ASA Appraisers to Serve as Chair, Chief Judge at Concours d’Elegance Car Show in Newport, RI

ASA Appraiser to Co-Chair Event with Jay Leno

By Sharon Reed

NEWPORT, RI — How would you judge the authenticity, originality, and indeed sheer beauty of a 1939 Alfa 6C Superleggera or perhaps a 1935 Bugatti Type 57, as well as many other rare, exotic and vintage cars to determine the “Best of the Best”?  American Society of Appraisers (ASA) accredited appraiser David H. Kinney has been appointed as Chief Judge to oversee the daunting task of judging automobiles of that caliber at Audrain’s Concours d’Elegance, to be held in Newport, RI on Oct. 6, 2019. ASA accredited appraiser Donald W. Osborne, ASA, will Co-Chair the Concours d’Elegance event with former late-night television host Jay Leno, a world-renowned automobile collecting, restoration and culture expert.

Jay Leno, Donald W. Osborne, ASA

More than 100 high-end classic automobiles will be on display at Audrain’s Concours d’Elegance, during Audrain’s Newport Concours & Motor Week at The Breakers in Newport, a luxurious nearly 125-year-old oceanfront mansion, on October 3-6, 2019.

Held worldwide, “Concours d’Elegance” refers to events in which world-class rare and vintage collector vehicles are displayed and judged by automotive experts. While Concours events date back to the horse-drawn carriage era, the oldest still-existing Concours, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, was first held in Cernobbio, Italy in 1929. In the U.S., the Pebble Beach Concours is the oldest founded Concours automotive event, held since 1950 in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA.

Presented by The Audrain Automobile Museum in Newport, Audrain’s Concours d’Elegance will be its inaugural first annual event. Various charitable organizations in the Newport region will be beneficiaries of the Concours event.

ASA accredited appraisers David W. Osborne and David H. Kinney have both been involved with Concours events for many years.

“I first showed a car in a Concours d’Elegance back in the early 1980s,” Osborne said. “I attended my first Pebble Beach Concours in 1989 and have attended every year since. I began to serve as a judge, announcer and consultant at Concours events in 2004 and now work at shows across the USA, in Italy and Japan.”

David H. Kinney, ASA

A life-long car enthusiast, Kinney began judging Concours events in 1996, and has to date has participated in nearly 30 Concours events in the USA, Canada and Switzerland. Kinney will also be judging at the 21 Gun Salute Concours in New Delhi, India in 2020.

At Audrain’s Concours d’Elegance, Kinney will help guide the team of 36 distinguished judges from the USA, Italy, the UK, Canada and Germany who will choose “the best of the best” from among the entry of 100 vehicles, covering the first 70 years of the 20th century. Vehicles will be carefully selected and vetted to participate in the grand Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, Oct. 6.

“Judging automobiles is a painstaking task,” said Kinney. “Vehicles are normally judged for their authenticity, including possessing original or original style components, including mechanical, upholstery, paint, plating and more. At the Audrain event, there is an additional emphasis is on ‘Luxury, Sport and History.’”

“Automobile collectors and restorers ‘speak the same language’ as collectors of art and antiques. They take steps to painstakingly repair or restore vintage automobiles to their original form. We discuss patina, originality, provenance, and condition of automobiles. We focus on preservation and discoveries of new finds,” according to Kinney. “In the end, the decision is often made to just leave everything alone and preserve all we can.”

Donald W. Osborne, ASA

“All Concours events have their own particular approach to judging. Some use a 100 point scale which encompasses all levels of detail of originality, restoration materials and techniques, colors and condition,” Osborne added. “Others use a more aesthetic approach, what is known as ‘French’ judging. In this case, originality and authenticity is still weighed, but the presence and historical interest of a vehicle may count for more than pristine condition.”

Both Osborne and Kinney emphasized the value of ASA accreditation when judging high-end automobiles. ASA is the acknowledged leader in Personal Property Appraising and includes members who perform appraisals for various purposes such as sale, acquisition, taxes, estate planning and more. Personal Property members can specialize in more than 26 specialties, including automotive specialties.

David H. Kinney, ASA

“My membership in ASA has opened a lot of doors and also gives me the skill set to deal with all types of clients, from the fresh to the hobby to the more high-end individual. I find my ASA membership worthwhile,” Kinney said. “As a rule, I only refer potential clients to other ASA Appraisers when possible.”

“My ASA membership is critical in both my approach to my work and the presentation of the professional approach I take with my clients. As there is no governmental licensing or certification for personal property appraisers it can be like the ‘Wild West’ for consumers seeking a vehicle appraisal,” Osborne added. “Almost every automotive enthusiast has many friends, acquaintances and people with very vested interests ready and willing to provide a value opinion, most often without any reliable or trustworthy methodology. My membership in and accreditation by the ASA allows me to demonstrate to clients and fellow professionals in the automotive business the level of the work that I perform.”

Osborne said that he recommends ASA accreditation for others seeking to appraise classic cars.

Donald W. Osborne, ASA

“I have suggested to a number of knowledgeable friends and associates that they investigate the pursuit of ASA membership and accreditation as a way to best develop both their skills and their standing in the profession,” Osborne said.

“One of the best aspects of being an ASA Personal Property appraiser with an Automotive Specialty is the amazing camaraderie of the group. We meet annually to share best practices, learn new developments in appraisal theory and practice and improve our connoisseurship,” according to Osborne. “We also communicate regularly to consult with each other on projects – we’re a real brotherhood, who would of course also welcome some sisters into our group!”

Based in Great Falls, Va., nearby to Washington, D.C., Kinney owns USAppraisal, an automotive valuation firm.

A lifelong car enthusiast, Kinney has been involved in almost every phase of the automobile industry. Kinney is also well known as an automotive journalist. He is a columnist for Autoweek Magazine and the British publication Octane. Kinney is also a past contributor to the The New York Times, Automobile Section.

Additionally, Kinney is the founder and publisher of Hagerty Price Guide (formerly known as Cars That Matter). He also serves on the Board of the Rolls Royce Foundation and the McPherson College Advisory Board.

Donald Osborne, ASA, is a classic car historian, author, consultant and writer. Based in Palm Springs, CA, Osborne co-hosts a regular segment on ‘Jay Leno’s Garage,’ a CNBC Primetime television show with Jay Leno, broadcast in more than 7 countries around the world.

As owner of Donald W Osborne, LLC / Automotive Valuation Services, Osborne works for clients across the world on the acquisition, sale and valuation of classic vehicles. He travels throughout the United States and Europe to attend major events, rallies and auctions.

He is the author of the book: ‘Stile Transatlantico / Transatlantic Style- a Romance of Fins and Chrome,’ and Editor-at-Large for Sports Car Market magazine. Osborne’s writing on classic cars has also been published in The New York Times, BusinessWeek Online, The Wall Street Journal, Art & Antiques, Octane, Palm Springs Life and Road & Track, among others.

Osborne has also curated museum and gallery exhibitions, including ‘Transatlantic Style’ at the Blackhawk Museum and ‘Ferrari and Futurists: An Italian Look at Speed in California and ‘Styling the Future: A History of GM Design and Concept Cars’ at the Audrain Automobile Museum in Rhode Island.

For information on how to become an Accredited ASA Personal Property Appraiser, click here.

To find an appraiser, visit www.appraisers.org/find-an-appraiser and utilize the dropdown menu to choose an ASA Specialty, such as “Automotive Specialties.”

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