About Us (Appraisal Services)
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Bob Bortner and Larry Straka have been appraising a wide range of personal property since 2016, with emphasis on Estate Liquidations and Valuations. We have experience working as an appraiser in personal property, estate, divorce, bankruptcy, insurance and business appraisals. Although our focus is with residential content, we also have experience with residential and light agricultural machinery, motor vehicles and tools. We can also advise clients on strategies for maximizing the value of the sale of their personal property. Both Bob and Larry are members of the Certified Appraisers Guild of America (CAGA) and have established a deep reputation for honesty, integrity, and professionalism among their peers. Their appraisals closely adhere to the Uniform Standards for Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and are admissible in court.
Our Experience
Together Bob Bortner and Larry Straka have more than 50 years of experience collecting and trading a wide range of American, Asian and European antique and vintage collectibles, toys, stamps and coins, and furniture. They currently own and operate Bear & Raven Antiques, specializing in Chinese, Japanese, English and American ceramics, jewelry, silver and silver plate, glass, as well as other antique and vintage collectibles. Bear & Raven Antiques has shops on leading online platforms, including Ruby Lane, Catawiki, Etsy and eBay. Larry and Bob have experience purchasing and selling collectibles regionally, throughout the US and internationally through estate sales, online and physical retail antique shops, trade shows, and local and national auction houses, including Bonham’s in San Francisco and Christie's in New York. Larry and Bob also maintain a broad network of collectors and specialists in a variety of fields. Bob also has over 30 years’ sales, marketing and business management experience in the software, retail and online sectors.
Hablamos español (e português und deutsch)
About CAGA certification
The Certified Appraisers Guild of America (CAGA) is a professional accrediting organization providing certification of personal property appraisers. The Guild has been instrumental in helping to standardize the personal property appraisal profession. The members of the Certified Appraisers Guild form a network of valuable appraiser contacts throughout the United States and Canada. Each member has completed the course work required to be certified by the Guild. Each CAGA member is required to complete extensive training on the professional standards of personal property appraisal practice and appraisal report writing. Special areas of emphasis in training include Internal Revenue Service appraisal requirements, estate and gift appraisals, charitable donation appraisals, bankruptcy appraisals, insurance appraisals, appraisals for divorce, and casualty loss appraisals. Also presented during the two-day certification course is a courtroom expert witness seminar with special emphasis on appraisals for courts and testifying in court. These qualifications provide a level of professionalism that is unmatched, and ensure the public that appraisals performed by an accredited appraiser are among the most reliable appraisals available.