About Coram James

Coram James is an independent firm of RICS-regulated art and jewellery valuers, based in London. For more than 15 years we have valued fine art, jewellery, antiques and entire collections for insurance, probate, tax, divorce and litigation.

We act for private collectors, family offices, estates, insurers, solicitors and museums, in the UK and abroad.

Specialist Expertise

Our team brings decades of experience from Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Bonhams and Phillips. Our specialist knowledge ranges from Old Master paintings and Modern British art to jewellery, Asian art and antiquities.

Independent

We are not tied to any auction house or dealer, so our valuations and our advice on buying and selling are impartial. Our only interest is an accurate, well-evidenced figure that will stand up to scrutiny from an insurer, HMRC or the court.

Expert Witness and Litigation

We prepare valuation reports for disputes involving art, antiques and jewellery, including divorce and Single Joint Expert instructions. As RICS Registered Valuers, our court reports are Red Book compliant, and we have given oral evidence in both criminal and civil cases.

Credentials

Regulated by RICS. RICS Registered Valuers. Members of the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers (SOFAA). Spear’s 500. Approved valuers for leading high net worth insurers.

Our Team

Robert Coram James BA MRICS FRSA

Robert has a degree in Fine Art Valuation (BA Hons) from Southampton Solent University and trained at Christie’s auctioneers in London. He has a broad knowledge of the Fine and Decorative Arts and is regularly instructed as an expert witness in civil, criminal and family court cases. Robert has extensive art market experience and has close working relationships with leading practitioners within the fields of art insurance, law and conservation. He is an RICS Registered Valuer, a member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Arts & Antiques Faculty) and an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA).

robert@coramjames.com

Cécilia Battin, MA

Cécilia has over 20 years’ experience in the international art market, advising private clients, institutions and professional advisers on insurance, probate, taxation, divorce and litigation matters. She specialises in art and law, with particular expertise in litigation and dispute resolution, producing forensic valuation reports that are robust, thoroughly researched and well supported by market evidence.

She is regularly instructed by leading law firms, insurers and loss adjusters, and recent work includes a significant insurance claim for the DCMS. Cécilia holds Master’s degrees in Business and Tax Law and Art History from the University of Lyon and is recognised as a Spear’s 500 Art Valuer.

cecilia@coramjames.com

Sandy Rich

Sandy has enjoyed a long and successful career in the art insurance industry, including roles as a Senior Account Executive at Aon Private Clients, Associate Director at Blackwall Green and Director of Art Insurance at Richard Thompson Insurance Brokers. Sandy has been an advisor to some of the world’s leading art insurers, brokers, private collectors, art dealers and museums. His expertise includes risk management, valuation and claims handling for high-value artworks and collections. Sandy studied History of Art, Modern & 19th Century at the University of Oxford.

Justin Roberts, FGA, DGA

Justin Roberts has over 25 years as a senior jewellery specialist and historian working for several international auction houses. Starting his career at Phillips auctioneers working in both London and Geneva as a jewellery expert, he was later appointed a deputy director of Sotheby’s jewellery department in London. Justin has worked on the valuation and sale of numerous highly important jewellery collections including The Duchess of Windsor, Daisy Fellowes, Lady Hesketh, the Duchess of Roxburghe and Catherine the Great.

Bryn Sayles, MA

Bryn has an in-depth knowledge of the international art market, with over 15 years at Sotheby’s as a Director and Head of the Modern & Post-War British Art sales. During her time there, Bryn led a number of landmark auctions and played a key role in shaping the market for leading 20th-century British artists. Bryn holds an MA in the History of Art from the Courtauld Institute of Art.

Simon Green

Simon Green spent 25 years at Christie’s auctioneers, primarily based in South Kensington, where he became a Director in 2005. After his time at Christie’s Simon was an advisor to the National Trust from 2018 to 2020. Simon was also a board member of the Arts and Antiques faculty of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) from 2001 to 2010.

Richard Lester

Richard studied and trained with Sotheby’s Auctioneers in London and has been an art valuer for over thirty years. He is also a specialist in fashion and vintage clothing and has provided valuations of important collections for museums, societies and guilds. Richard is also a well known author of fashion books and publications, including “John Bates: Fashion Designer”.

Francois Le Brun

Francois is our European furniture consultant and is a former senior director of Christie’s and Bonhams. After learning the business in the auctioneering world, learning from the bottom up, from the beginning as a porter to a specialist and auctioneer, Francois now joins the long family tradition of Antique dealing (4th generation) and has set up his company Le Brun, Antiques & Works of Art Ltd.

Claire Grindey, MRICS

Claire is an independent fine art consultant based in London. She is a former silver and objects of vertu specialist at Sotheby’s London and Amsterdam. She has also lectured for Sotheby’s Institute on the MA Contemporary Design course and worked for Christoph Behling Design for LVMH. In addition, Claire serves on the board for RICS Art and Antiques, advising on art market issues, and as a trustee for The Commonwealth Conservatory Foundation.

Alexander Clements, MRICS

Alexander is an Asian art and European ceramics specialist and former director of Bonhams. Alexander values and catalogues a range of Chinese, Japanese, Islamic and other Eastern works of art including ceramics, bronzes, ivories, prints and pictures for auction sale, insurance and probate purposes.

Andrew Middleton

Andrew is a general valuer with specialist knowledge of carpets, rugs and tapestries. Following an eighteen year career with international auctioneers Bonhams and Phillips, Andrew moved to Yorkshire where he carries out valuations for probate and insurance purposes.

Geoff Cox

Geoff is our modern and antiquarian book consultant and handles all book valuations for both probate and insurance purposes. He can advise on disposal and acquisition of everything from single books to entire libraries.

Emma Saber

Emma is our antiquities expert and a former specialist at Christie’s auctioneers. In her role as a consultant for Christie’s London Antiquities Department, Emma has been instrumental in significant sales, including the Jenkins Venus in 2002, the Crosby Garrett Helmet in 2011, and the Egyptian limestone statue of Sekhemka in 2014.

Pat Frost

Pat Frost is a senior textiles and costume specialist with over 30 years of experience in the fashion and textile industry. She began her career at Christie’s, where she served as Director and Specialist Head of Textiles and Costumes sales. During her tenure, she curated notable exhibitions, including the Daphne Guinness exhibition, and played a pivotal role in the auction house’s fashion ventures.

Louise Phelps

Louise was previously a Director of the Ceramics and Glass Department at Christie’s, where she conducted extensive valuations for prestigious museum and noble collections. Louise now works as an independent consultant and cataloguer.

Archie Parker

Archie Parker is the founder of The Parker Gallery, specialising in Old Master and 19th-century paintings and drawings. With a career spanning over two decades, he has held prominent positions in the art auction industry, including: Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions as Head of Old Master & 19th Century Paintings and Bonhams as a Senior Specialist in Old Master paintings.