Otoole-Ewald Art Associates Apprenticeship

Turn a love of art history into a profession — with a firm that has been defining the field for nearly a century.

O’Toole-Ewald Art Associates (OTE) is seeking an exceptional art history graduate student for a rare, paid apprenticeship. This is a dedicated, structured training position designed to transform a promising scholar into a fully credentialed appraiser at one of the most prestigious names in the industry. For generations, our firm has valued fine and decorative art for prominent private collectors, estates, insurers, museums, and the courts, both here in the United States and globally.

This is not an internship. This is a career-track role offering a direct path to a professional appraisal career, with mentorship and the full backing of an esteemed firm.

What You’ll Do

• Examine, catalog, and identify fine and decorative art alongside USPAP-compliant senior appraisers.

• Build expertise in types of appraisals and values, methodology, ethics, and market analysis.

• Research provenance, comparables, and attribution across all fine and decorative art media and collections of all scales.

• Draft appraisal reports and narratives under senior review, progressing to solo engagements.

Training and Advancement

• Paid training track with a defined progression toward independent appraisal work.

• Compensation: $25/hour during the part-time training phase.

• Schedule: approximately 20 hours/week during the part-time phase.

• Regular performance reviews with opportunities for compensation growth.

• Exposure to both scholarly research and the commercial art market.

• Part-time transition to full-time position at the 12-month mark or upon clearance for independent assignments.

Who We’re Looking For

• New York City-based current or recent art history graduate students (MA or PhD track) seeking a dedicated career path rather than a standard internship.

• Exceptional research, analytical, and art historical writing skills with meticulous attention to detail.

• A strong passion for fine and decorative art valuation and the global art market.

• Adept at working seamlessly in both remote and in-person environments.

• High professional judgment, strict confidentiality, discretion, and the ability to adapt quickly.

Why O’Toole-Ewald

• The oldest independently owned art appraisal firm in the US, which is the standard others benchmark against.

• A mentor-led training model where you are taught, not filed away.

• Exposure to New York’s most significant collections and to international work from day one.

• A career path with named advancement milestones, not vague promises.

How to Apply

Qualified and interested candidates are invited to contact Dr. Elin Lake-Ewald directly at [email protected]. Please include a brief introduction, your current program and area of study, and a CV. Further materials will be requested of candidates who meet the firm’s criteria.

O’Toole-Ewald Art Associates Inc. • New York, NY