About Jason Preston
Jason Preston is an independent art advisor and appraiser with over 17 years of experience assisting private, corporate and institutional clients with valuing, buying and selling fine art, furniture, decorative works of art, jewelry, books and manuscripts, wine and collectibles. He is an Appraisers Association of America Certified Member, the highest level of accomplishment in the organization.
Preston began his career with Sotheby’s in Chicago where he worked closely with a team of specialists producing several multi-category fine art and furniture and decorative art auctions per year. During his years in Chicago, Preston developed an interest in rare books and manuscripts and was fortunate to have the opportunity to work closely with members of Sotheby’s New York’s books and manuscripts department on a number of successful consignments. After a little more than a year with the firm, he was named a member of Sotheby’s international books and manuscripts department. Additionally, he worked with specialists on auctions in other collecting categories including wine and musical instruments. Following promotion to Sotheby’s New York headquarters, he was part of a small team of generalist appraisers who put together several multi-category auctions each year, selling thousands of lots annually. Concurrently, he was tapped to act in various specialist roles in a series of high-profile single-owner auctions including The Estate of Katharine Hepburn, the Estate of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, Property from The Kennedy Family Homes, and Property from the Collection of Cher.
In 2007, Preston accepted an offer from Christie’s to head their 19th century Furniture, Sculpture and Works of Art department. Based in New York, he secured consignments of property from sellers throughout North and South America for his department’s biannual auctions that he then marketed and sold to collectors from every continent. During his tenure at Christie’s he expanded upon his experience in handling the disposition of high-profile collections with the sales of the Estate of Maria Felix and the Estate of Leona Helmsley, among others.
After a decade with the world’s preeminent auction houses, a private London-based art advisory and appraisal firm created a role for Preston as their senior appraiser and business development officer for the western half of the United States. Based in Los Angeles, he traveled throughout the U.S. performing appraisals and securing brokerage business. He was promoted to Senior Vice President of the firm in recognition of his performance.
In 2012, Preston formed Jason Preston Art Advisory & Appraisals, where he continues to provide clients the highest level of art advisory and appraisal services. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the firm assists clients hailing from the Americas, Europe and Asia with the appraisal, acquisition and disposition of personal property ranging from a single item to an entire collection or estate.
Preston began participating as an appraiser on the acclaimed PBS series ‘Antiques Roadshow’ in 2013. In his role as a generalist appraiser, Preston provides appraisals on items from a wide variety of collecting categories. His previously aired appraisals can be found at AntiquesRoadshow.com.