(L): Appraising Art: The Definitive Guide – Volume 2, 2024; (R): The Commonality of Humans Through Art: How Art Connects Mankind Through the Ages, 2024; Courtesy Lark Mason

Lark Mason, respected art expert, appraiser, and founder/CEO of iGavel Auctions, shares his extensive expertise as a contributing author in two significant new publications: Appraising Art: The Definitive Guide – Volume 2 and The Commonality of Humans Through Art: How Art Connects Mankind Through the Ages.

In Appraising Art, Mason authored two chapters—one on Chinese art and the other on export art—offering valuable insights for both seasoned professionals and art enthusiasts alike.

In The Commonality of Humans Through Art,  an ambitious and important work conceived by Stuart Handler, he contributed a chapter titled The World Around Us, which sums up the the collector and appraiser’s perspective of the scope of their roles. Mason reflects, “As appraisers, dealers, and collectors, we grapple with the fundamental questions—what, when, why, where, and how—surrounding the creative process and the physical objects that humans prize, which we call ‘art.’ We are called upon to decipher origin, condition and originality and to ascribe values using deductive reasoning and proofs about objects which are separated from the creating culture, person, or enterprise. Our expertise spans historical context, materials, purpose, originality, rarity, and market value, all while navigating the desire and yearning as we determine what to collect and where to find it. The Commonality of Humans Through Art goes beyond these technicalities, delving into the very essence of why we create and why we are drawn to the creations of others.”

To learn more about Appraising Art: The Definitive Guide – Volume 2 and preorder a copy, click here.

To learn more about The Commonality of Humans Through Art: How Art Connects Mankind Through the Ages and order a copy, click here.