Certificates of authenticity COA inform the art buyer about the artist's identity, the extent of the artist's involvement in creating the print, the number of prints made from the same master that are available on the market, the process used to create the print, whether the print is from a limited edition, whether the master plate has been destroyed, and other information relevant to the consumer making an informed choice about the value and price of the print s/he is buying. Several states have passed consumer protection statutes that require art dealers to provide certificates of authenticity COA along with any sale of a fine art print in and even into their state.
Why are Certificates of Authenticity COA important? They add an additional element of verification to the purchase of art which becomes part of the provenance of the work. Collectors appreciate this, because this document provides essential information about their investment which bears an original signature of the artist.
When artwork is a gift, a Certificate provides added value to the recipient, who gets important details about the work itself, how to care for it, and information about the artist who created it. Since artists benefit greatly from sales to repeat collectors, a Certificate of Authenticity COA included with a purchase increases familiarity, and sets the stage for more purchases.
The reason why COAs must be taken seriously by the professional artist is that the market is flooded with fraudulent prints and unauthorized copies, and any schmuck with a printer can produce an official-looking certificate. A "real" COA that actually means something will give detailed and relevant information about the artist, the print run, the status of the original piece, etc, and the certificate is meant to help the buyer assess the current and future value of the print in question.
According to Artcertificate.eu, "Unless a certificate of authenticity originates from and is signed by either the artist who created the art, the publisher of the art (in the case of limited editions), a confirmed established dealer or agent of the artist (not a casual third party dealer or reseller), or an acknowledged expert on the artist, that certificate is likely to be pretty much meaningless."
At the intersection of art and the Internet, we propose the creation of a Certificate of Authenticity COA issued to artists so that they can promote their own work. We assign great importance to the performance of our products, while maintaining the simplicity and facility of use so that the artist can concentrate on his/her job and the valorization of his/her work.
What is a Certificate of Authenticity COA?
A Certificate of Authenticity COA is a document required for attributing a painting, a sculpture, or a photograph to an artist.
What is the value of a Certificate of Authenticity COA?
The value of a Certificate of Authenticity COA comes from the notoriety of the person who writes it (the artist, and art expert, etc.), because the certificate is recognized at the time of writing by all professionals..
The Certificate of Authenticity COA is the indispensable key to maximize the sales of your work. Without it there is no estimate, no transaction, no movement, nor recognition in a recognized catalog of the financial value of the work.
Who can write a Certificate of Authenticity COA?
The job of expert in art is not regulated. All artists and professionals can write a Certificate of Authenticity COA.
Artcertificate considers that the author of the work is the most qualified person to write a Certificate of Authenticity COA, in particular at the time of the first sale. A gallery owner or a professional artist can also contribute to this operation. It is necessary however to respect certain criteria at the time of the issue of a Certificate of Authenticity COA, in order to give the certificate a value of optimal authentification.
ESSENTIAL PRECAUTIONS
Never place the Certificate of Authenticity COA behind the artwork. Instead, keep it in a safe and protected place.
CAUTION: In no case will the services of Artcertificate constitute a proof of authenticity of the work. The authenticity of the work is exclusively dependent of the person who issued the Certificate of Authenticity COA.
The Certificate of Authenticity COA is mandatory to establish that a work of Art is authentic and was performed by the Artist who sells it. The Certificate of Authenticity COA must contain many mandatory statements in order to be valid.
You must provide a Certificate of Authenticity COA to the buyer (even if he does not claim it), accompanied by the sales invoice of your work.
Here are the main points that must be considered in regard to a Certificate of Authenticity COA at the time of purchase of a work of Art:
1) A Certificate of Authenticity COA must be written by the most competent person:
The author of the work, a copyright holder, or a recognized professional on the market of Art.
2) A Certificate of Authenticity COA must be un-falsifiable
A Certificate of Authenticity COA must be an un-falsifiable document; it has to be at least un-photocopiable, and its reproduction via a digital camera must yield very poor results. This document can also be secured against falsification by the presence of filigree, or by including a security hologram.
3) A Certificate of Authenticity COA must exist in a single copy
It is important to guarantee that a Certificate of Authenticity COA exists in only one copy. No duplicates can be issued. In case of loss by the purchaser, the author may provide an additional Certificate of Authenticity COA, specifying who was the initial purchaser of the work of Art and that no other certificate exists with the same reference number.
4) A Certificate of Authenticity COA must ensure the authentication of the work.
A Certificate of Authenticity COA must include a clear identification of the author of the Certificate of Authenticity COA, the date of issue, a precise description of the work of Art (size, technical support, place of the signature), a unique identification number, a serial number, and a photo of the work of Art. The Certificate of Authenticity COA must be signed by hand. The invoice is used as an identification but is un suitable for precise identification, and a salesman may not necessarily want to provide an invoice after purchase.
