Art probate valuations
from £49

HMRC-compliant valuations
delivered in 2-3 days

No home visits needed. Send us your photos.
Our specialist art valuers do the rest.

Start your valuation

Rated ‘Excellent’ on Google and Trustpilot

Online or in person valuation? Both Available

At Swift Values, we make art probate valuations straightforward. For most paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures, clear photographs are enough for our specialists to prepare an HMRC-compliant report. Where a work may need closer inspection, we can also arrange an in-person valuation.

Online Valuation

£49 up to 5 items – £99 for 6 or more

Ideal for most art probate valuations, from paintings, prints and drawings to sculpture and decorative works. Around 95% of art found in UK estates can be valued accurately from clear photographs, without a physical visit. HMRC-compliant, delivered in 2–3 working days.

Start your valuation

Best for: 95%+ of estates

In-Person Valuation – from £298

Recommended only for exceptional works that genuinely require physical inspection, such as Old Masters, major attributed paintings, rare works with complex condition issues, or pieces likely to attract serious international auction interest.

Enquire Now

Best for: high-value or specialist estates

Not sure which you need? Call the office on 0330 088 4099 and we will be happy to help.

“Valuations are the biggest single area of risk, accounting for a large part of our compliance checks. You are strongly advised to instruct a qualified independent valuer.”

Source: Inheritance Tax Toolkit, HMRC, Published July 2018

What we can value

We provide specialist probate valuations across every category of estate contents. Whatever the estate holds, our valuers can assess it for HMRC.

ART VALUATIONS

Oil Paintings

Traditional and modern oil paintings by listed, unlisted and amateur artists.

Watercolours

Landscape, portrait, botanical and decorative watercolours of all periods.

Prints

Limited edition prints, signed prints, etchings, lithographs and screenprints.

Drawings

Pencil, ink, charcoal and pastel drawings, including studies and finished works.

Modern & Contemporary Art

20th and 21st-century paintings, prints, sculpture and mixed media works.

Old Master Paintings

Earlier European paintings, religious works, portraits and classical subjects

British Art

Works by British artists, including landscapes, portraits and regional scenes.

Sculpture

Bronze, marble, plaster, ceramic, resin and mixed media sculpture.

Framed Pictures & Collections

Decorative pictures, wall art and groups of artworks found in typical estates.

Your art probate valuation in 3 easy steps

Swift Values provides a simple, cost-effective way to meet your probate valuation obligations. Here’s how it works:

Take photos

Photograph each artwork clearly, including the front, back, frame, signature and any labels. There is no need to itemise everything manually.

We value the items

Our specialist art valuers assess your photos, researching artists, condition, medium, provenance and recent comparable market results where needed.

Receive your HMRC compliant report

Typically delivered within 2–3 working days and fully prepared under Section 160 IHTA 1984—ready to submit to HMRC with confidence.

✔ No home visit required ✔ 100% transparent with no hidden costs ✔ From just £49

✔ No home visit required

✔ 100% transparent with no hidden costs

✔ From just £49

How to photograph your art for a probate valuation

Simply take clear, useful photographs so our experts can prepare your probate report quickly and accurately.

You do not need professional photographs or a home visit. In this short video, our founder Mark explains how to photograph paintings, prints, drawings and sculpture, including the key details that help our valuers assess each work accurately.

See exactly what you’ll receive

Every Swift Values report is a professionally formatted PDF, ready to submit with your probate application. It includes:

Fully illustrated PDF report

High-value item breakdown for IHT 407

Valuer notes to detail specifics

Section 160 compliance statement

Signed declaration for IHT400

Valuer bio

View example report

Online vs In-Person: Real-World Example Valuations

Not sure what each valuation service can cover — or when an in-person visit is really needed?

Let’s take a look at three real-world examples to show what our valuers can provide from photos alone, and when they recommend a closer look.

19th-Century Prints & Drawings Collection (online valuation)

A group of framed 18th and 19th-century prints, drawings and watercolours, inherited through the family and believed by the executor to be potentially valuable.

What Was Submitted
Our Assessment
The valuation was completed from the photographs by one of our specialist art valuers. Their expert comments included:

“These are attractive decorative pictures of the kind once commonly inherited and kept within families. While works of this type were historically more sought after, the current market for many 18th and 19th-century prints and decorative drawings is now considerably more selective. The group has modest open-market value but remains entirely suitable for valuation from clear photographs.”

Estimated Range: £100 to £200
Suggested Probate Value: £150
Next Steps & Outcome

L.S. Lowry Signed Prints Collection (online valuation with further research)

A group of ten signed L.S. Lowry prints submitted for probate valuation, including The Cart. The executor needed an initial valuation for inheritance tax purposes but wanted to understand whether more detailed research was required.

What Was Submitted
Our Assessment
The valuation was first completed from the photographs as part of the standard online service. Because signed Lowry prints can vary significantly depending on subject, edition, condition, margins, fading and recent auction demand, our valuer provided a broad initial range and recommended one hour of additional research at £298.

Initial Estimated Range: £25,000 to £75,000

After the additional research, we were able to refine the valuation using closer market comparisons.

Revised Estimated Range: £30,000 to £40,000
Suggested Probate Value: £35,000
Next Steps and Outcome

Benjamin Williams Leader Oil Painting (online valuation)

A signed Victorian oil painting by Benjamin Williams Leader RA, submitted for a straightforward online probate valuation after the executor found a £20,000 historic insurance figure.

What Was Submitted
Our Assessment
The valuation was completed from the photographs without the need for a home visit. Although the painting had previously appeared on an insurance valuation at over £20,000, our valuer identified that the realistic open-market value for probate was significantly lower.

Insurance valuations are often based on retail replacement cost, not the likely auction or open-market figure required for probate. In this case, the photographs were sufficient to confirm the artist, subject, medium, approximate size and general condition.

Estimated Range: £3,000 to £5,000
Suggested Probate Value: £4,000
Next Step and Outcome

Trusted by

Why executors choose
Swift Values for art valuations

Most executors have no idea what inherited art is really worth

Art often causes confusion because family stories, old insurance valuations and sentimental value can make pictures seem more valuable than they are for probate.

Paintings, prints, drawings and sculpture can all be easy to overvalue or undervalue, especially when they have been inherited, framed, signed or kept in the family for generations.

Simply upload photos of the artworks, including signatures, labels and the reverse where possible. Our specialist art valuers will assess them and provide a clear, HMRC-compliant figure you can submit with confidence.

No research, no guesswork, no second-guessing. Just a professional art valuation that lets you move forward.

Art often causes confusion because family stories, old insurance valuations and sentimental value can make pictures seem more valuable than they are for probate.

Paintings, prints, drawings and sculpture can all be easy to overvalue or undervalue, especially when they have been inherited, framed, signed or kept in the family for generations.

No research, no guesswork, no second-guessing. Just a professional art valuation that lets you move forward.

Swift-Values-Probate-Valuations-For-Executors

Trusted by thousands of executors

Rated ‘Excellent’ on Google. Over 1,000 valuations completed UK-wide.

I was overwhelmed by my mother’s estate. Swift Values made it simple and sent a professional report within two days. The service was perfect.

Barbara, Ipswich

Clear, thorough and incredibly quick. Exactly what we needed for probate to go through quickly.

Richard, Southampton

The report was far more detailed than I expected for the price. HMRC accepted it without question.

James, Salford

What’s included in your probate valuation?

Our specialist online valuations start at just £49 for a few items (up to 5) and £99 for a larger collection (6 or more), which suits the vast majority of estates.

If anything requires specialist input, we’ll tell you early and confirm any additional costs before proceeding. No surprises.

Service

A few items (up to 5)

A larger collection (6 or more)

Price

£49

£99

The £99 service for six or more items is subject to a fair use policy. Most normal household art collections can be valued within this price, whether they include a small group of paintings, prints, drawings or framed pictures.

Because the art market varies so widely, there is an important difference between valuing a group of modest decorative prints and researching a collection of significant works by major artists. You will always receive a valuation for the service you have paid for, but if your collection requires more detailed research to provide a properly supported figure, we will explain this clearly and confirm any additional cost before proceeding.

Our aim is to keep probate valuations simple, fair and transparent, while making sure each estate receives the right level of attention.

Fair use policy

Is there a limit to what’s covered in our fee?

No. Whether you choose our £49 option for a few items or £99 for a larger collection, you’ll always receive a valuation and a report for everything you submit. Last year, 99% of our valuations were completed at the headline price and needed no further research.

In the 1% of cases that need more work, the only thing that changes is how precise the figure is. With art, it’s usually about the collection as a whole and how the market treats each artist. Several high-value works add up quickly, and some artists’ prices swing a long way at auction. We’ll still value everything within your fee, but in those cases the initial valuation may need to be expressed as a wider range, for example, £30,000 to £80,000. That gives you a reliable indication of where the collection sits in the market, but narrowing it further may require more detailed research into individual artists, comparable auction results or an inspection in person.

If the estate is comfortably below the inheritance tax threshold, a wider range usually makes no practical difference. You can use the top figure and move on. If inheritance tax is due, a narrower figure can make a big difference. For example, further research might narrow a range of £30,000 to £80,000 down to £45,000. Using £45,000 rather than the £80,000 top figure takes £35,000 off the value of the estate, and at 40% inheritance tax that means £14,000 less tax to pay. Our valuer will explain what would be needed to narrow the figure down and what that would cost. You can then decide whether to go ahead. Nothing extra happens without your agreement.

Ready to start your art probate valuation?

From just £49. Delivered in 2-3 working days.

HMRC-compliant – guaranteed, or your money back.

Start your valuation

Questions? Call the office on 0330 088 4099

Art is often one part of a wider estate. See everything we can value for probate, from house contents and jewellery to cars and number plates.

Swift Values FAQs

How much does an art probate valuation cost?
Online art valuations start at £49 for a few items (up to five). This is ideal where one painting, print, drawing or sculpture has been left to a named beneficiary, or where an executor simply needs a clear probate value for one artwork.

For a larger collection of six or more artworks, our online service is £99 and covers most normal household art collections. This is subject to a fair use policy, as there is a big difference between valuing a group of decorative prints and researching a collection of significant works by major artists. You will always receive a valuation for the service you have paid for, but if further research is needed to give a properly supported figure, we will explain this clearly before any extra cost is incurred.

In-person art valuations start at £298 per hour plus travel. In most cases, this is not needed, as the majority of art probate valuations can be completed from clear photographs.
What is the difference between an online and in-person art valuation?
The same valuation principles apply. The difference is simply whether the artwork is assessed from photographs or examined in person.

For an online valuation, you upload clear images of the artwork, including the front, back, signature, labels, frame and any paperwork if available. Our art valuer then assesses the work remotely using experience, market knowledge and comparable auction records.

For an in-person valuation, the valuer examines the work directly. This may be useful for important paintings, complex condition issues, uncertain attribution, or works where authenticity needs closer consideration. For most probate purposes, however, an online valuation is the right starting point.
Will my art probate valuation be accepted by HMRC?
Yes. Our reports are prepared for probate and inheritance tax purposes in accordance with Section 160 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984.

Each report gives a realistic open-market value, not an insurance replacement value. This distinction is especially important with art, as old insurance figures can be much higher than the value required for probate.

We are confident in our work and offer a money-back guarantee if HMRC does not accept your valuation.
Can you really value art from photographs?
Yes. Valuing art from photographs is standard practice across the art market. Major auction houses, from Sotheby’s and Christie’s to regional salerooms, routinely give initial opinions from images, especially where photographs of the front, back, signature, labels and provenance are available.

For probate, most paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures can be valued accurately from good photographs. If there is anything uncertain, we will say so clearly and explain whether further photographs, research or physical inspection would be useful.
What photographs do you need for an art valuation?
For most artworks, we need a clear photograph of the front. If possible, it is also helpful to include the back, the frame, any signature, labels, inscriptions, edition numbers, gallery stickers or auction labels.

For prints, please photograph the signature, edition number and any blind stamp. For paintings, please photograph the signature, the reverse of the canvas or board, and any labels or writing on the back.

If you have old insurance valuations, purchase receipts, gallery invoices or auction paperwork, upload those too. Provenance can make a real difference.
How can you value something accurately from a photo?
Art valuation is based on a combination of artist, subject, medium, size, condition, provenance, attribution and recent market evidence.

Our valuers compare your artwork with historic auction records and market databases such as Artprice, Artnet, Invaluable, MutualArt and The Saleroom, alongside their own experience of the art and antiques market.

Where attribution is uncertain, we will not pretend otherwise. We will explain the degree of confidence behind the valuation and whether the work has been valued as signed, attributed, after, school of, or decorative.
Can you tell if a painting is genuine from photographs?
Sometimes photographs provide enough information to give a confident probate valuation. In other cases, photographs can only support a qualified opinion.

Seeing a work in person can help with questions of authenticity, condition, surface, age, restoration and materials. However, many probate valuations do not require a full authentication process. What matters is giving HMRC a realistic open-market value based on the evidence available.

If authenticity is central to the value, we will explain that clearly and advise whether further research or physical inspection is needed.
How long does an art probate valuation take?
Why is your art valuation cheaper than a traditional valuer?
Traditional probate valuations usually involve a valuer travelling to the property, which means fees often start much higher. That can make sense for major collections or very high-value estates, but it is unnecessary for most artworks.

Swift Values keeps the process simpler. You upload photographs, and our specialist valuers assess the artwork remotely, using the same kind of image-led process already used by auction houses every day.

This means most executors can get a professional, HMRC-compliant art valuation quickly and at a far lower cost.
What types of art can you value?
We can value most types of art found in UK estates, including oil paintings, watercolours, drawings, signed prints, limited editions, etchings, lithographs, sculpture, modern art, contemporary art, British art and decorative framed pictures.

We can also advise on more unusual or specialist works, including Old Masters, studio collections, portfolios and works with significant provenance.

If something is outside the scope of a standard online valuation, we will tell you and recommend the best next step.
What if the artwork has an old insurance valuation?
Old insurance valuations are useful, but they should not usually be used directly for probate.

Insurance valuations often reflect retail replacement cost, which can be much higher than the open-market value required for inheritance tax. This is one of the most common reasons art is overvalued for probate.

If you have an old insurance schedule, upload it with your photographs. We can use it as supporting information while still providing a realistic probate value.
Do I need to bring the artwork to you?
Can you help after the valuation is complete?
Yes. Once the valuation is complete, we can advise on the next steps, including whether the artwork is best kept, distributed between beneficiaries, sold at auction, offered privately or sent to a specialist dealer.

Not every artwork needs to be sold through a major auction house. Some pieces are best handled by regional salerooms, while others may simply have decorative or family value. We will help you understand the practical options.

Art probate valuationsfrom £49

HMRC-compliant valuations delivered in 2-3 days

Online or in person valuation? Both Available

Online Valuation

£49 up to 5 items – £99 for 6 or more

In-Person Valuation – from £298

“Valuations are the biggest single area of risk, accounting for a large part of our compliance checks. You are strongly advised to instruct a qualified independent valuer.”

What we can value

Oil Paintings

Watercolours

Prints

Drawings

Modern & Contemporary Art

Old Master Paintings

British Art

Sculpture

Framed Pictures & Collections

Your art probate valuation in 3 easy steps

Take photos

We value the items

Receive your HMRC compliant report

✔ No home visit required ✔ 100% transparent with no hidden costs ✔ From just £49

✔ No home visit required

✔ 100% transparent with no hidden costs

✔ From just £49

How to photograph your art for a probate valuation

See exactly what you’ll receive

Online vs In-Person: Real-World Example Valuations

19th-Century Prints & Drawings Collection (online valuation)

L.S. Lowry Signed Prints Collection (online valuation with further research)

Benjamin Williams Leader Oil Painting (online valuation)

Trusted by

Why executors choose Swift Values for art valuations

Trusted by thousands of executors

Barbara, Ipswich

Richard, Southampton

James, Salford

What’s included in your probate valuation?

Service

A few items (up to 5)

A larger collection (6 or more)

Price

£49

£99

Is there a limit to what’s covered in our fee?

Ready to start your art probate valuation?

From just £49. Delivered in 2-3 working days.

Swift Values FAQs

Art probate valuations
from £49

HMRC-compliant valuations
delivered in 2-3 days

Why executors choose
Swift Values for art valuations