Assessing the Risks of Appraising and Authenticating Art

I have placed on the Appraisers Post a very good article by attorney Joshua Kaufman about appraising and authenticating art from an April 2009 issue of Art Business News.

Providing appraisals and authentications can be an important service for an art dealer to provide in order to facilitate sales and bring in additional revenue. However, appraising and authenticating art do not come without risks and potential liabilities, which must be weighed against any additional benefits that accrue from undertaking such opportunities. Two areas of law often arise when authentication and appraisals take place: contract and tort law. Both federal and state laws can come into play during the course of authentication. An art dealer might sell an artwork he or she owns, or a piece consigned by a collector or artist.

For a link to the full article, visit the Appraisers Post and view the featured article box by clicking HERE.