Art Appraisals

Appraisal and research in the art market require methodological rigour, documentary discipline and, above all, independence of judgment. Conclusions should arise from the evidence itself rather than from the interests of an owner, buyer, seller or any other party involved. Historical, technical and scientific considerations must therefore be assessed on their own merits and within the limits of the material available.

The purpose of the assignment determines the approach. An appraisal prepared for a transaction is not necessarily the same as one required for insurance, inheritance, taxation, lending or litigation. The relevant date, basis of value and scope of examination must be defined accordingly, so that the resulting opinion responds to the circumstances for which it has been commissioned.

Research may involve the study of provenance, archival sources, catalogues, exhibition histories, bibliography and related works, together with an assessment of condition and the physical characteristics of the object. Where documentary and visual examination cannot resolve a material question, further technical analysis may be undertaken in collaboration with recognised institutions, laboratories, conservators and other qualified specialists.

Authentication and attribution require the same degree of caution. Documentary evidence, provenance, scholarship, stylistic analysis and scientific findings must be considered together, without allowing any single element to predetermine the conclusion. The aim is not to create certainty where none exists, but to identify what the evidence supports, where doubt remains and what further investigation may reasonably be required.