As the value of European Impressionist and Modern Artworks has increased, the quality of provenance records that are published in Catalogue Raisonnés has largely remained the same, despite advances in technology that have significantly changed how data can be collected, assessed and cited.

The lack of quality standards, non-existent methodologies and politics used to report, influence and verify what an object is and where it has travelled during its life time has created a high degree of unnecessary fragility in the market. Collectors risk related to fraud exposure, their right to own, authentication politics and threat of financial loss has increased significantly. Collectors have been forced to accept documents that accompany artworks as 'trustworthy' despite (in the majority of cases) the primary motivation of the document offerer being significant monetary gain.

Over decades Art Experts have offered a non-transparent, unsubstantiated opinions that have created a fundamental Authentication Crisis within the industry sector of European Impressionist & Modern Art.

The documents offered are (in the majority of cases), 'patchy', lacking copies of original source documents and any form of contextualisation that is acutely evidence led. In short; these documents cannot stand up to scrutiny, they are stand alone narrative based statements with 'untested' content, presented as 'acceptable' facts.

Collectors therefore need access to verification reports that adhere to a standard of quality, that contain not just supporting documentation but also contextualised commentary that builds confidence in relation to key areas:

The Accuracy of Historical Published References

Verification & Contextualisation of Source Materials

The Authenticity of the Artwork itself

Ownership History & Restitution Risk

How Our Market Leading Reports Are Different

Why Collect These Critical Data Points?

Our reports are purely evidence led and contain data captured in a specific way from multiple 'primary source' documents. This enables information to be not just 'tested' but also contextualised which delivers the strongest method of documentary assessment. The correlation of multiple data sources divulges critical information, that when taken as a whole presents enhanced clarity within each element of the Report. The correlation of data develops comprehension, revealing:

Why Document Security Is Paramount

The Counterfeiting Risk

We live in a data age the Art Market is deeply unprepared for. It is remarkably easy to manipulate provenance related information in an industry reliant on distinctly opaque and unverifiable information; often provided by industry practitioners or 'experts' with a vested interest in the value of an artwork.

The ease of document manipulation is made possible by the lack of document security both at the archival level through to reporting practices and due diligence protocols that lack structured formats, contextualisation and any type of verification and validation mechanism.

It is vital that holders of Artworks demand and have access to trustworthy, verifiable information that enables them to make competent decisions when it comes to collection management, insurance representation, art finance application, deaccession planning or potential acquisitions. 

Image (left or above) The security standards on our Tailored Reports bring together; randomised stamps, paired 10 digit alpha-numeric codes, holographic security bindings that have transmission protection (making misuse and manipulation immediately visible) and encrypted recallable digital twin.

Enabling Collectors to Protect Against Exposure to Fraud

Walmsley Fine Art Advisory sets market leading standards in anti-counterfeit document security both in the physical Certificates and Reports produced and their recallable digital twins held within an encrypted log.

Our aim is to strengthen the protection of Artworks into their future by their connection to safeguarded quality reporting. Our security practices for the first time guarantee the reliability of the information reported to the holders of Artworks.

Image (right or above) The security standards on our Restitution Risk Profile Certificates insure that they are secured against copy with anti-counterfeit OptiSafe® safety paper with iridescent security feature (mainly used in security printing for the printing of banknotes & share certificates), Anti-counterfeit Seal with security features, each hologram has a 6-digit fluorescent serial number only visible under UV light. Each serial number is unique and is paired with a 10 digit alpha-numeric certificate number. The seal has transmission protection (the hologram is destroyed when removed), so that misuse is prevented and manipulation is immediately visible.  

What Our Verification Reports Achieve

*By combining both evidence based data rich documentary provenance reporting with robust and contextualised scientific analysis, collectors can finally obtain a 360 degree due diligence on Artworks via factual observation rather than having to rely on potentially biased 'expert opinion.'

• Proof of an Artwork's ownership history
• Proof of how an artwork has 'travelled' over its lifetime
• Authentication Investigation & Support
• Additional contextualised support for Scientific Analysis*
• Verification & Contextualisation of archive documents
• Restitution Risk Restitution Risk Analysis
• Verification for Valuation and Specialist Insurance
• Art Industry-Wide Enhanced Due Diligence & Increased Cost Efficiency
• Optimum Collection Management