Carolyn Law is a personal property appraiser, independent researcher, published author, subject matter expert, and collector. She has completed training in professional appraisal practice, USPAP, and ethics and is a member in good standing of the International Society of Appraisers (ISA).
Carolyn’s area of particular expertise is sterling silver. She is a passionate student and active collector of 18th-century English and Irish sterling silver and Old Sheffield Plate. She is a full member of the Silver Society (U.K.), the world’s foremost organization for the study and appreciation of silver. She has published several articles on silver and appraisal practice in Silver Magazine (U.S.).
Carolyn has a master’s degree in English literature and doctoral coursework in literature and interdisciplinary arts, focusing on Modernism, the 20th-century avant-garde, and the theory and history of aesthetic movements. She brings nearly 30 years as a professional researcher and writer to each appraisal assignment.
Recent Publications
“The Strawberry in the Dish: A Case of Function Follows Form.” Silver Magazine 53.6 (November/December 2021): 20-21.
“Five Ways to Look at a Toddy Ladle.” Silver Magazine 53.3 (May/June 2021): 26-31.
“Antiques Advisor” [Letter to the Editor]. Maine Antique Digest 49.2 (February 2021): 40.
“A Tarnished Reputation: Antique Sterling and Silver-Plated Tableware.” Olde Timers Gazette [Newsletter, Sandwich, Illinois] Issue #75 (August 2019): 1+.
“For What It’s Worth: Thoughts on the Price of Antique Silver.” Silver Magazine 51.3 (May/June 2019): 6-7.
“The Mystery of ‘TL’ in the Serrated Punch.” Silver Magazine 50.3 (May/June 2018): 24-31.
Testimonials
“I engaged Carolyn to examine glassware, china, and commemorative silver for a friend whose memory was beginning to fail. Carolyn provided the history of the manufacture of the items and the historical context in which people acquired them, pointed out interesting details and characteristics of the pieces, and offered an estimate of their value. The evaluation turned up nothing of great financial value, but my friend received lots of good information about the history and use of these family treasures and, perhaps most important, she had a chance to remember and reminisce about these things and what she recalled about them in her earlier life.”
L.W., Sycamore, IL
“Carolyn Law was quick and thorough in researching a piece of pottery that I inherited. She gave a definite date, provenance, and even a maker for the bowl. My enjoyment of the piece is enhanced by knowing more about where it came from!”
N.C., Lisle, IL
“With just a few pictures Carolyn was able to research and identify my grandmother’s glassware pattern. Her expertise saved me hours of searching online or antique stores to find the pattern. I would highly recommend Carolyn Law Antiques.”
R.S., Kirkland, IL
“Carolyn’s report on some sterling silver flatware I inherited was very professional and extremely informative. I can’t imagine acquiring that much information so quickly on my own. When I pass the silver on to the next generation, the report will certainly go with it.”
A.K., Sycamore, IL