One of the most difficult questions for a family preparing for an estate sale is also one of the simplest: How do we know what is actually valuable? In many homes, the most valuable objects are not necessarily the largest, oldest, or most impressive-looking items. A piece of furniture that has been carefully preserved for decades may have relatively modest resale value, while a small object sitting inside a drawer may deserve much closer attention. This is one reason families

An old team photograph purchased at a California estate sale for about $250 is now attracting national attention because researchers believe one of the young players pictured may be baseball legend Babe Ruth. The story is remarkable because the potential value being discussed reaches into the millions of dollars. But for homeowners preparing for an estate sale, the most useful lesson may have very little to do with Babe Ruth—or even with the eventual value of this particular

One of the greatest risks in an estate sale is not necessarily pricing an ordinary item a little too low. It is failing to recognize when an item deserves more research before a price is ever placed on it. A dispute involving an Oregon estate sale provides a striking example. According to reports surrounding the case, a number of Chinese paintings, scrolls, and rubbings were discovered among the contents of an estate. Some were reportedly priced and sold for amounts ranging