You don’t always have to arrange for an advisor in advance of shows. Some, such as Corfield Morris, have booths at TEFAF Maastricht, Olympia, Grosvenor House and other major fairs. “It’s wonderful, because you see these affluent young people in Chelsea wandering into the fair,” says Gillian Craig, director of the British Antique Dealers’ Association, of its annual fair in London (March 21–27). “They fall in love with an object, but they’ve never bought an antique before. With the services of an advisor, they have the confidence to make the purchase.”

ADVANTAGES OF USING A CONSULTANT

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SAVING TIME 
Today’s collector is a time-starved individual who can only dream about getting through his stack of auction catalogs, let alone researching provenance or the background of an emerging artist. “Our clients are very busy. We do the editing and accelerate the process,” says Cristina Grajales, a leading 20th-century design consultant who’s worked with Peter and Stephanie Brant, Beth Rudin DeWoody and Mr. and Mrs. Tom Kaplan.

AN EXPERT EYE
Consultants will scout new talent and report back to clients on market trends. When they spot an object, they’ll send a client an e-mail, and, if the client wants to see it in situ, will arrange for delivery and a try-out before a formal sale is made. Their expertise can also secure the best of a category, something with resale value that an uneducated eye might let pass. “Tim Corfield called me from Christie’s in London and said, ‘There’s a commode—nip home quickly and have a look online,’” recalls Price. The 1780 English mahogany piece in the manner of Linnel had the serpentine shape that Price was seeking and Corfield was able to see beyond the “scruffy” surface and realize that it could be returned to its former glory.

UNIQUE KNOWLEDGE OF PROVENANCE 
As constant market-watchers, advisors can recite the history of works as if they were old friends or family. “Oh, that’s back,” says Corfield as he passes a stunning 12-foot Regency four-pillar dining table in a booth at a New York fair. “It’s been on the market a long time,” he says, reciting the table’s recent addresses as if they had been his own.

PREVENTING COLLECTION DISASTERS
“Our job is also to protect the client,” says Grajales. “You have to deal with reputable dealers and you have to ask a lot of questions”—especially in the increasingly murky field of improperly restored and knocked-off 20th-century design. “Before I propose a piece to a client, I’ve done a lot of vetting,” she continues. “And if they are in love with an object that I feel any doubt about at all, I will refuse to buy it. I’ve done it many times.” (Among the designers whose works Grajales says have to be watched are: Jean Royère, Carlo Mollino, Gio Ponti and the Brazilian masters.) “There’s a whole cataloguing language that’s not immediately obvious,” says Corfield of the antiques world. “And some of the auction estimates are way off mark—the average collector wouldn’t know that.”