The Framers Forum

A customer has asked if I have any recommendations or contacts to authenticate some art they have inherited. They believe to be Picasso sketches but want to have them examined and verified if so. They have approached Sotherbys who seemed reluctant.

This is well outside my area and I am not getting involved, but for future reference, has anyone ever had enquiries like this? If so, other than googling, how does one find a reputable contact to undertake that task?

We would always direct people to a reputable auction house. If the auction house themselves aren't then interested I'd recommend the customer asks them for an on-ward recommendation. Alternatively, the curator at a large local museum might have contacts.

The simple answer is to take them to the local auction house.

They will be able to tell immediately if they are cheap copies or are original sketches.

If original then they will have value and the auctioneer should be able to advise where to take them.

Thanks, the impression I got was Sotherbys were reluctant to value without authenticity and they didn’t really go any further with the conversation.

I don’t know any large auction houses so they will have to research themselves. A museum is a good shout too, thanks.

Shame that Sotheby's seem reluctant. The big auction houses would be my first port of call. I imagine that if they had any provenance for the pieces they might have had more interest, as apparently there are a huge number of forgeries out there.

The changes are that what your customer has are either reproductions of known artwork or unauthorized prints/drawings. Their worth is most likely of a decorative nature only. The cost of a real authentication by a qualified person would exceed the value of the art. The cost to authenticate a potential Picasso print/drawing typically begins with an initial evaluation fee of approximately $4,000, which covers a preliminary assessment and basic tests by the Picasso Administration (formerly the Picasso Estate). Yes, the actual artwork would have to be sent to them.

In the appraisal world that I was in (1990s - early 2000s), as an accredited personnel property appraiser, we had a derogatory name for Picasso, Dali, and Chagall, "the Three Stooges" as most of what was being brought in for evaluation were not originals.

Yes, it could very well be that the people he spoke to were ‘here comes another one’. I have no idea what these are or what provenance he may or may not have. I would love for them to be the real deal though!

JFeig, I was skimming earlier and have just re-read your reply. I will pass the information about the Picssso Administration and they can do with that what they will. Thanks!