Certificate of Autenticity
My role as a specialist expert is to determine the nature, origin and time of manufacture of automatons, art and musical instruments to mechanical; To detect any alterations, transformations and repairs and to indicate an average price in trading value or in replacement value.
Fulfilling my charge with sincerity, impartiality, competence, and integrity, I am bound by professional secrecy and am responsible for my expertise. As such and to offer a total guarantee, I have taken out professional insurance, covering both the risks of errors and accidents, loss or theft of objects that may occur during my missions, as required by law.
Strong of my independence, but at the heart of the market, and in constant relationship with its actors, I advise my clients, for a sharing, for any question of insurance and for the Constitution or the dispersion of a collection.
I also assist the auctioneers in the drafting of the sales catalogues, I give them my technical and scientific assistance for a perfect valorization of the objects of art and I participate in the classification of the works of art in the collections and the Museums.
The intervention of independent experts is indispensable to evaluate a family property, a collection, or to organize a private or public sale, to carry out a descriptive inventory, an evaluation corresponding to the current price of the art market, in the negotiation of a contract of insurance, of sharing, of succession, of donation, or simply to know the value of a collection.
The experts are the real guarantors of the art market.
The different types of interventions
Often, the estimation of a piece boils down to a simple response to images sent by mail.
But if the piece justifies it, I carry out a complete organological examination, attentive listening when the instrument is in working condition (let's not forget that these are automatic musical instruments and automatons) and the writing of a sheet Descriptive.
I proceed in two steps:
At the reception of your photos & your videos, sent through request form and the settlement of the amount of the flat-rate opening of the file, I formulate an opinion on the interest of the piece and an estimation of the market price. This first step is concretized by a document, a summary of the knowledge on the piece, a specimen of which is visible here.
This approach is not an expertise and cannot, at this stage, incur my responsibility, insofar as the elements provided are, by means of non-verifiable media (photographs, films or videos, recordings, etc.).
This procedure has the advantage of answering your first questions, by providing high and low limits, to leave you full freedom in the strategic choices and to assure you of my perfect independence.
Depending on this first approach, you will be able to opt for different choices:
The Certificate of Authenticity
This material safety Data sheet is a true piece of identity of the object of art or collection. This document, formal and authenticated by my signature, commits my responsibility for a term defined by law (See French Decree No. 81-255 of March 3, 1981, says Décret Marcus).
Its writing includes a history, the report of the detailed organological examination of the instrument, a statement of possible alterations, transformations or repairs suffered and highlights its potentialities. It is accompanied by digitally signed photographs.
This certificate guarantees the time of manufacture, the origin and the degree of authenticity of the art object. It can be filed in court and it is binding on third parties.
The estimate
Addition to the Certificate of Authenticity, the estimate indicates the trading value on the market on the day of its establishment.
This document makes it possible to know the relative value of the item.
The Insurance value Certificate
Another supplement to the Certificate of Authenticity, the insurance value certificate indicates the replacement value of the work of art or collection on the day of the preparation of the document. Very useful in the event of a disaster, it is strongly recommended to establish it prior to the initial signing of the contract, or to include it during the annual review of the special conditions. Insurance companies honour their contracts more easily, when an accredited expert has accurately described and estimated of the deprived, destroyed or damaged property. In any case, the certification of an expert of justice will allow the insurance company to instruct the file in much better conditions.
This document can and must be updated regularly, to take account of the differences recorded in the Art market according to modes or discoveries...
Stolen item alert
Incidentally, the Constitution by my care of an archive of digital photographs and videos, accurate and characterized, and its preservation on my network, will facilitate the research and allow to restore without difficulty, the trajectory of an Instrument. I collaborate with various research corpses around the world and am able to instantly alert my own network.
The fees
At the opening of a dossier for expertise, I request the payment of a lump sum fee, the amount of which is currently set at €80 (1 July 2017).
Then, depending on the options set out and chosen by you in full knowledge of the facts, I draw up a quotation and submit it to you, without any form of commitment from you. In case of agreement, a fee agreement is then proposed to you, with a provision.