Stephen G. Turner Associates

  Appraisers of Fine Art, Antiques & Decorative Arts

Steve Turner has extensive experience in the auction business and appraisals of fine art and antiques, as well as sales and marketing. Before establishing his company, Turner worked for Rabin Worldwide auctioneers and appraisers, where he was Vice President of Business Development in charge of marketing and implementing fine art appraisals, a new area for the company. He also managed the start-up and launch of Greg Martin Auctions, the leading fine arms and armor auction house, then a division of Rabin Worldwide.

Previously, Turner worked with Butterfields, one of the nation's largest and most prestigious auction houses. He joined the company as an auctioneer and Appraiser of Furniture & Decorative Arts, where he was a generalist. In 1999, Butterfields was purchased by eBay, and Turner became Director of Internet Specialty Services & Appraisals. At Butterfields, he created a monthly seminar series on art, antiques and collecting, and was a frequent speaker for the company. 

For three seasons, Turner appeared regularly on "Appraise It," the national cable television show on HGTV, which then went to syndication.  He has also been a frequent guest appraiser on the Channel 4 network "Morning News" show in San Francisco on KRON.  Turner was a guest appraiser in San Francisco for the noted PBS television program, "Antiques Roadshow."  He is also a frequent guest speaker on collecting art and antiques at San Francisco’s Commonwealth Club, the Harvard Club, Learning Annex, and numerous appraisal fairs and professional and social organizations in the Bay Area.

For the past few years, Turner has been the auctioneer at Hambrooks Auction Center in Pacific Grove, California.  He also conducts numerous auctions for Bay Area charity events.

Since 1997, Turner has been a regular columnist for the weekly "What's It Worth?" feature in the Sunday San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle – an award-winning concept and a popular section on art, antiques and collectibles that used to appear weekly in the Business section. 

Prior to Butterfields, Turner was associated with Harvey Clar Estate Auction Gallery in Oakland, California.  He worked in all key areas of the firm – including appraising and cataloguing art, antiques and personal property; marketing; business development and as an auctioneer.  Previously, Turner worked for five years in Victoria, British Columbia at Lunds Auctioneers & Appraisers, one of Canada's oldest and largest regional auction houses specializing in fine arts and antiques.

While in Canada, he was a community education instructor for several years at Malaspina University College where he taught courses on collecting art and antiques; and wrote a regular column on art, antiques and collecting for Nanaimo magazine.  He became interested in a career in art and antiques after a number of years as a private collector.  Before Lunds, Turner worked for over 15 years in direct sales, marketing and business development for major companies in Vancouver, including Sony and JVC.

Turner lives with his wife Jill in the Bay Area.  His other interests include traveling, competitive sailing, swimming, tennis, golf, photography, and falconry.  Turner also played competitive soccer for 18 years and was invited to try out for the Canadian World Cup and Olympic teams.