Articles & Guides from KC Auction & Appraisal Company
Auctions, appraisals, collections, estates, and inheritance are often discussed in terms of transactions and procedures. The reality is that they are also deeply personal experiences.
Over the years, we have worked with collectors, executors, families, attorneys, and advisors facing a wide range of questions. What is this worth? Should we sell it? Who will want it? What happens next? How do we avoid mistakes? Where do we even begin?
The KC Auction & Appraisal Company Blog & Resource Center was created to help answer those questions. Here you’ll find practical guidance on auctions and appraisals, insights into changing markets and collecting trends, personal reflections from serving as an executor, stories behind remarkable collections and discoveries, and educational resources designed to help buyers, sellers, and families make informed decisions.
Some visitors arrive looking for answers about estate administration. Others are researching a collection, considering a consignment, or simply trying to better understand the auction process. Whatever brings you here, our goal is to share the knowledge, experiences, and lessons we’ve gathered through decades of working with estates, collections, fine art, jewelry, coins, antiques, and historical objects.
We invite you to explore the categories below and discover the resources most relevant to your situation. When you’re ready, schedule a free consultation.
Featured Content
Our most impactful articles — the stories, guides, and insights that best represent who we are and what we do. Whether you’re new here or a returning reader, this is a great place to start.
The Appraisal Trap: The Most Dangerous Number in the Estate Business
The Appraisal Trap: The Most Dangerous Number in the Estate Business By Jason R. Roske "What is this worth?" This is by far the most common question we receive. We hear it in emails, direct [...]
Nothing Good Happens in Storage: The Real Cost of Waiting
Nothing Good Happens in Storage: The Real Cost of Waiting And the quiet risks of putting off the decision By Jason R. Roske I say this to clients all the time, and I don’t say [...]
The $100,000 Beer Can That Wasn’t
The $100,000 Beer Can That Wasn’t By Jason R. Roske Every auctioneer knows the feeling. You list something with modest expectations. It’s interesting, it’s collectible, but it’s not the headline piece. Then you receive an [...]
The Vintage Sparkle Revival: How Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and Changing Diamond Economics Are Driving New Interest in Estate Jewelry
The Vintage Sparkle Revival: How Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and Changing Diamond Economics Are Driving New Interest in Estate Jewelry By Jason R. Roske October 21, 2025 When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their [...]
Executor & Estate Guidance
Navigating an estate can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re also grieving.
Auction Education
We break down how bidding works, what the terms mean, and how to approach auctions with confidence.
All Recent Articles
Every Painting Has a Provenance. So Does Every Seller.
Every Painting Has a Provenance. So Does Every Seller. One recent email reminded me that the most important thing you evaluate before buying art isn't always the artwork itself. By Jason R. Roske - KC [...]
20 For 20: More Than an Art Auction – How Symphony in the Flint Hills Became Part of Me and the KC Auction Company
20 for 20: More Than an Art Auction How Symphony in the Flint Hills Became Part of Me and the KC Auction Company By Jason R. Roske 20 for 20 Note: This article is part [...]
The Appraisal Trap: The Most Dangerous Number in the Estate Business
The Appraisal Trap: The Most Dangerous Number in the Estate Business By Jason R. Roske "What is this worth?" This is by far the most common question we receive. We hear it in emails, direct [...]
Nothing Good Happens in Storage: The Real Cost of Waiting
Nothing Good Happens in Storage: The Real Cost of Waiting And the quiet risks of putting off the decision By Jason R. Roske I say this to clients all the time, and I don’t say [...]
The Next Caretaker: Why We Collect, and What Happens Next
The Next Caretaker: Why We Collect, and What Happens Next by Jason R. Roske I stood in a storage unit recently, surrounded by decades of thoughtful collecting. Paintings carefully stored, each separated with cardboard to [...]
20 For 20: The Woman Behind the Strings, The Dolores Hadley Marionette Auction
20 For 20: The Woman Behind the Strings, The Dolores Hadley Marionette Auction By Jason R. Roske There are house calls you remember because of the value.There are others you remember because of the people. [...]
What I Told a High Schooler About Finding Value in Antiques
What I Told a High Schooler About Finding Value in Antiques By Jason R. Roske Over the weekend, we received an email from a high school student named Adeline. She has been going to estate [...]
Updated: Start Low. No Reserve. Strong Prices.
Updated: Start Low. No Reserve. Strong Prices. By Jason R. Roske Why a $5 opening bid and no reserve matter more than ever in today’s auction environment I wrote about this topic not long ago, [...]