Ask precisely.
Assess independently.
A practical guide to the evidence an opinion should address.
A question with several parts.
Authentication is not one question. Identity, date, material, origin, condition and ownership history need distinct evidence. An assessment should say which of those it addresses and which remain unresolved.
This guide offers questions for an independent specialist. It does not diagnose an image, issue certificates or endorse an authentication provider.
Prepare an independent review.
Document the exact object.
Use photographs from every side, measurements and a record of marks and repairs. Keep the original files.
Collect the supporting record.
Gather invoices, dated photographs, earlier publications and any certificates. Attribute oral accounts to the person who provided them.
Choose relevant expertise.
Ask about experience with the material, region and type of image. Disclose the questions you need answered and any relationship between assessor and seller.
Ask for scope and limitations in writing.
Record the basis for an opinion and its level of confidence. Scientific examination, when proposed by a qualified specialist, must be appropriate to the particular question.
Keep the conclusions precise.
A material identification does not by itself establish the place or date of manufacture. A stylistic resemblance is a comparison, not an ownership record. A certificate reflects the claim it actually makes, within its stated scope.
Do not scratch, polish or chemically treat an image to reveal supposed proof of age. Preserve its condition for professional examination.
For an important decision, consider a second independent opinion and resolve conflicting assessments before relying on them.
Keep uncertainty in the record.
Write “unknown” when evidence is missing. Record a proposed attribution as an attribution, with its author and date. Preserve older opinions even when a later assessment differs, so the history of interpretation remains visible.
Download the object study worksheet to organise that record.
Documentation and care references.
- Ownership / Collecting HistoryGetty · Categories for the Description of Works of Art
- Object IDInternational Council of Museums · Documentation standard
- The Cleaning, Polishing and Protective Waxing of Brass and CopperCanadian Conservation Institute · CCI Notes 9/3