| Carol Foster, ASA Foster Associates Serving Pittsburgh and the Tri State Region |
Appraisals By Appointment Only
Primary Phone: 724-287-4868
Education and Experience:
Carol Foster, ASA, was tested and certified by the American Society of Appraisers. In 1986 she received her “ASA” designation or (Accredited Senior Appraiser). Her designation specialties are: Antiques and Decorative Art and Residential Contents. Foster is one of very few appraisers in the Pittsburgh – Tri-State region with these credentials. Through academic studies and practical experience she has attained the competency to render appraisals in many categories of antiques, fine and decorative art, and household contents.
She performs appraisals for: Estate purposes – Insurance, estate tax, estate planning, equitable distribution, donation appraisals, and damage and loss appraisals.
Foster was trained by and apprenticed with the late Recco Luppino, a Fellow of the American Society of Appraisers, FSVA, and Fine Art Appraiser. She assisted Luppino with appraisals of important fine art paintings, furniture, sculptures, lithographs, Tiffany lamps, etc. Luppino was recognized for his comprehensive knowledge and many achievements within the appraisal profession. He was very highly regarded by fellow appraisers nationwide.
Foster has devoted over twenty-five years to the study of: Fine and Decorative Art – identification and valuation, furniture (Period to the Present), bronze and marble sculpture, American and Continental silver, American and European porcelain and pottery, American stoneware, objects of vertu, paintings on ivory and porcelain, handmade quilts, American coverlets, needlework samplers, American baskets, antique dolls and toys, etc.
Foster attended Valuation Courses offered by the American Society of Appraisers.
Foster completed the prestigious “Winter Institute”, an intense study program offered by Winterthur Museum, Delaware, in February 2002.
Following is a list of sites of conferences, seminars, workshops, exhibits, and/or museum lectures that Foster was in attendance:
- The Carnegie Institute of Fine Art, Pittsburgh, PA
- The Metropolitan Museum, New York, NY
- The National Gallery, Washington, DC
- The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
- The Chicago Institute of Art, Chicago, IL
- The Minneapolis Museum, Minneapolis, MN
- St. Louis Museum of Art, St. Louis, MO
- Los Angeles Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
- The J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, CA
- The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, Santa Fe, NM
- New Mexico Museum of Fine Arts, Santa Fe, NM
- The Harwood Foundation Museum, Taos, NM
- Hillwood Museum, Washington, DC
- The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, Winston Salem, NC
- Jackson Hole Museum, Jackson, WY
- The Cody Historical Center, Cody, WY
- The George Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, Toronto, Canada
- Seattle Art Museum
- Rhode Island Art Museum
- Rhode Island School of Design
- The University of Texas at Austin
- Winterthur Museum, Delaware
- Williamstown School of Conservation, Williamstown, MA
- DAR Museum, Washington, DC
- Textile Museum, Washington, DC
- The ASA Personal Property Conference, London, England
- The ASA Personal Property Conference, Brussels, Belgium
- The Museum of American Folk Art, New York, NY
- ASA Personal Property Annual Conference, Ireland
- RICS Arts and Antiques Annual Conference, Dublin, Ireland
- ASA – Italy Study Tour – Art – Architecture and Design (Florence, Venice & Milan) November 2008
Appraisal Assignments:
Foster has worked as an appraiser for the U. S. Marshal’s Service.
Foster was selected by Heinz USA to render an appraisal of the company’s memorabilia and archival treasures for insurance purposes. The Heinz USA Corporate Collection has been reported as one of the largest corporate collections in the world. This collection was donated to the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center in downtown Pittsburgh and is on display there at the present time.
Foster rendered a monumental antique dolls appraisal stated to be “one of the most important and valuable” private collections (in or out of any museum) in this country. This was a five million dollar collection! Antique dolls are one of Carol’s specialties.
Foster appraised the fine and decorative art objects at the Fox Chapel Golf Club and the entire collection of antique furniture, fine and decorative art at Hartwood Acres Mansion, Hartwood Acres Park, Pittsburgh, PA.
Carol recently conducted an appraisal for: “Family Circle” magazine. See May 2008 – Family Circle for article about antiques. Carol was one of the contributors.
Carol served as an appraiser at the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh for their presentation of “Pittsburgh Treasures” airing on KDKA.
International Committees of the American Society of Appraisers:
Foster has worked on the International Committees of the American Society of Appraisers including the Ethics Committee, the Personal Property Committee and the Public Relations Committee. In the past she has written articles for the ASA Newsline and more recently an article about the Andy Warhol Museum in the Personal Property Journal.
She worked as a past-president of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Society of Appraisers and a Board Member.
Foster keeps abreast of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).
