Art & Decorative Objects

01 · Identification clues

• On the front: signatures, monograms and dates.
• On the back of a frame or canvas: gallery, framer, exhibition or auction labels.
• In print margins: edition numbers and printer's marks.
• On ceramic bases: factory marks, impressed stamps, pattern names.
• On silver: hallmarks and maker's marks.

02 · Information worth recording

• The artist or maker's name, exactly as signed or attributed.
• The medium, if known.
• Dimensions, with and without the frame.
• Every label, stamp or inscription, copied exactly.
• Condition: tears, flaking, chips, cracks, repairs, known restoration.

03 · Useful photo views

1. The whole work, straight on, in its frame.
2. The back of the frame or canvas.
3. A close-up of any signature.
4. The base or underside of objects.
5. Damage, lit from the side so texture shows.

04 · Paperwork to gather

Gallery or auction receipts, exhibition catalogs or labels, conservation or restoration reports, and letters from artists, dealers or earlier owners. None of it is required to start.

05 · Careful handling

• Carry framed works with two hands, supported from beneath, never by the top of the frame or the wire.
• Don't take works out of frames or labels off backs.
• Don't clean paintings, ceramics or silver.
• Keep works on paper away from direct light and damp.
• Wrap ceramics and glass individually; never nest them.

06 · What photos can't show

• Authorship. A signature alone doesn't establish it.
• Attribution, which is an opinion. "Attributed to" and "in the style of" make different claims. More on attribution wording.
• Restoration that isn't disclosed may not show in photographs.

07 · Common questions