Asian art probate
valuations from £30

HMRC-compliant valuation of Asian art, delivered in 2-3 days

No visit required in most cases.
Send us your photos. Our expert valuers do the rest.

Start your valuation

Rated ‘Excellent’ on Google and Trustpilot

Online or in person Asian art valuation? Both Available

At Swift Values we provide complete probate valuations whichever route you choose. Most estates suit our online service well, though if your circumstances need a valuer on site, we offer that too.

Online Valuation

£30 single item – £60 multiple items

Ideal for most Asian art found in UK estates, including ceramics, bronzes, scrolls, prints, lacquer, carvings and decorative objects collected over time. Clear photographs usually allow us to assess the age, quality, marks, condition, subject matter and likely market level.

If something appears more important, we will tell you. HMRC-compliant, delivered in 1-3 working days.

Start your valuation

Best for: 95%+ of estates

In-Person Valuation – from £298

Recommended for genuinely exceptional Asian art or important collections where physical inspection may be needed. This might include early Chinese ceramics, fine jade, Buddhist sculpture, significant Japanese works, rare bronzes, pieces with strong provenance, previous auction history or possible museum-level interest.

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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.

What we can value

We provide specialist probate valuations for Asian art and works of art, from individual inherited pieces to more substantial collections. Whether the estate includes Chinese porcelain, Japanese objects, jade carvings, bronzes or mixed decorative pieces, our valuer can assess them for HMRC.

ITEMS WE CAN VALUE FOR PROBATE

Chinese Porcelain & Ceramics

Vases, bowls, dishes, plates, figures, export porcelain, famille rose pieces, blue and white ceramics and marked items.

Jade, Hardstone & Carvings

Jade figures, animals, plaques, pendants, brush washers, soapstone carvings, agate, rock crystal and other hardstone pieces.

Bronzes, Cloisonné & Metalwork

Bronze censers, vases, Buddhist figures, mirrors, enamelled pieces, mixed metalwork and decorative Asian metal objects.

Japanese Works of Art

Woodblock prints, Satsuma ceramics, lacquerware, netsuke, okimono, bronzes, sword fittings and decorative Japanese pieces.

Paintings, Scrolls & Prints

Chinese and Japanese scrolls, calligraphy, works on paper or silk, Indian miniatures, prints and framed Asian artworks.

Snuff Bottles & Scholar’s Objects

Chinese snuff bottles, seals, brush pots, brush washers, ink stones, boxes, small carvings and collector’s cabinet pieces.

Indian, Islamic & Southeast Asian Art

Bronzes, carvings, textiles, miniatures, devotional figures, decorative objects and mixed works from across Asia.

Need help? 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

Your Asian 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 piece with your phone. Watch our short guide showing exactly how. No need to list or itemise each piece.

We value the items

Our Asian art valuer assesses everything, drawing on more than 25 years’ experience and will ask questions if more detail is needed.

Receive your HMRC compliant report

Typically delivered within 1-2 working days and prepared under Section 160 IHTA 1984 – ready to submit with confidence.

✔ No home visit required ✔ 100% transparent with no hidden costs ✔ From just £30

✔ No home visit required

✔ 100% transparent with no hidden costs

✔ From just £30

How to photograph your jewellery for a probate valuation

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

You do not need professional photos or a home visit. In this short video our founder Mark explains exactly what to photograph, how to capture each piece, and which details help our valuers identify anything that may need closer attention.

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.

Chinese Yixing Pipe Bowl Collection (online valuation)

A small group of Chinese Yixing and glazed stoneware pipe bowls, believed by the family to have been collected in Asia during the 20th century.

What Was Submitted

The executor submitted photographs of twelve small ceramic pipe bowls, including close-ups of the decoration, bases, calligraphy and animal finials. The family believed the pieces could be valuable, but had been quoted £300 by a local auction house for a formal valuation.
Our Assessment

The valuation was completed online by our Asian art valuer, drawing on more than 25 years’ experience. Their comments included:

“This is an interesting decorative group of Chinese Yixing and glazed stoneware pipe bowls, likely dating from the 19th or early 20th century. The collection includes several different forms, some with calligraphy and two with Buddhist lion finials. While not individually high-value, as a group they have clear collector interest.”

Estimated Range: £400 – £600

Suggested Probate Value: £500
Next Steps & Outcome

We advised that the online valuation was proportionate for probate and that no in-person inspection was needed. The executor paid £60 for the multiple-item online service rather than the £300 quoted elsewhere.

The collection was later entered into auction and sold for £580, comfortably within our estimated range.

Large Chinese Famille Rose Vase (online valuation)

A large Chinese famille rose “Three Goats” vase, bearing a Qianlong mark, with elephant-head handles and enamelled decoration of flowers, trees and goats.

What Was Submitted
Our Assessment

The valuation was completed online by our Asian art valuer, drawing on more than 25 years’ experience. Their comments included:

“This is a decorative and commercially appealing Chinese famille rose vase, bearing a Qianlong mark and decorated with the traditional Three Goats subject. The elephant-head handles, scale and quality of decoration all add interest. However, the vase has previously been converted into a lamp, and the hole to the base is an important condition issue that must be reflected in the probate value.”

Estimated Range: £3,000 – £5,000

Suggested Probate Value: £4,000
Next Steps & Outcome

Chinese Jade Snuff Bottle Collection (online and in-person valuation)

A group of Chinese snuff bottles, including several jade and hardstone examples, presented in a fitted collector’s case.

What Was Submitted

The executor submitted photographs of the full group, including images of the case, individual bottles, stoppers and carved decoration. The family believed the collection may have value, but were unsure whether all of the bottles were important or only some of them.
Our Assessment

The initial online valuation was completed by our Asian art valuer, drawing on more than 25 years’ experience. Their comments included:

“This is a mixed group of Chinese snuff bottles, including several decorative examples and two jade bottles that appear to be of significantly better quality. From photographs, it is possible to identify the collection as potentially valuable, but physical inspection is recommended to assess the jade, carving, condition and overall quality more confidently.”

Initial Estimated Range: £1,000 – £10,000

In-Person Valuation Recommended
Why an In-Person Valuation Was Needed

We advised that this was one of the cases where an in-person valuation was proportionate. The further inspection confirmed that most of the bottles were decorative, but two jade examples were substantially more valuable.

The valuation was then narrowed to £7,000 – £10,000, with a suggested probate value of £8,500. This meant the executor only paid for the additional inspection once it was genuinely needed.

Trusted by

Why executors choose
Swift Values for Asian art

Most executors have no idea what Asian art is really worth.

Asian art is an area where family stories, age and appearance can be misleading. A vase, bronze, carving, print or scroll may have been owned for decades, or acquired overseas, but that does not always make it valuable. Equally, genuinely important pieces can be overlooked.

The difference between an early Chinese ceramic, a later copy, a decorative export piece or a modern reproduction can be enormous. One item might be worth tens of pounds, while another could be worth thousands or more.

Simply upload clear photographs and our Asian art valuer will assess everything, drawing on more than 25 years’ experience. No guesswork, no relying on family stories, and no home visit unless it is genuinely needed.

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 online Asian art valuation starts at just £30 for a single item and £60 for multiple pieces, which suits the vast majority of estates.

If anything appears unusually important or requires specialist follow-up, we’ll tell you early and confirm any additional costs before proceeding. No surprises.

Service

Single item of Asian art

Multiple items of Asian art

Price

£30

£60

The £60 service is subject to a fair use policy. We know collections vary, and one estate might hold a handful of pieces while another holds fifty. Our pricing is designed to be fair and to cover a normal collection. If you have an unusually large quantity, you are still welcome to submit it and we may simply be in touch to advise on the best approach.

Ready to start your probate valuation?

From just £30. Delivered in 1-3 working days.

HMRC-compliant – guaranteed, or your money back.

Start your valuation

Questions? Call the office on 0330 088 4099

Swift Values FAQs

Can you really value Asian art from photographs?

Yes. Most Asian art found in UK estates can be valued from photographs, including ceramics, bronzes, jade, hardstone carvings, scrolls, prints, lacquer, snuff bottles and decorative objects.

Clear images usually tell us a great deal about the form, decoration, age, quality, condition, marks and likely market level. If more detail is needed, we will ask for extra photographs before completing the valuation.
What types of Asian art can you value?

We can value Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Islamic and Southeast Asian works of art, from decorative household pieces through to more specialist collections.

This includes porcelain, pottery, bronzes, cloisonné, jade, hardstone, lacquer, textiles, paintings, prints, scrolls, snuff bottles, netsuke, carvings and mixed estate groups where the executor simply does not know what may be valuable.
Will my probate valuation be accepted by HMRC?

Yes. Every Asian art probate valuation report is prepared in line with Section 160 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 and HMRC’s open-market value requirements.

Our reports are designed for executors, solicitors and estate administrators who need a clear, defensible figure for probate. If a piece requires further specialist research or physical inspection before we can give a reliable value, we will tell you before proceeding.

We also offer a money-back guarantee if HMRC does not accept the valuation.
Why is Asian art so difficult to value?

Asian art can be misleading because age, appearance and family stories do not always match value. Some pieces were made for domestic use, some for export, some for collectors, and some as later copies of much earlier forms.

A 19th-century copy, a decorative export piece and an important early object can look broadly similar to a non-specialist, but the values can be completely different. One vase or carving might be worth tens of pounds, while another may be worth thousands.
Is provenance important with Asian art?

Yes, provenance can be very important. Please include photographs of any old receipts, auction labels, collection notes, exhibition labels, inscriptions, boxes, paperwork or previous valuation documents.

These details do not automatically make an item valuable, but they can help support the history, ownership, age or previous market record of a piece. If provenance is relevant to the valuation, we will take it into account.
How do you value Asian art for probate?

You upload photographs of the items, and our Asian art valuer reviews them for age, quality, condition, subject matter, materials, marks, market demand and comparable open-market value.

The aim is not to produce a retail or insurance figure. For probate, the valuation needs to reflect realistic open-market value at the date of death, in line with HMRC requirements. Our report gives you a clear figure that can be used for probate.
When would an in-person Asian art valuation be needed?

An in-person valuation may be useful for genuinely exceptional pieces, high-value collections, or items where material, condition, authenticity or attribution could materially affect the value.

Examples might include important jade, early Chinese ceramics, Buddhist sculpture, rare bronzes, significant Japanese works or collections with strong provenance. However, most estates do not need this. We will only suggest an in-person valuation where it is genuinely proportionate.
Can you value ivory or items that may be ivory?

Yes. Asian works of art sometimes include ivory or materials that look similar to ivory, such as bone, resin or other substitutes. These still need to be included for probate, even where sale may be restricted.

In many cases, ivory has limited open-market value because of current trading restrictions. However, some important items may require closer assessment, and in certain cases certificates or exemptions may be relevant before any future sale is considered.

Asian art probatevaluations from £30

HMRC-compliant valuation of Asian art, delivered in 2-3 days

Online or in person Asian art valuation? Both Available

Online Valuation

£30 single item – £60 multiple items

In-Person Valuation – from £298

What we can value

Chinese Porcelain & Ceramics

Jade, Hardstone & Carvings

Bronzes, Cloisonné & Metalwork

Japanese Works of Art

Paintings, Scrolls & Prints

Snuff Bottles & Scholar’s Objects

Indian, Islamic & Southeast Asian Art

“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.”

Your Asian 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 £30

✔ No home visit required

✔ 100% transparent with no hidden costs

✔ From just £30

How to photograph your jewellery for a probate valuation

See exactly what you’ll receive

Online vs In-Person: Real-World Example Valuations

Chinese Yixing Pipe Bowl Collection (online valuation)

Large Chinese Famille Rose Vase (online valuation)

Chinese Jade Snuff Bottle Collection (online and in-person valuation)

Trusted by

Why executors choose Swift Values for Asian art

Trusted by thousands of executors

Barbara, Ipswich

Richard, Southampton

James, Salford

What’s included in your probate valuation?

Service

Single item of Asian art

Multiple items of Asian art

Price

£30

£60

Ready to start your probate valuation?

From just £30. Delivered in 1-3 working days.

Swift Values FAQs

Asian art probate
valuations from £30

Why executors choose
Swift Values for Asian art