Our Pieces of the Week honor the 2026 nominees for the Gem Award for Jewelry Design, Silvia Furmanovich, Cece Fein-Hughes, and Catherine Sarr.
Freeman’s Adds Regional Representative in the Midwest
Tracey Kahle joins the auction house with 32 years’ experience in buying and appraising gems and jewelry.

Tracey Kahle is the auction house’s regional representative in Kansas City, Kansas, a newly created position for the company.
Kahle joins Freeman’s with 32 years of experience in buying and appraising loose colored gemstones, diamonds, and finished jewelry.
She earned her G.G. from the Gemological Institute of America in 1988, and followed it up by working as an apprentice under Harold and Tom Tivol at well-known Kansas City, Missouri jeweler Tivol.
She then managed the retailer’s appraisals department from 2006 to 2014. During that time, she also taught continuing education classes on jewelry insurance replacement at Johnson County Community College.
In addition, Kahle has continued her own education.
She studied appraisal methodology and appraisal report writing with the American Gem Society and the International Society of Appraisers, and holds the ISA’s highest accreditation—Certified Appraiser of Personal Property.
She currently serves as a mentor to prospective ISA members and serves on two ISA committees, Designation and Review and Gems and Jewelry.
“Freeman’s is delighted to add Tracey Kahle to our experienced team of regional representatives, a growing part of our business,” said Thomas B. McCabe IV, Freeman’s head of business development.
“We are enthusiastic her addition will further increase our company’s presence in Kansas City, Kansas, and will allow us to better serve our clients.”
Anyone with questions related to jewelry appraisals and collections can contact Kahle at tkahle@freemansauction.com.
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