Judith Katz-Schwartz was born and raised in New York City. She holds a BA in American Literature from Brooklyn College and a Graduate Chef's Diploma from Le Cordon Bleu.
In 1987 she opened a professional independent appraisal practice. Since 1993, Judith has also been doing business online, via her Twin Brooks web-site (www.msjudith.net). She writes, edits and publishes The Antiques and Collectibles Newsletter, an offbeat weekly email newsletter about collecting.
Judith appeared on Fox Television's top rated FX cable network show, Personal FX, The Collectibles Show, from its first show on June 1, 1994 until its final broadcast on May 1, 1998. She has also appeared on ABC (Good Morning America), NBC (The Ainsley Harriott Show, The Sally Jessy Raphael Show), Fox News (Fox On Trends, Fox and Friends), WBIS, Telecare (The God Squad Show), MSG's Metro Learning Channel (Metro Trends), national radio (Everything For Less, Let's Talk, Sunday Morning Chat, The Libby Collins Show, The Ken Murray Show, Clear Across America), and numerous other radio and television shows. She appeared on the Pax-TV Network show, Treasures In Your Home" from August 1999 through April 2000. Currently she is the antiques and collectibles expert for The Montel Williams Show, and also appears on The Ricki Lake Show and Antiques Show and Sell ( MetroTV). She is an appraiser for both the Ask The Appraiser online appraisal service, and What's It Worth To You.com.
Judith is the author of Protecting Your Collectible Treasures: Secrets Of A Collecting Diva; and an expert contributor to both Collectors Compass-Jewelry and Collectors Compass-Movie Star Memorabilia, published by Martingale & Co. She is an adjunct professor at the Arts and Appraisal Institute of CW Post College, and the Appraisal Studies Program at George Washington University. In addition, she lectures around the US on collecting topics. Her many articles on antiques and collectibles have been widely reprinted in the collecting press, including AntiqueWeek, Unravel The Gavel, Thompson's Antiques Gazette, and the Antiques and Collecting Newsletter. In addition, she writes the Antiques Barometer column for AntiqueWeek.
Since 1983, Judith has been a radio reader for the blind, doing a weekly nationally broadcast program for In Touch Networks.
Judith is a member of Mensa, The International Society Of Appraisers, The Association of Online Appraisers (of which she is currently President), The Ephemera Society of America, and The Antiques and Collectibles Dealers Association. She also serves on the Board of Advisors of Collect-Tech, Inc. and is the moderator of the Antiques and Collectibles Forum on the AntiqueWeek web-site.
She is a serious collector of more things than she cares to ponder, and lives in Manhattan and Sullivan County, NY with her husband, Arthur Schwartz, a computer expert.
Judith's first appearance as a stand-up comic was at Casual Comedy Night at the Lambs Theatre on April 12, 2000. She is currently a member of an improvisational comedy troupe performing in New York City.