Standards
An opinion is worth what the independence behind it is worth. These are the terms on which this practice works, and they are not negotiable.
Independence
- No financial or ownership interest is held in any object examined, and none is acquired while an engagement is in force.
- No commission, brokerage, or success fee is accepted, in any form.
- Fees are never contingent on the conclusion reached, on the attribution of the object to any hand, on its value, or on the outcome of any sale, claim, or proceeding.
- Fees are payable whether the opinion is favourable, unfavourable, qualified, or inconclusive.
- Prior and concurrent engagements are checked for conflict before work begins. Where a conflict exists, the engagement is declined.
What an opinion is
A reasoned statement of scholarly judgment on the evidence available at its date, setting out what was examined, what weight each element carries, and what conclusion the evidence supports.
It is issued to the named client for a stated purpose. It may be revised or withdrawn if material evidence later comes to light.
What it is not
- Not a certificate of authenticity, and not to be described or marketed as one.
- Not a guarantee or warranty of authenticity, authorship, date, condition, ownership, or value.
- Not an appraisal. This practice is not a certified appraiser, and any statement of value is a non-binding observation that may not be used for tax, insurance, lending, or financial-reporting purposes.
- Not legal advice, and not an opinion on title, good faith, limitation periods, or the merits of any claim.
- Not technical or scientific analysis, which is separately commissioned from an independent laboratory where the evidence requires it.
Use and confidentiality
An opinion is furnished to the client alone and confers no right of reliance on any third party. Where it is disclosed to a permitted recipient it must be reproduced in full, including every qualification it carries. It may not be used in a sale, consignment, auction catalogue, listing, or promotional material without written consent.
Client information is held in confidence. Research generated in the course of an engagement may be used in scholarly work — catalogues raisonnés, articles, databases, and lectures — without disclosure of the client's identity.
What is required to begin
Dimensions and medium. All provenance documentation in the client's possession, including correspondence, invoices, export and customs records, and exhibition and publication history. Any prior technical or scientific examination, and any conservation record. High-resolution images of the recto, verso, edges, supports, frames, and every inscription, label, stamp, or surface anomaly.
All prior opinions on the object must be disclosed at the outset — whether written or oral, and whether favourable, unfavourable, withdrawn, or inconclusive. This includes any previous refusal to examine or to opine. An undisclosed prior opinion is grounds for terminating the engagement.
Direct physical examination is preferred and is sometimes necessary. Where it cannot be arranged, the opinion will be qualified accordingly or declined.