Ceramics
Reading the brush: marks of quality in blue-and-white ceramics
Article forthcoming
Private Advisory & Appraisal
Discerning counsel for the finest works of Asian art.
Tiffany Chao offers confidential appraisal and collecting guidance drawn from decades as an Asian Art Specialist inside the world’s foremost auction houses. She brings museum-level expertise to private collectors, estates, and advisors who require discretion and precision.
About Tiffany
A specialist’s eye, in service of the private collector.
Tiffany Chao is an independent Asian art advisor and appraiser with deep experience identifying, valuing, and placing important works. Trained within two of the world’s foremost auction houses, she brings institutional rigor and genuine connoisseurship to every engagement.
Her practice is built on discretion and trust. She works closely with collectors, estates, and their advisors — offering clear, unbiased guidance at every stage of building and caring for a collection.
Areas of Focus
- Chinese ceramics & works of art
- Classical & modern painting
- Jade, bronze & scholar’s objects
- Japanese & Korean art
- Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian art
Languages
Fluent in Mandarin Chinese — speaking, reading, and writing — enabling firsthand research, direct dialogue with collectors, and close reading of inscriptions, seals, and provenance documents.
Experience & Credentials
Sotheby’s
Chinese Art Specialist
Cataloguing, valuation, and client advisory across ceramics, works of art, and classical painting.
Bonhams
Asian Art Specialist
Sourcing, authentication, and sale strategy for private collectors and estates.
Independent
Advisor & Appraiser
Confidential, conflict-free counsel for acquisition, deaccession, and collection stewardship.
- USPAP Compliant
- Certified Member in Chinese Fine Art, Appraisers Association of America (AAA)
Advisory Services
Considered guidance at every point of the collecting journey.
I
Appraisal & Valuation
Formal appraisals for insurance, estate, tax, and equitable distribution, prepared to professional standards with rigorous market analysis.
II
Collection Stewardship
Guidance on deaccession, consignment, and long-term care to preserve and grow the value of a collection over time.
III
Provenance Research
Tracing ownership history, exhibition records, and documentation to establish attribution, period, and a defensible chain of title.
IV
Acquisition Advisory
Sourcing, condition review, and negotiation strategy for buying at auction and privately, always in your sole interest.
Representative Results
Consignments and acquisitions handled on behalf of clients.
A selection of works placed at auction and acquired for private collections, representing distinguished estates and collectors. Each entry links to the public auction record.
The Charles Soong (1861–1918) Family Collection
An ‘eel-skin’-glazed double gourd-form vase · Sold US$82,550
A rare Guan-type vase · Sold US$165,100
A large greenish-white jade ‘figural’ ruyi scepter · Sold US$38,100
Property from a West Coast Collection
Xu Beihong (1895–1953), Chickens · Sold US$1,619,458
Collection of C.V. Starr (1892–1968)
Anonymous, Landscape with a Boat on Lake · Sold US$21,760
Collection of Sara Fredericks (1903–1986)
A ruby-ground famille rose ‘Imperial Poem’ wall vase · Sold US$75,975
Private Collection
A rare and large inscribed jade ‘dragon’ plaque · Sold US$94,500
Beyond Asian Art
1996 Pokémon Japanese Base Set No Rarity Symbol Holofoil #6 Charizard · Sold US$641,721
Shohei Ohtani 50/50 club home run ball · Sold US$4,392,000
Advised on acquisition only
Client identities and transaction details beyond published auction records remain strictly confidential.
Articles
Notes on connoisseurship, the market, and the art of looking.
Buddhist Sculpture
Gilt bronze devotion: dating and gauging a fine Buddhist figure
Article forthcoming
Painting
Seals, colophons, and the provenance of classical painting
Article forthcoming
Contact
Arrange a private consultation.
Whether you are considering an acquisition, require a formal appraisal, or wish to understand a work already in your care, Tiffany welcomes a confidential conversation.
- tiffany@chaoartadvisory.com
- Telephone
- (626) 600-1223
- By Appointment
- Los Angeles · New York · Worldwide
- in/tiffany-chao-682b5334
- Discretion
- All enquiries are handled in strict confidence.