The FBI reports that auctions are the number one complaint area for cyber fraud. Large omnibus sites like Ebay seem unable to prevent deception, fraudulent offerings, and disappearing sellers. This is understandable because the site is so large and impersonal that no one is empowered or able to review the material offered except on an occasional basis.
AAAbart auctions operated by Creighton-Davis Gallery is the oldest vetted fine art auction site(since 1996). We operate from a fixed address where we can be found by phone or personal visit (see about us). We rigorously screen every work offered so as to assure buyers that the work is completely consistent with the warranty provisions of the auction. A copy of the certificate of authenticity for each work can be viewed at the site description for each work. As a result we have never had an issue with any of our extensive internet client base concerning delivery or authenticity. Our guest book contains comments from past buyers for your review.
Guidelines for Internet Auctions
Based on conversations with a number of clients as well as our own observations about art offerings on the internet we offer these guidelines about buying art on the internet.
1. Check the warranty section. A number of sites are noticeably wary of guaranteeing just about anything concerning their offerings, not the price, not the authenticity, not the signature, not even the availability. Why would you want to be the one that takes all the risk in such a transaction?
2. Demand relevant documentation. More established artists and especially dead artists usually have their authentic works catalogued and photographed in widely available reference books called catalogue raisonnes. These references are usually noted in descriptions of the works offered for sale by legitimate galleries and knowledgeable private sellers. If the seller can't provide you with these references there may be a reason. You can check these references by going to a library, gallery, museum, or knowledgeable art professional where these references may be found and looking up the work in the relevant reference work(s). We have most of the important references and use them extensively in preparing our catalogues.
Younger artists usually can be contacted directly or through their galleries for assurances of authenticity. Many galleries provide detailed certificates of authenticity for the artists that they represent(see below about certificates of authenticity). These certificates should pass with changes in ownership to the new owners. Print publishers can be contacted directly for information about works that they have published if they are still in business. This documentation is very important when purchasing expensive works.
3. Demand a written and detailed guarantee of authenticity. Many sellers provide a simple statement on a letterhead or even a statement on an elaborate decorative certificate but providing a bare minimun of data and even this may be inaccurate. Details such as title, date, medium, size, signature and signature type, edition number and total edition size if edition, along with catalogue raisonne references should be a minimum. For unique works a detailed provenance is very helpful and absolutely essential on older works if you wish to be sure that the work is authentic. The seller should guarantee the authenticity of the work in writing. Many galleries will also guarantee the authenticity of the signatures as well.
4. Deal with someone or a firm that won't disappear if there is a problem. Virtual galleries may seem like a revolutionary new concept, but if you have a problem the virtual gallery may disappear as fast as the last screen on your terminal. Demand a fixed and established address for a gallery. With individual sellers, you have to make a personal judgement, but according to recent news reports about intenet auction fraud, many sellers are deliberately obscure as to their whereabouts.
5. Counterfeits and forgers exist in great number in the art world. The most common problem works are, not surprisingly, by artists with the highest recognition in the wider world, especially the big five: Picasso, Miro, Chagall, Dali, Matisse, along with Warhol and a few others. Many older works were never signed but later owners have appended false signatures to them to increase their worth.
Knowledgeable art professionals can usually avoid these works, but novice buyers often lack the expertise and experience to spot the often-obvious problems with such works.
The old axiom, "If it's too good to be true, it probably isn't" is the first rule of thumb to fall back on when looking for art works on the net.
6. Pay with a credit card if you have reservations. Most credit card issuers will refund your money if there is an obvious fraud. In addition, the credit card issuers are not interested in dealing with merchants of dubious legitimacy. If a gallery can't accept credit cards, it may be for some reason that should set off caution lights in your mind.