Sense of Place Exhibition & Auction

During her long career as CEO of Skinner, Inc., Karen Keane built a regional business into one of the world’s leading auction houses, the largest in New England. Karen was instrumental in the establishment of Skinner as a world-class auction gallery in Boston, as well as the company’s expansion into specialty areas that include Fine Musical Instruments, Science & Technology, Rare Books & Manuscripts, Fine Wines, and Judaica.

Having overseen a successful transition to new ownership, successor company Bonhams Skinner, to which she continues to consult, Karen also serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Massachusetts College of Art & Design in Boston, the nation’s only freestanding, public college of fine art and design. She also serves as a Trustee of the Worcester Art Museum.

Karen brings her lifelong passion for art, antiques and the study of material culture to her service in all these areas. She is a versatile appraiser, possessing a broad knowledge of furniture, and fine and decorative arts. Her specialty areas include American Furniture and Decorative Arts, Americana, and Folk Art. Karen is USPAP certified by the Appraiser’s Association of America. She is also a formidable presence at the auction podium and became the company’s first female auctioneer early in her career.

Karen is also a familiar face and leading appraiser on the PBS Emmy Award-winning TV series Antiques Roadshow. Karen is a regular contributor to art and antiques publications, symposiums, web sites, and blogs, and lectures and conducts benefit auctions and appraisal events for non-profit and for-profit institutions nationwide. Karen holds a master’s degree in art history from Boston University. She is a former overseer of the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, Lincoln, MA.