Appraisal Services
An unbiased opinion of an artwork’s value.
John Buxton, Founder of ArtTrak John Buxton is a Certified Appraiser of Personal Property (CAPP) with the International Society of Appraisers (ISA) and conducts all appraisal work in accordance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).
He specializes in the authentication and appraisal of African, Pre‑Columbian, Oceanic, and Native American art, with more than four decades of experience in these fields. John provides services to museums, private collectors, dealers, appraisers, attorneys, and other legal and professional clients who require authoritative evaluations and guidance.
Range of Services
African • Pre‑Columbian • Native American • Oceanic
ArtTrak provides appraisal, authentication, and advisory services, and we also purchase and sell artwork. For any engagement, we operate in one professional role only (appraiser, dealer, or broker under contract) to maintain clear, conflict‑free boundaries.
$100 per object — Preliminary Visual Review
Quick visual impressions only
No research
No valuation
No verbal range
Directional guidance only (“worth exploring,” “likely low value,” “needs research”)
Helps clients decide whether to proceed to a valuation
If you move to the next tier, the $100 is credited toward the fee
$300 flat fee for up to three objects
Includes minor research
Includes verbal range
Additional objects billed hourly
Information Required to Schedule a Verbal Consultation
Please send the following by email(no text):
High‑resolution photographs
Front and back
Neutral background (not white), as white backgrounds distort dark objects
For masks, figures, or complex forms: provide multiple angles to evaluate wear patterns
Dimensions
Ideally shown in the photograph with a ruler or a familiar object for scale
Collection history
How the artwork was acquired
Any receipts or documentation, if available
Prior opinions
Names of any experts who have previously evaluated the object
Verbal consultations are conducted via phone or Zoom. An invoice will be emailed in advance, and payment must be completed prior to the scheduled call.
For Larger Collections
For collections requiring extended review or multiple hours of research, we can schedule a conference call to discuss the material and outline next steps.
$250 Per Hour — Written Appraisals or Hourly Consultations
Please provide the following by email in advance:
1. Purpose of the Appraisal
Specify the intended use, such as:
Insurance
Charitable donation
Estate or probate
Equitable distribution
Personal use
Potential sale or acquisition (clarifying intended use is essential for determining methodology and compliance requirements.)
2. Photographs
Provide high‑resolution images that meet the same standards described above. For image sets or zip files over 20 MB, please send them via WeTransfer.
3. Inventory List
Include a list of the items to be examined, organized by category (e.g., African sculpture, Pre‑Columbian ceramics, Native American textiles), and indicate the number of objects in each category.
4. Ownership and Contact Information
State current ownership of the artwork and provide full contact information for the responsible party.
5. Deadline Requirements
If a specific completion date is needed, please indicate this so we can confirm availability and scheduling.
Professional Role Limitation ArtTrak operates in a single professional capacity for any given engagement. We may serve either as an appraiser or as a dealer. We cannot serve in both roles simultaneously. If a client requires intermediary or transactional support, we can act as a broker under a separate written agreement.
Sales Advisory When clients wish to sell objects, we can provide guidance on appropriate venues. We work regularly with several reputable auction houses and can advise on the most suitable agent for your material.
Payment for Services Payment is processed via credit card through Square.com. An invoice will be issued in advance, and payment must be completed prior to any scheduled consultation (phone or Zoom).
Contact Email: [email protected]
Click here for a downloadable PDF of the pricing information listed above.
John A. Buxton, ISA CAPP
Professional Profile
John Buxton, ISA CAPP, is a highly respected expert in Traditional Indigenous Art, specializing in African, Oceanic, Native American, and Pre‑Columbian cultural material. With more than forty years of hands‑on experience, he is one of the few ethnographic generalists in the United States whose expertise spans authentication, appraisal, connoisseurship, and cultural‑materials research at a deep and comprehensive level.
Authenticating Tribal Art requires navigating an evolving landscape of increasingly sophisticated forgeries. Buxton’s expertise—shaped by decades of examining objects made for ceremonial use, commercial sale, or deliberate deception—is reinforced by sustained collaboration with leading scholars, museum professionals, and field specialists. His appraisal methodology is widely recognized, and he is frequently consulted to evaluate the rigor of appraisal reports outside the Tribal Art field or to assemble multidisciplinary appraisal teams for complex, high‑value projects.
Buxton has served as a legal expert witness in African and Pre‑Columbian art disputes and appeared for more than twenty‑five years as the lead appraiser for African, Oceanic, and Pre‑Columbian art on PBS’s nationally recognized Antiques Roadshow since its inception in 1996. He is also the owner of Shango Galleries in Dallas, Texas, which has specialized in Traditional Indigenous Art since 1976.
He is an experienced lecturer and seminar leader, having presented on Tribal Art, authenticity, and appraisal methodology at institutions such as the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, the Kimbell Museum, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Birmingham Museum of Art, the McClung Museum, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, the Arizona State Museum, the Association of Midwest Museums, and the International Society of Appraisers. His educational work reflects a long‑standing commitment to advancing connoisseurship, cultural literacy, and professional standards within the field.
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2025 International Society of Appraisers and USPAP certification credentials are up to date
2016
Tested and passed ISA course USPAP, Leon Castner, Instructor (through 2018)
2015
International Society of Appraisers Lamp of Knowledge Award
2014
Tested and passed AAA course USPAP, Gayle Skluzacek, instructor (through 2016)
Completed Requalification course for International Society of Appraisers (through 2020)
2012
Tested and passed AAA course USPAP, Gayle Skluzacek, instructor (through 2014)
2010
Completed Requalification course for International Society of Appraisers (through 2015)
2002
Ellen A. Amirkhan NTISA Distinguished Service Award
2002
Featured in full page “High Profile” Article, Dallas Morning News (July)
2000
National Board of Directors, International Society of Appraisers (through 2001)
Designated Member of the Year, International Society of Appraisers
President, North Texas Chapter, International Society of Appraisers
1999-1997
National Chairman, Electronic Information Services Committee, ISA
1999
Designated Specialist, Certified Appraiser of Personal Property, ISA
1998
CAPP Requalification Course, ISA, Los Angeles
1997
Seminar 97, Dallas, Texas
ISA Expert Witness Course, Dallas
1993
Completion of Appraisal Principles Core Course, ISA
Designated Member, ISA
The Appraiser as an Expert Witness - Legal Research -
2025-1997 Appraiser/consultant on PBS Antiques Roadshow
2005 Designated Expert Witness, Roadway Express vs. Dr. Martin Trepel
1997 Designated Expert Witness, Roadway Express vs. Dr. Martin Trepel
1996 Established Buxton, Appraisal, Authentication and Consulting Services
1996 Selected for Chubbs Antique Road Show - PBS Television
Present-1974 Appraised, authenticated and evaluated tribal art for private and institutional clients
1993 Began ArtTrak, Inc. online nationally as a computer network for art information
1991 Founded and incorporated ArtTrak, Inc., an art services computer company
1991 Designated Expert Witness for City of Kenner vs. Mince
1990 Designed computer database, AUCTION TRAK, for the appraisal, research, evaluation, and authentication of Tribal art
1976 Established Shango Galleries
1974 Established The Bahraini Chest, an import shop, in Dallas, Texas (November)
1973-74 Traveled extensively throughout Africa, India, Pakistan, Iran, and the Middle East -
Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Washington DC
Kimbell Museum, Fort Worth, TX
Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, TX
Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, AL
McClung Museum, Knoxville, TN
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, OK
Association of Midwest Museums
International Society of Appraisers
Arizona State Museum, Tucson, AZ
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Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, TX
Austin College, Sherman, TX
Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston, TX
Buffalo Museum of Science, Buffalo, NY
University of Iowa Art Museum, Iowa City, IA
National Annuity Company, Salt Lake City, UT
Jones Day, Cleveland, OH
University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX
Beloit College, Beloit, WI
Berea College, Berea, KY
CM Russell Museum, Great Falls, MT
Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, WI
Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, AZ
Ottawa University, Ottawa, KS
Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, OK
Dallas Public Library, Dallas, TX
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jackson, MS
McClung Museum, Knoxville, TN
Modern Art Museum, Fort Worth, TX
Frost National Bank, Fort Worth, TX
Field Museum, Chicago, IL
Indiana University Museum of Art
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, MN
Cincinnati Museum of Art, Cincinnati, OH
Minnesota Science Museum, St. Paul, MN
Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
Internal Revenue Service, Washington DC
Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, AL
High Museum, Atlanta, GA
Private Clients
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1963 - 1968
Tulane University, Bachelor of Arts, New Orleans, LA1959 - 1963
Williston Academy, Easthampton, MA -
2004 - Present
Professional blog2009 - Present
ArtTrak newsletter -
Appraisals
Computer searches for comparablesExpert Witness Authentication
African, Pre-Columbian, Oceanic and American Indian ArtAuction Bidding
Museums and CollectorsArt Expert / Appraiser Locator Service