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
Our team includes former heads of department and directors from Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Bonhams and Phillips, covering every major collecting field.
Robert Coram James BA MRICS FRSA
Managing Director
Robert trained at Christie’s in London after taking a degree in Fine Art Valuation. An RICS Registered Valuer and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, he has a broad knowledge of the fine and decorative arts and is regularly instructed as an expert witness in civil, criminal and family courts.
Cécilia Battin MA
Senior Valuer, Modern and Contemporary Art
Cécilia has more than 20 years’ experience in the international art market, including leading London galleries and Christie’s. She specialises in art and law, producing forensic valuation reports for disputes and claims. She holds Master’s degrees in Business and Tax Law and Art History, and is a Spear’s 500 Art Valuer.
Sandy Rich
Works of Art and Art Insurance
Sandy combines specialist knowledge of works of art with a long career in art insurance. He has held roles at Aon Private Clients and Blackwall Green and was Director of Art Insurance at Richard Thompson Insurance Brokers, advising on valuation, risk and claims for high-value collections. He studied History of Art at Oxford.
Bryn Sayles MA
Modern and Post-War British Art
Bryn spent more than 15 years at Sotheby’s as a Director and Head of Modern and Post-War British Art, leading landmark sales and handling major works by Henry Moore. She holds an MA in the History of Art from the Courtauld Institute of Art.
Justin Roberts FGA DGA
Jewellery and Watches
Justin has more than 25 years’ experience as a jewellery specialist and historian. He began his career at Phillips in London and Geneva and became a deputy director of Sotheby’s jewellery department, working on collections including those of the Duchess of Windsor and Daisy Fellowes.
Simon Green MRICS
Furniture and Clocks
Simon spent 25 years at Christie’s, becoming a Director in 2005, and specialises in English furniture, clocks and chandeliers. He advised the National Trust from 2018 to 2020 and sat on the board of the RICS Arts and Antiques Faculty from 2001 to 2010.
Richard Fattorini
Rare Books, Manuscripts and Maps
Richard spent 24 years at Sotheby’s as a Senior Director and auctioneer in the Books and Manuscripts department, where he ran many major sales of libraries and private collections. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and of the Royal Geographical Society. He works with Coram James as an independent specialist consultant.
Pat Frost
Textiles and Fashion
Pat spent nearly 30 years at Christie’s as a leading textile and fashion specialist, with deep knowledge of Chinese, Islamic and European textiles. She catalogued landmark fashion sales including the collections of Elizabeth Taylor, Daphne Guinness and Suzy Menkes.
Eric Knowles
Art Nouveau and Art Deco
Eric is one of the UK’s most respected authorities on Art Nouveau and Art Deco, with more than four decades in the decorative arts market. A former Director and Head of Ceramics and Glass at Bonhams, he is a long-standing expert on BBC One’s Antiques Roadshow.
Alexander Clement MRICS
Japanese and Asian Works of Art
A Chartered Arts and Antiques Surveyor, Alexander trained at Phillips, where he ran the Ceramics, Glass and Asian Art departments, and was later a Director of Bonhams. He advises on museum-quality Asian works of art and is particularly known for his expertise in Japanese art.
Claire Grindey MRICS
Silver
Claire is a former Senior Specialist at Sotheby’s and a Chartered Surveyor, specialising in silver and metalwork. She values everything from single pieces to large private and institutional collections, combining auction-house experience with the rigour of RICS valuation practice.
Emma Saber
Antiquities
Emma began her career in 1999 in Christie’s Antiquities Department and has more than 25 years’ experience advising auction houses and private clients. Her valuation work includes Royal collections and institutions in London and the Middle East, and she holds a degree in Ancient History.
Louise Phelps
Ceramics and Glass
Louise is a former Senior Specialist at Christie’s, specialising in porcelain, ceramics and glass. She values ceramics of every period for private collections, historic houses and institutions, with a sharp eye for condition, factory marks and later decoration.
Simon Parkin
Coins and Banknotes
Simon is the former Associate Director of Roma Numismatics and has over 10 years’ experience in numismatic auctions, providing valuations for coins and banknotes of all ages. He studied History of Art at the Courtauld Institute and has a particular interest in ancient Greek and Roman coins.
James Fordham
Studio Ceramics
James is a leading specialist in modern and contemporary studio ceramics, with 20 years’ experience working with potters, collectors and estates. He works closely with museums including the V&A and The Hepworth Wakefield, and supported the Ashmolean’s Hans Coper 100 exhibition in 2021.
Tony Lester
Stamps
Tony is a stamp specialist and auctioneer with long experience of valuing and selling collections, from single rarities to complete albums. He advises on collections of every size for insurance, probate and sale, with a close working knowledge of the current market.
Andrew Middleton
Carpets, Rugs and Tapestries
Andrew was Head of Rugs and Carpets at Phillips, later Bonhams, and is one of the most experienced specialists in his field. He advises on antique rugs, carpets and tapestries for private collectors, historic houses and institutions.
Archie Parker
19th Century Pictures and Drawings
Archie is a former Senior Specialist at Bonhams, specialising in 19th century pictures, British drawings and frames. He combines a dealer’s knowledge of the market with an auction specialist’s eye for quality, condition and attribution.
Romain Pingannaud
Islamic and Indian Art
Romain joined Christie’s London in 2008 as an International Specialist, leading major sales of Islamic and Indian manuscripts, calligraphy and court painting in London, Paris and Mumbai. He studied Art History and Classical Arabic and is a member of the Compagnie Nationale des Experts.
Eugene Pooley
Old Master Paintings
Eugene is a former Director of Old Master Paintings at Christie’s, with long experience of attribution, research and valuation. He advises on Old Master pictures from single works to important collections, bringing a specialist’s eye to questions of authorship, condition and quality.
Tim Teuten
African and Oceanic Art
Tim spent 25 years as a senior specialist at Christie’s, where he headed the tribal art department in London and New York. One of the most respected authorities on African and Oceanic art, he is the author of The Collectors’ Guide to Masks.
Cherrei Tian
Chinese Works of Art
Cherrei began her career at Christie’s in 2009 in the Chinese department, specialising in literati objects, classical painting and calligraphy. In 2018 she joined Sotheby’s as Senior European Specialist, leading major sales in London and Paris. She is a graduate of Central Saint Martins.
Fatma Turkkan-Wille
Pre-Columbian Art
Fatma is a recognised authority on Pre-Columbian art and a former senior specialist at Christie’s, with more than 25 years’ experience. Her institutional work includes appraisals for the Brooklyn Museum and the Kimbell Art Museum, and valuations for the Barbier-Mueller Museum in Geneva.
Loraine Turner
Silver and Judaica
Loraine is a silver specialist with particular knowledge of Judaica. She values domestic, ceremonial and presentation silver for private collectors, schools, clubs and institutions, from single pieces to large collections, with close attention to makers, marks and condition.
Nick Wells
Classic Cars
Nick is a classic car specialist with a close knowledge of the collectors’ car market. He advises on the valuation of classic and vintage cars for insurance, probate and sale, from single cars to private collections.
