FREQUENTLY  ASKED  QUESTIONS Art Authentication Experts - Art Appraisers - art valuers. Art Experts serving UK< EUROPE< USA - Canada - Australia and South America

THE FREEMANART  CONSULTANCY

Our  Most   Frequently  Asked  Questions

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*Before you write to us please note*
 

 We receive many requests from individuals who believe we are a free information and reference service and I am afraid we are not.

 

 We are not sponsored, nor do we have any annoying pop ups and never accept any kind of paid advertising on this site. So I am sorry, but this is just not possible.


Our services and expertise are provided on a professional basis only and are reserved for those individuals who require our expert help and advise of over 47 years working in this specialized field of investigating fine art authentication, identification and artist attributions. Expertise which we will be happy to provided on a professional basis.

Thank you

 

 

 

 


Our Most Frequently Asked Questions Follow:

Forensic handwriting analysts

 

 

ART AUTHENTICATION ISSUES

 

 Full qualification of the legitimacy and or the authenticity of a work of art, cannot be absolutely verified from photographs alone.

 We therefore undertake fully comprehensive, wide ranging investigations into the authenticity or possible attributions of works of art and conduct international archival research, when and where it is appropriate, or required and responsible to do so.

This is effected after the preliminary assessment of viability study has been undertaken and the client advised if further investigation is either necessary or warranted.


  The preliminary viability study assesses and more importantly, balances all aspects of the work in question and is conducted using images and all the relevant information about the work of art in question that is provided by you.

*Full investigations are entered into andf conducted with a view to presenting all the evidence and facts that are revealed in support of legitimacy or otherwise.  We do so for individuals seeking full authentication, as well as for those who may be prosecuting a fraud.
Any case is presented in the final analysis, to the fully internationally recognized, appropriate and legally accredited administration, expert, panel, body or committee, that exists in order to protect that particular artists rights and act as a guarantee of legitimacy henceforward.

 We will only turn to that level of authority for their unanimous and internationally accepted final decision and full accreditation of the work.

 

Unlike many others who advertise on thew internet, we DO NOT under any circumstances claim or are able to issue

'Certificates of Authenticity' or COA's.

 Why? We are not the legal copyright holders of these artists, nor are we regarded as the unanimously recognized official body protecting that artists rights, unless we are regarded in that capacity.

 

 

Q: Why do we not publish our addresses or telephone numbers ?

Security and time zone differences.

We prefer to contact you with an agreed and convenient time to speak.

 

 

Q:How does the authentication process work?

Answer: In considered stages.

If a client decides and instructs us to conduct a full investigation into their work or works of art's legitimacy after the preliminary assessment of viability study has been completed, we will enter into our standard contractual agreement with them, specifying all the details, financial obligations, various stages and rates that apply.

 This contract also has non-disclosure and privacy of information clauses by which the client is protected. 

It does not need to be duplicated by a second non-disclosure agreement. See our Privacy section.

 

 

Q: I have an old painting signed by artist  'X'  and  I need it  AUTHENTICATING . How much will it cost?

Answer: As all investigations are entirely different from each other, like any investigation, be it civil or criminal, they will take different amounts of time and effort and be conducted in different locations and can be complex. This therefore is a question that is impossible to predict or be definitively answered. We simply do not know how much time it will take, nor can anyone predict the success of finding supportive evidence when you are investigating the unknown.

When most works of art that we investigate are alligned to the names of important artists, be they Old or Modern masters, the implication is that they can be valuable commodities. The demands therefore of guaranteed, well established and formally underpinned authenticity is obvious.

As such, full investigations would be funded accordingly and in stages to avoid risk and clearly such an undertaking is not committed to when the potential value of the work is disproportionate to the cost of an investigation to authenticate it. It would not be viable to do so.

 

 

 

 


 

 

The Preliminary Assessment of Viability.

 

 

The very first step in the art authentication process is the safety net.

 

 If you own works of art holding a belief that they may be potentially by any Old or Modern master, it infers that if proven and certified as authentic, the monetary value of the work of art in question may be significant.

 The preliminary study and viability advisory service that we offer our clients, is their individual 'safety net', therefore a significant, necessary and vitally important first logical step in the authentication or attribution process. But it's a good but cautious first step to take.

It is one that you make before you undertake a full investigation and an independent primary assessment that is conducted to see if there are any issues or looming warning signs at all. Anything that indicates that a full investiagetion might fail.
You are then in a far better position to balance the positive and negative aspects of the case and make a much more rational decision to proceed, or otherwise.

 If you are on the other hand considering a purchase, be it at auction or elsewhere, it is also your safety net.

Far, far too many times, we have clients asking for investigations into the authenticity of works of art they have already bought at auction and unfortunately many are works they wish they never had bid on after it falls down around them and they find out far too late, they made a grave mistake.

 

 

  • A 'pre-authentication assessment', is an independent professional study that addresses both the viability and the feasibility of the case as it is presented to us by you.
    It is based upon the images that you supply, which should be the best quality you can give us for your own sake. Blurred images and pictures far too small to enlarge and examine are pointless.
    So don't resize them and if the file sizes are too large to send, use an internet upload storage service such as Drop box or Google.
    The information you also give us should include everything you can tell us about its background, including how you acquired it and give us sight of any documentation relating to it, if you have it, is essencial.
    Importantly, this is an impartial study and one independently balancing all the positive factors, setting them against any negative issues that are evident. It aims to underline any problems at all that may influence its outcome and negate the possibility of success. Including factors you may have missed that may contribute to its failure right from the start.
    All things must be logically addressed and fully considered.

  • If we feel that authenticity would be improbable, or an impossible undertaking, that is, should we identify any negative issues which we would likely not be able to overcome, or to the contrary, ones with a reasonable chances of success, we will inform you of the facts and you can make the decision to continue further with an investigation or not.

  • In pursuing authenticity, any investigation has to be both rigorous, thorough and substantial in both quality and breadth of research. As such, the client must be in a position to finance an investigation fully.

  • No one can ever guarantee the final outcome of any investigation they undertake. An investigation evolves as it cannot be predicted .

  • By definition, an investigation is a careful search process. An examination of many factors, pursuing diverse avenues to explore. Always with the intention of discovering facts and evidence that supports the case. Investigations may include questioning witnesses, collating facts and considerable archival research. Forensic examination and a variety of applications including the scrutiny of records in many different settings and places may also be required. It is totally impossible to foresee or predetermine if one direction will be successful or not.

 

* Pre-Authentication Assessments LINK *


 

 

* PLEASE NOTE:

 

 We never, as a matter of firm company policy, undertake any work for client and at any level, on the basis that we will be recompensed or paid for our efforts, or be remunerated for expenses incurred, from what are the possible future % or proceeds of a sale.

 

NOTE WELL: We are NOT in the slightest bit interested in split profits, or percentages of future monies from any partnerships.

We regard this as strictly unprofessional and a totally unethical conflict of interests.

 

Logic prevailing, consider it if the roles were reversed.

The work of art may or may not turn out to be authentic.

Alternately, the client may decide not to sell the work of art, even if it is proven legitimate.

And there is always a possibility that it may not actually be sold, even if it was proven and underpinned as legitimate.

So as a business proposition, it is a ridiculous one.

 

 


 

 

If you are considering having a Pre-Authentication Assessment conducted, please be prepared to undertake the following:

 

REGARDING PHOTOGRAPHS:

*I will repeat, do try to send us the very best images you can.

 For the preliminary assessment of viability study to commence, we would need good quality images, ones taken of the whole of the painting and one each of its 4 quadrants or corner sections. This allows for much closer inspection of the work by enlarging the photographs one section at a time.

 Do not re size any images. They can always be uploaded to a drop box or image drive storage application.

 It is also very important to take photos of the actual back of the work too.
Much can be learned by examining it. It helps in determining the actual age for instance, the type of canvas, panel, paper or support and there also may be stamps, inscriptions, labels on it for us to research.

 Also take close up images of specific details within the picture. Particularly any signature, monogram or inscription. As well as any stamps or labels there may be. Choose individual components and details of the work that you think may be relevant and useful for us to study and take photographs of them too.

LIGHTING CONDITIONS:

 Pictures are always best taken in daylight conditions and using a tripod or a pile of books to set the camera on. If you have one, use the timer delay function. This 5 or 10 second delay before the image is taken automatically, alleviates hand held camera tremor that naturally occurs with all of us. This natural vibration which inevitably results in blur.

If you can't do it that way, steady yourself against a wall or table and hold your breath when you do take the picture. You would be surprised at just how much better the images are if you do.

 

GLASS.

 If the picture is glazed, as in the case of a water colour or drawing, the glass itself often creates troublesome glare, particularly with the flash and bright daylight conditions. This drastically limits the ability of achieving a good photograph and enabling us to scrutinise a work in detail. So it is far better that we receive images that are minus the glass if possible.

 

WORKS ON PAPER.

 In the case of a work on paper, water colours, drawings, acrylic paintings etc., very good results can be obtained using a domestic scanner. Larger flatbed scanners are often available in print shops and large office supply centres, particularly useful when the picture will not fit on your home scanner.

 

FRAMES

 If the work is covered by a frame, then please remove it from the frame if at all possible. The rebate (or blush) of the frame can sometimes hide a signature. 
With oil paintings, the support or timber frame that the canvas is stretched over, called a stretcher, can sometimes reveal much to us and it is well worth measuring the picture out of its frame for greater accuracy.

Always do so in two different units. So both in Metric and Imperial. Centimetres and in inches. Don't be tempted to use the internet to convert one to the other.  Don't just lay a tape measure over a picture and photograph it. We need your accurate dimensions, not our guess work when we don't have the real item with us.

 

PHONES

If you are resorting to using your mobile phone to take images, then make sure you steady it or yourself against something solid to avoid that annoying camera shake and blur.

 We appreciate, you may not be either a proficient or a professional photographer, but do practise and try to obtain the best results for us that you can.

 

SENDING IMAGES.

 Photos that are not re sized will be quite large files, but they can be Compressed (or zipped) and all sent to us in an email, or alternatively uploaded as I have said to a site such as Drop Box.
If this is not possible, send them singularly attached to individual emails and label them correspondingly as Painting 1, 2, 3, etc. for clarity.

DIMENSIONS.

 Please take precise measurements in both imperial and metric units, (inches and centimetres) and set out the full provenance and history of the work in question as is known to you, including the specific details of its original acquisition.
If you have them, also send copies of any documentation or previous research you may have.

*Try to do the very best you can and for the time being, don't rush out and have professional images taken. Hold back on that until we can report back to you if the work has the promise or merit for that sort of additional expense.

* * * 

 


  • KINDLY NOTE: The Preliminary assessment of viability is a prepaid study.

  • This review and advisory is currently set at our standard rate fee of £135.00 GBP or its equivalent in your local currency.

  • The fee is for each work of art, irrespective of how long we have to spend on the review.

  • This fee can be met by MoneyGram or other agreed format with us. Unfortunately, we do not accept Western Union..

  • Firm company policy is such that, prior to embarking on any full authenticity investigation, we conduct a pre-authentication
    assessment for clients first and there can be no exceptions to this tried and tested protocol.

  • Please do understand and recognize that Pre-authentication assessments and studies of the viability of progressing with a full investigation, are  NOT  full investigations in themselves. They do not result in a full report being sent to clients and therefore they in no way constitute or form any formal guarantee that something is legitimate, not that it is not.

 

 Photos: You may attach them in the normal manner to an email only when we have responded to you.

 

 

 

Q: What guarantee do I have that my work of art is going to be authentic or valuable after I've paid for the work?

Answer: None at all.

 No one can guarantee the result of any type of investigation be it criminal, civil or legal and before they know what those results are.


Q:  How long does it take to have a work of art authenticated and how much will the full investigation process cost ?

Answer: This is an unknown period.

 Often, research in many cases has to be physically conducted in the country of origin of the artist, particularly with major works of art believed to be by European Old and Modern masters. But that is less of a problem for us and the client, as we have bases in the UK and Europe and access is much easier and less complicated.

Physical inspection of the work of art also has to be undertaken at some point and that varies according to its geographical location.

 

Q: What then is the process of authentication?

Answer: We will work together with you in logical and progressive stages.

 After the initial pre-authentication assessment, the client should be in a far better position to decide if they wish to proceed and be able to balance the proposed financial outlay required to progress the next stage with the possible finite value.

 

 

RIGHT TO QUIT.

 We must regrettably reserve the absolute right to refuse to proceed with, or undertake any project, if and when there are any factors indicating illegality, deception or collusion that emerge. Including deliberate misinformation or malfeasance.

In any such circumstances, we absolutely retain the right to quit.

 

 

Q: Do you provide written appraisals for insurance purposes, tax or future family distribution?

Answer: Yes, we will upon request and a fee is charged for this process and for documentation.

 You must firstly decide if this is completely necessary. Different insurance companies have different thresholds, (values below which they do not require an insurance document to be issued.) So speak to your insurers first.

We can also attempt to make retrospective assessments of value, as in the instance of theft, fire, loss or other damage given images and the fukll details regarding it.

 

Q: Do you do home visits, in person appraisals and offer art consultancy services and how much does it cost?

Answer: Yes and it is a service payable by the hour or part thereof, dependent entirely on where you live if travel costs are necessary. Contact us directly for that information and a quote.

 

Q. How do we contact you?

Go to the > Contact Page on the website and tell us exactly how we may assist you professionally.

 

You would be surprised to learn that many emails are vague, unspecific and some don't even give us the name of the sender.

 

***Please double check the spelling of your email address and check your Spam folder if you do not hear from us quickly.

 

 

 

VALUATIONS

 

Q: Do you charge a PERCENTAGE %  of the value, or as part of the fee for any valuation appraisal?

Absolutely Not !

 

 Unlike many art appraisers, we do not charge a percentage of an items possible worth.

By charging a proportional part of an estimated value, this can have the effect of making absolutely everything 'valuable' in the eyes of some unscrupulous appraisers and is in our view, both unprofessional as it is equally unethical.

We are ashamed that this practise is still being conducted by some of those within our professional ranks.

 

Q:  'Online Appraisals' (Evaluation) can it be done from  photos or digital images that I send to you?

YES. But an appraisal of this kind is an ESTIMATION of value only.


  It is intended to support and inform individuals considering purchasing a work of art 'online', with seller platforms such as Ebay or Live Auctioneers, or a local in-house auctioneer and it is an 'opinion' only.

It does not approve nor does it support the legitimacy or authenticity of any such item, nor is it an Insurance Valuation. It does not constitute any sort of guaranteed value for future family distribution or sale purposes.

 

 If you are considering the possibilities surrounding a work of art's legitimacy being presented for sale online, please refer to the Authentication Issues section of the FAQ's above.   

 

If you plan to have an 'online' assessment of estimated value of an item offered for sale, similarly please try to:

  • Prepare and send us good quality digital images of a work you intend to sell online. If possible take them in normal daylight conditions and with the camera positioned on a tripod or flat surface to avoid camera shake and blur and do use the timer.

  • Please do not send us blurred photos.

  • Send pictures of the front, back, detail and of any marks, signatures or inscriptions there may be for us to see and interpret.

  • Measure or obtain the dimensions of the work accurately. Both in inches (Imperial) and in millimetres, (Metric.)

  • Provide us with as much information and background history that you can along with copies of any paperwork or documentation that may accompany the piece or item.

 

 An assessment of value online is made 'sight unseen' of the actual article and therefore no written valuation or report will be undertaken or delivered.

 

 

 

 

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