Afua Trading Fine Art and Educational Services offers twenty years of experience in fine art consulting. When collaborating with our firm you will experience an accessible and friendly staff with knowledge in property valuation and collection management. We are confident that the insights and education we provide will provide you with relevant and sustained documentation for long-term management and care of your fine art collection.
As property economists and educators, our methodology includes an art historical, historical, and market value approach to valuation and connoisseurship training. This approach is unique in form and content yet provides a leading edge to valuation and collecting services and their interpretation by relevant agencies. You will receive documentation for your appraisal or art advisory service that is drawn from the research, knowledge, and experience of our trusted network of property experts: auctioneers, appraisers, historical and art historical scholars, gallerists/dealers, artists, collectors, archivists, and art market analysts.
We manage appraisal and art advisory services for prints, photographs, and paintings. However, we are not limited by those mediums. Our content areas of specialization are African art, African-American art, Haitian Art, Caribbean art, photography, and folk art.
Chief Appraiser, Donna Thompson Ray, is a member of an internationally-recognized appraisal association. She is Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) compliant. An educator, writer, and former gallery manager and photographer, Ms. Thompson Ray is a Ph.D. candidate in American History. Her research interests are in visualizing American history, and art of the African diaspora.
Vice President of Operations, Albert Ray, heads our sales and educational services department. Mr. Ray is a twenty-five year veteran in education and avid collector of antiques.
