Frequently asked questions about expertise and valuation on encherissez.com
Would You Like to Have an Object Valued?
Send us photographs and the available information about your painting, sculpture, jewellery, watch, furniture or other collectable. The initial request is free of charge and does not commit you to selling.
Frequently Asked Questions About Valuation and Expertise
How should you submit a request, prepare photographs, understand a valuation or sell a property? Here are the answers to the questions most frequently asked of Expertisez Enchères.
An online valuation provides an initial indication of value. It is prepared from the photographs and information supplied, subject to physical examination and, where necessary, additional research.
Valuation and Expertise: Your Questions
How Can I Have a Painting, Sculpture, Piece of Furniture or Jewellery Valued?
Complete the online valuation form by providing your contact details, photographs and a description of the property.
Our team reviews the information supplied and, where possible, provides an initial range of value. If the object requires physical examination or the involvement of a specialist, an appropriate solution will be proposed.
What Is the Difference Between a Valuation and an Appraisal?
A valuation is an assessment of the property’s likely value on a particular market, notably with a view to an auction.
An appraisal involves a more detailed study of its nature, technique, period, condition, provenance and possible attribution.
Authentication cannot always be established from photographs. Certain works require physical examination, scientific analysis or consultation with a recognised authority.
Which Photographs Should I Send?
Please also provide the dimensions — excluding the frame for a framed work —, materials, the presumed artist or maker and any known history.
How Can I Send Numerous Photographs or Submit Several Objects?
Please use the valuation form in the first instance. If the files are too numerous or too large, contact us at contact@expertisez.com to arrange the most suitable method of transmission.
For a collection or substantial group of objects, an inventory or specific service may be proposed. Any terms and fees will be disclosed before you make a commitment.
Can I Request a Valuation Without Digital Photographs?
A remote valuation generally requires sufficiently clear photographs. If you cannot take or transmit them, contact us to discuss the possibility of an appointment or another method of examination.
A valuation cannot be provided solely from a description given by telephone.
Is an Online Valuation Reliable?
It provides initial guidance based on the visible features and information supplied. Its accuracy depends on the quality of the photographs, description and available documentation.
It may be revised following physical examination. It does not constitute a contractual appraisal, certificate of authenticity or statement for insurance, estate or litigation purposes.
Is the Online Valuation Free of Charge?
The initial valuation request made with a view to sale is free of charge and without obligation, subject to the conditions displayed on the form.
A substantial collection, inventory, written appraisal, statement of value, visit or specific research may be subject to a fee. No charge will be incurred without your prior agreement.
What Is a Certificate of Authenticity?
A certificate of authenticity is a document through which its author assumes responsibility for the attribution or authenticity of the property described.
Its significance depends on the identity and authority of the person or organisation issuing it. It may, for example, be issued by the artist, the artist’s successors in title, a recognised committee or an acknowledged specialist.
A statement of value or valuation does not, by itself, constitute a certificate of authenticity.
How Can You Sell with Expertisez Enchères?
If the property is suitable for the market, Expertisez Enchères will advise you on the most appropriate method of sale: public auction or private sale.
Before a sale can be arranged, the property must be examined and accepted. A written mandate then records its description, estimate, any reserve price, fees and conditions of sale.
Understanding the Main Types of Value
A range of indicators based on auction results, transaction frequency and demand. An artist’s market does not automatically determine the value of every individual work.
A range of likely value established for a specific property, on a particular market and at a given date.
The price for which a property might reasonably be sold under normal market conditions at a given date.
The estimated cost of acquiring an identical or comparable property at the relevant date. This concept is used particularly for insurance purposes.
A value contractually agreed between the insured person and the insurer, generally on the basis of an appraisal or inventory.
The minimum price agreed with the seller below which the property cannot be sold. Under French law, where an estimate is published, the reserve cannot exceed the lower estimate.
The sale price requested by a gallery. It reflects the gallery’s commercial model and does not necessarily correspond to the price likely to be achieved at auction.
The price at which an artist or studio offers a work directly. It does not necessarily constitute an established market price.
Understanding Attribution Terms
Unless accompanied by an express reservation, this wording guarantees under French law that the named artist is the author of the work.
The work was created during the artist’s period of production and serious evidence identifies the named artist as its likely author.
The work was created in the named master’s studio or under the master’s direction.
The author was a pupil of the named master, was demonstrably influenced by the master or benefited from the master’s technique. French law also limits the period to which this expression may apply.
The French expressions « dans le goût de », « style » and « manière de » provide no particular guarantee regarding the artist’s identity, the date of the work or its school.
The work follows a composition or model associated with the named artist, without guaranteeing that it is by the artist, from the artist’s period or from the artist’s school.
A facsimile, cast, copy or other reproduction must be identified as such.
These expressions are not among the terms expressly defined by the French decree of 3 March 1981. Their intended meaning should therefore be explained clearly in the catalogue whenever they are used.
French legal framework: the definitions relating to « attribué à », « atelier de », « école de », « dans le goût de », « style », « manière de » and reproductions reflect Articles 3 to 8 of French Decree no. 81-255 of 3 March 1981 concerning transactions in works of art and collectables. The reserve price is governed by Article L. 321-11 of the French Commercial Code.