Preserve the context
Keep pieces with their boxes, certificates, receipts, service records and notes. Do not clean, polish or distribute items before the inventory is complete.
For families and representatives
Inherited luxury and probate
Clear guidance for executors and families identifying, documenting and considering the sale of inherited designer bags, watches, jewellery and fashion.
Request a free assessment
Start with the right question
First establish the purpose of the valuation.
A resale assessment estimates what EncoreLuxe may pay as a direct buyer after authentication and condition review. A probate valuation records value on the legally relevant date and basis. Insurance replacement, auction and retail values are different again.
EncoreLuxe can assess selected pieces for a possible direct purchase. This page does not present that assessment as a formal probate report. Executors should confirm requirements with the acting solicitor, accountant or HMRC guidance before commissioning or relying on a valuation.
Practical framework
A careful first inventory
Record authority
Identify the executor, administrator or owner authorised to instruct a sale. Resolve disagreements before submitting items.
Identify the purpose
State whether you need sale guidance or a formal valuation for probate, tax, insurance or division. Different purposes use different figures.
Document decisions
Retain inventories, photographs, correspondence, offers and payment records so the estate has a clear audit trail.
Do not assume retail price equals inherited value
An original receipt records a historic purchase, not necessarily the current open-market or direct-purchase value. Brand, exact reference, metal, gemstones, originality, condition, completeness and demand all matter. An online asking price also does not show whether an item sold or what the seller received after costs.
For watches and signed jewellery, small reference or specification differences can materially change demand. Photograph identifying details but avoid publishing complete serial numbers. A specialist may need physical access before confirming identity or authenticity.
Handling and storing items safely
Store each piece separately in a dry, stable environment. Avoid winding an unfamiliar watch, testing water resistance, cleaning gemstones, conditioning leather or steaming couture. Keep a written location record if items are moved between family members, advisers or secure storage.
For a proposed sale, agree insurance responsibility and handover instructions in writing before dispatch. High-value items should never be sent using an unapproved or under-insured service.
Professional advice and authoritative sources
The correct legal and tax treatment depends on the estate and circumstances. Executors should use current HMRC guidance and appropriately qualified professional advice. EncoreLuxe can explain its own purchase process but does not replace legal, tax or probate advice.
Useful primary guidance includes GOV.UK information on valuing an estate, inheritance tax and Capital Gains Tax. Requirements can change, so consult the current official pages rather than relying on an undated article.
Questions, answered
Before you
send it in.
Is a resale offer the same as a probate valuation?
No. A direct-purchase offer and a formal probate valuation can use different bases, dates and documentation. Confirm what the estate requires before proceeding.
Can items be reviewed without receipts?
Often, yes. Receipts can support provenance but are not the only evidence considered. Identity and authenticity still require specialist review.
Who can sell an inherited item?
The person instructing the sale must have legal authority or clear ownership. Executors and representatives should disclose their role and retain estate records.
Complimentary and private
Request a private resale assessment
If the estate is considering a sale, share the first item and explain your role and the wider group in the description. Do not upload sensitive legal documents unless requested securely.
Complimentary valuation
Your private offer
starts here.
Share a few details and photographs. A specialist reviews your piece privately and replies with a no-obligation offer—without listings, strangers or seller fees.
- Free, with no obligation
- Direct purchase, no seller fees
- Details reviewed privately
Replies within one business dayClear photos help us give a more useful first offer.