Collector's practical guide

Before committing, identify the work, the seller and the stated provenance. Ask for the available documents: certificates, earlier invoices, appraisals, mentions in catalogues. Consult BIOP and verify each certificate online.

A seller who hesitates to provide these items, or who demands very rapid payment, warrants the greatest caution.

Have the contract state the origin of the work, the seller's undertaking as to ownership and lawfulness, and the obligation to hand over all the documents. Keep the invoice, proof of payment and correspondence.

For an item coming from abroad, check the export licence and the import formalities. The Desk issues the relevant licences.

For each work, assemble a single file: photographs, dimensions, condition, acquisition documents, insurance, certificates. The Desk offers registration of the work, which issues an OIMAP number and a passport.

This file facilitates insurance, loans to a museum, restoration and, later, transmission to heirs.

Insure the work for its current value and have that value reviewed regularly. Keep it in good conditions of temperature, humidity and security. A periodic condition report documents its state.

Plan for the security of the premises: detection, restricted access, up-to-date inventory. A poorly protected work is more exposed to theft and harder to recover.

If doubt arises about the authenticity or origin of a work already acquired, do not resell it. Gather the documents, seek an expert opinion and, if necessary, report the situation to OIMAP.

A spontaneous approach is almost always better received than a discovery by the authorities. Mediation often makes it possible to reach a fair arrangement.