The Foundation for Appraisal Education is proud to announce the establishment of a new 2011 personal appraisal scholarship in the area of decorative arts.  In alliance with the scholarship sponsor, Rago Arts and Auction Center, the Foundation will be offering The Rago Auctions Scholarship in 20th C. Design during 2011.  This $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to an applicant wishing to pursue educational opportunities in 20th century design or 20th century decorative arts.

 A non-profit organization, The Foundation for Appraisal Education promotes the advancement of education related to the field of personal property appraising, and it assists individuals through scholarships for educational development to improve their capabilities by attending courses, classes, workshops and conferences.  One of their key initiatives is the awarding of educational scholarships annually to aid those seeking to improve their knowledge in the field of personal property.

 “We are extremely excited about our partnership with Rago’s,” said Beth Szescila, President of the Foundation for Appraisal Education.  “Their sponsorship of this scholarship is an indication of Rago’s strong commitment to advancing the education of professional appraisers in the field of 20th century design and decorative arts.  They are an industry leader, and we are grateful for their financial support as well as their focus on education.”

 Established by David Rago in 1992, the Rago Arts and Auction Center (Rago’s) first specialized in 20th century design.  Since that time, Rago’s has steadily expanded into auctions of fine art, estate property, silver and jewelry and tribal property and is now one of the premier auction houses in the United States of decorative arts, fine arts and jewelry.

 Students, new or experienced appraisers, or any individual wanting to further their educational development in the area of personal property appraising may apply for the scholarship.  Scholarships are awarded to cover the costs for tuition of courses, classes, workshops, programs or conferences and do not include travel, hotel or other associated expenses.  Applications for the scholarship will be accepted through May 31st of this year, and detailed information and applications can be found on the website for the Foundation for Appraisal Education: www.foundationforappraisaleducation.org or by contacting Diane Marvin, Vice President and Scholarship director, at dmappraise@aol.com.  Rago’s can be contacted through its website:  www.ragoarts.com.

 The Foundation for Appraisal Education also promotes appraisal education through an annual publication, The Journal of Advanced Appraisal Studies.  The 2011 issue is being released now and the contents and purchase information will be forthcoming on the Foundation’s website. 

 Funding for all of these programs comes from donations, gifts and memorials from groups and individuals, as well as from corporate donations and sponsorships.   Donations may be made directly to the Foundation or through their website.