Collector’s guide
Certificates of Authenticity Explained
A certificate should identify the artist and work with useful details such as title, date, medium, dimensions and edition. It supports the artwork record but does not replace provenance and purchase documentation.
Match the certificate to the object
Look for the artist’s name, exact title, date, medium and dimensions, plus edition details where applicable. Check who issued and signed the certificate. A photograph or other identifying detail can help connect the document to the work, but a certificate should be assessed alongside the seller’s records and the physical artwork.
Keep an acquisition file
Retain the invoice, written offer, condition information and relevant correspondence with the certificate. Record any framing or production details supplied for your purchase. If a document uses a different title, size or edition number, ask for the discrepancy to be resolved before completing the acquisition rather than assuming it is a harmless variation.
Before you decide
- Matching title, medium, size and edition information
- Identified issuer and signature or authorisation
- Invoice and supporting records kept with the certificate