneer and department head of Collectibles for Christie’s for more than 10 years after earning a degree in art history from New Orleans’ Tulane University. Since then she has collaborated and consulted with a number of specialty auction houses, handling high-profile auctions ranging from antique toys to sports collectibles and fine wine. The roster of important private collections she has managed include the archives of Lucas Films, DreamWorks, Fox Studios, Jimi Hendrix, Muhammad Ali, Eric Clapton, Marilyn Monroe, and Mickey Mantle. Elyse is also the nationally-recognized host of numerous television programs on collectibles, such as HGTV’s "If Walls Could Talk" and "The Longest Yard Sale," as an appraiser on PBS’s "Antiques Roadshow" and as a permanent cast member of its popular "History Detectives." She quickly earned roles as host of "Collection Intervention" on the Syfy network, "Treasure Seekers" on VOOM!, and as a collectibles expert on "The Nate Berkus Show" and "Clean House NY!" as well as several appearances on morning television programs. She is also an author, speaker and a licensed auctioneer in New York. A member of the Appraisers Association of America, Elyse is a USPAP-certified appraiser of Entertainment memorabilia and a preferred appraiser for both the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies and Encompass Insurance.

Nick Dawes began his career in his native England and brings over forty years of experience in the antiques and fine art auction business. He emigrated to New York in 1979 and has pursued his career there as an auctioneer, appraiser, author, lecturer, and antiques dealer. Nick is a former Department Head and auctioneer at Phillips and at Sotheby’s in New York and has organized his own auctions at several prominent auction houses.  He held annual exhibitions of Lalique glass hood ornaments at the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance for over twenty years since 1993 and is considered this country’s leading authority on the work of Rene Lalique. Nick is the author of four standard works on decorative arts, together with scores of articles, and lectures widely internationally.  He has been a faculty member of Parsons School of Design since 1984 and has taught Luxury Marketing at Columbia Business School and courses on English and French furniture at Bard Graduate Center. Nick is active within many charitable organizations and is the former Chairman and CEO of Salmagundi, the oldest artist’s club in New York City founded in 1871.  He first appeared as an appraiser on "Antiques Roadshow" for PBS in the second ever broadcast of the show, and has appeared regularly ever since, discussing ceramics, glass, silver, and other decorative arts.

Carolyn Mani's background includes twenty-four years of experience in both live and online auctions, as well as an extensive background in appraising and vetting Furniture and Decorative Arts, Fine Art, Collectibles, Musical Instruments and Entertainment Memorabilia. 

Prior to joining Heritage, Carolyn was Director and Auctioneer at Bonhams (Butterfields).  She oversaw the estate department for more than ten years, established a proven track record in working with large consignments and institutions and was an accredited member of the International Society of Appraisers (ISA). She is currently a certified USPAP appraiser.  

Most recently, she has brought to auction the celebrity estates of Shirley Temple Black, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Trini Lopez and Phyllis McGuire with outstanding white glove results. 

As an auctioneer she has raised millions of dollars and provided auction services to numerous charities including John Wayne Cancer Society, Stars for a Cause, The LOOC foundation, Wheels for Humanity, The Beverly Hills Bar Association Barristers, The Chrysalis Foundation, Project Angel Food, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, The Chuck Jones Center for Creativity, Ed Asner Family Foundation and many others.

Prior to joining Heritage Auctions, Ana Wroblaski has been involved in the jewelry business on various levels since 1999. Born in Chicago and raised in Los Angeles, she joined John Moran Auctioneers in Pasadena during 2011 to take charge of their growing jewelry department. Previously, Ana spent five years at Bonham’s and Butterfield’s Los Angeles, first starting as assistant to the senior specialist before she was promoted to a specialist, appraising and cataloging jewelry that ranged from antique to modern.

Once Ana got a taste of working with precious metals on her own, she served as an apprentice with a master jeweler in the Downtown Los Angeles Jewelry District. Focusing on minerals and gems, she then went on to fabricate and design jewelry for her own line and others as well. Ana is a Graduate Gemologist, earning her diploma from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), an Accredited Jewelry Professional (AJP) and is constantly continuing her education by attending workshops and seminars to stay abreast of treatments, new mine discoveries and current style trends in the jewelry world.  

Ana has earned and stays current with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), and is currently working on the accreditation curriculum with the American Society of Appraisers (ASA).

Sebastian is the Managing Director for Heritage Auctions, Palm Beach office. With over 25 years of experience in the auction industry, be has served as a Senior Vice President at Doyle Auctioneers and Appraisers and the Director of the English and Continental Furniture and Decorative Arts department, Specialist in the European Furniture department at Sotheby’s, Director of the English and Continental furniture department at Freeman’s and as Director of Trusts and Estates at Rago Auctions. Sebastian is a featured appraiser on the hit PBS show Antiques Roadshow and has been for the past 15 years. He is regularly featured as a specialist in furniture, decorative arts, sculpture and metalwork and silver. Mr. Clarke is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Appraisers Association of America. He is a USPAP compliant certified member of the association. For more than 20 years Sebastian has served as an auctioneer for major auction houses, non-profits, charities, schools and other 501c organizations throughout the United States.

Katherine Van Dell is a jewelry specialist and Gemological Institute of America graduate gemologist. Katherine is Director of Jewelry for Heritage and Co-Director of Heritage’s Palm Beach office. She began her career in Philadelphia at Freeman’s. She later joined Rago Auctions and was instrumental in departmental growth as head of the jewelry. Katherine then joined Doyle as a Vice President and jewelry specialist based out of Palm Beach, Florida. As a specialist, Katherine is constantly informed by her understanding of basic construction, aesthetics, and historical context. A graduate of the Tyler School of Art at Temple University, Katherine studied metalwork, bench craft and art history in her undergraduate studies and later obtained her graduate gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America. Katherine regularly speaks and writes on a broad range of topics relating to jewelry and the history of jewelry. Katherine and her husband Sebastian Clarke, also an Antiques Roadshow appraiser, reside with their family in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Jacco Scheper started collecting coins and stamps in 1977 at the age of 7. After graduating from the famous international Business University Nijenrode in 1991, Jacco held various management positions. In 1996 he and Huib Pelzer acquired coin show organizer MPO, and eventually transformed it into an auction and trading company. MPO held its first auction in 1999. Within a few years MPO became the leading auction house for coins, banknotes and stamps in the Netherlands, and expanded its auction activities to other collectibles from 2011 onwards. In 2015 MPO’s superb reputation for integrity and expertise caught the attention of the owners of Heritage Auctions, which acquired MPO and its entire staff and rebranded it as Heritage Auctions Europe. 

In 2006 Jacco was voted onto the board of the NVMH (Dutch association of Coin Dealers), and elected President of the board in 2009, serving a 6 year term ending in 2012. In 2015 he became President again. Jacco also serves as one of the experts of the NVMH Committee for Numismatic Certification. He also served as a member of the board of SBN (Foundation to Promote Numismatics) from 2006 until 2015, is one of the judges of Krause's COTY (Coin Of The Year – Award), and holds memberships in TMV (Association for Registered Appraisers), Hobéon – recognized – and KGMPK (Royal Society for Coins and Medals).

Jacco is conversant in English, French, Dutch/Flemish and German.

Kenneth Yung joined Heritage Auctions as Director of Asian Operations after building a career in numismatics as one of the most active dealers in the Hong Kong and China markets. In addition to accepting consignments for upcoming Heritage auctions, he will be responsible for all Hong Kong office operations. Kenneth began to develop a strong interest in collecting older items as a child, which eventually led to collecting coins and banknotes during his high school years, and owning a retail business in Hong Kong during the 1990’s. He has been a full-time dealer since 2002 and PCGS, NGC & PMG authorized dealer since 2012. A committee member of the Hong Kong Numismatic Society and Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Stamp and Coin Dealer Association, Kenneth is the organizer of the Hong Kong International Numismatic Fair (HKINF), which is held each June and December.