Certificate of Authenticity-when is it Necessary When Buying Works of Art?

You wish to purchase a specific work of art…..but you want to make sure it is authentic. There are several important things to consider and facts to be aware of before purchasing art.

It is to your benefit to know if the art was signed by the artist and where and when it was created. Without this information you are buying a work of art because you love it and you are not going to consider its value, resale opportunities or insurance purposes.

So let’s look at some of the information that can help you in your future art transactions!

To begin with the encyclopedia describes Provenance as the origin or source from which something comes. The term is often used in the sense of place and time of manufacture, production or discovery. Comparative techniques, expert opinion, written and verbal records and the results of tests are often used to help establish provenance.
Provenance can take many forms:
*A signed certificate or statement of authenticity from a respected authority.
*An exhibition or gallery sticker attached to the art.
*An original sales receipt.
*Mention or illustration of the art in a book or exhibit catalogue.

If the art gallery, online auction or internet site does not mention a COA then ask them if they have one and who issued it. Ask to see a copy of the certificate and inquire if the COA comes with the purchase.

You want to know if this is the original work and not a reproduction of both the work and the signature. It is unfortunate but if an artist is highly collected and extremely popular then there is more of a possibility the work has been copied and the signature forged.

One forger of Master works in Holland was arrested when art authorities discovered trace elements found in blue pigment and artificial formaldehyde resin used as an undercoat to crack paint that did not agree with the crackling of the top layer as seen by x-ray photographs.

The following guidelines should assist you when reviewing the Certificate of Authenticity:
1. Title of Work
2. Date of Publication
3. Name of Publisher (for limited edition serigraphs and lithographs)
4. Edition sizes for limited editions
5. Exact dimensions of the art
6. Reference Books that list the art (specifically for famous artists)

All limited edition prints by Picasso, Dali, Chagall, Miro, and many other well-known master artists are documented in books called catalogues raisonne. If a catalogue raisonne exists then it should be noted on the certificate of authenticity.

When purchasing a signed art print check to see if it was part of a book, portfolio or catalogue. It is very rare that famous artists signed prints removed from these print media.

A description that says the art came from a major estate or from a well-known collector does not prove that a signature is genuine.
Many exhibition posters for museum or gallery shows of art by famous artists can also have signatures that cannot be authentic.

There are several things you can do to be more knowledgeable in the art world. You can purchase a great book called THE ART OF BUYING ART (Gordon's Art Reference, 263 pages). It is the best and easiest-to-understand book on how to buy, sell, price, evaluate, appraise, and collect art. Bernard Ewell, Senior Member of the American Society of Appraisers calls THE ART OF BUYING ART "the very best book on the subject ever published" in a review in Personal Property Journal, the trade publication of the American Society of Appraisers. The American Society of Appraisers is the most respected appraiser organization in the country.

You can check auction house records on the Artprice and Artnet site. For works sold in the more distant past, you can contact the auction houses directly. You can collect Auction House catalogs featuring sales of some of your favorite artists. Many of these catalogs, from past auctions, are on sale on the internet.

Collectors and dealers sometimes affix identifying stamps or labels on the backs of artworks. Use them to crosscheck dealer records.

This topic as well as featured artists, artistic techniques and art resources are found in the “Art Collector’s Newsletter”. The monthly issues are for both the new and seasoned art collector. You can go to the website to get a FREE issue.
http://www.theartcollectorsnewsletter.com/