Artist Business Inventory Database Software: Keeping Proper Art Provenance Records
About Provenance Records
Documented evidence of provenance for an art object establishes that it has
not been altered, is not a forgery, an unauthorized reproduction, stolen or looted art. Knowledge of provenance helps to assign the work to a known artist, and a documented history can be of use in helping to prove ownership.
The quality of provenance of a work of art can make a considerable difference to its
selling price in the market; this is affected by the degree of certainty of the provenance, the status of past owners as collectors, and in many cases by the strength of evidence that an object has not been illegally excavated or exported from another country. The provenance of a work of art may be recorded in various forms depending on context or the amount that is known, from a single name to an entry in a full scholarly catalogue several thousand words long.
Ideally provenance documentation evidences an
unbroken chain of custody of an artwork leading from the current posessor all the way back to the original artist. Certification of the initial transaction authorizing the object's creation and acquisition is the single most important step in the chain. Recording the details of the original work and edition details on a certificate signed by the Artist's own hand is strong evidence of authenticity. When the cretificate is numbered and corrsesponds to an entry in the Artist's own records, it is
irrefutable.
Certificates of Authenticity
The Certificate of Authenticity (COA) is the common form of documentation for recording the provenance details of a work of art. COA certificates. There are
no standards for COA certificate format or content, so they are not all created equal.
The Artist-Patron Register
automates production of COA certificates compliant with a very high documentation standard. Details of the Original Artwork, Artist, Edition, Master Printer, Gallery and Patron are all documented in an attractive and customizeable format.
In addition to core content, customizable text areas provide an Attestation section to describe the scope of the document, Copyright details to restrict reproduction rights and a Certification section that scopes the coverage of the Artist's signature. An optional seal graphic can be printed on the Certificate of Authenticity which is sized to match a standard embosser stamp for the ultimate in personalization.
Click this link to see more about the
customizable automated COA feature.
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