A reported $6.7 million purchase of purported Andy Warhol works by the Perlman family raises a troubling question for collectors: who is behind the reassurance you receive? According to reporting on their lawsuit, after Christie’s questioned authenticity, visitors claiming to represent Phillips auction house offered reassurance. Phillips confirmed they were not employees. The related criminal case and broader civil claims have different legal histories; the civil allegations should not be treated as established findings.
The case is complex. Read the reporting from The Wall Street Journal and Hyperallergic linked below. Its relevance here is a practical one: another voice is useful only when you understand its qualifications, relationships, and interests.
Before a significant purchase, engage an appropriately qualified specialist outside the selling relationship. Ask about relevant experience, credentials, compensation, and any connection to the dealer or adviser. An independent assessment can help you understand value, supporting documentation, condition, and questions that need further investigation.
A longstanding dealer relationship can be valuable. It should also leave room for an outside assessment. An offer to handle future resale may be reassuring, but it should not prevent you from understanding how the object would be received elsewhere.
Begin with the directories of the Appraisers Association of America, the International Society of Appraisers, or the American Society of Appraisers. Confirm the individual’s specific specialty. For someone with an auction-house background, ask what department they worked in, how long they worked there, and what material they handled.
Ask directly: “Do you have any relationship or financial interest involving this dealer or adviser? Are you comfortable reaching a conclusion that differs from theirs?” Agree on confidentiality and the scope of the work before proceeding.
An appraisal is not automatically an authentication. A specialist appraiser should look for potential red flags within their field and explain when physical examination, further research, an authenticator, or scientific testing may be required. Photographs can support an initial assessment but do not answer every question.
Trust, transparency, and third-party expertise support informed collecting. Independent advice can help protect both the money you spend and the confidence with which you enjoy what you own.
In my full Currencies of Value essay, I explore the human side of these decisions—including a furniture purchase of my own that began with tapas and sangria and ended with a very different assessment once it arrived.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://jgarlandross.substack.com/p/when-the-second-opinion-comes-from
For an independent appraisal or collection consultation, contact Art Peritus through our CONTACT PAGE.
Related Articles:
Wall Street Journal
Hyperallergic
Jennifer Garland Ross, AAA is the founder of Art Peritus, a fine art and personal property appraisal and advisory firm specializing in appraisals, collection management, conservation oversight and complex insurance claims.
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For a significant purchase, a qualified specialist outside the selling relationship can assess value and identify questions that need further investigation. Check conflicts and agree on the scope before engaging them.
No. An appraisal addresses value for a defined purpose. Authentication addresses authorship or identity. An appraiser may identify red flags and recommend further specialist examination.
Photographs can support some assessments and reveal obvious concerns, but physical examination, documentation, or further testing may be necessary. Ask what the specialist can and cannot establish.
Use professional association directories, then verify the individual’s specialty, credentials, relevant experience, references, and relationships with the seller or adviser.
