Cleveland Museum of Art · CC0 1.0A public and living list
Label holders appear in a public directory updated with each decision. Each is identified by name, city, country, type of activity, date of award and expiry date.
The list allows a buyer or seller to check, before dealing, that the organisation is labelled and that its label is valid. It also flags suspensions and withdrawals.
At the end of 2024, the label had 412 holders in 51 States.
The holders in figures
Source: OIMAP Observatory, 2024.
What the directory contains
Each entry gives the organisation's name, city and country, activity, specialties, date of award of the label and expiry date. Entries of suspended organisations or those being withdrawn carry a visible mention.
No financial data is published. Audit reports remain confidential; only a summary of the decision is public.
The statuses of a holder
| Status | Meaning | Public mention |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Label in force | Yes |
| With reservation | Label awarded with action plan | Yes, with date of check |
| Suspended | Label suspended during an investigation | Yes, with general reason |
| Withdrawn | Label permanently withdrawn | Yes, for two years |
The follow-up of a holder
- Annual report
The holder submits a report on application of the criteria.
- Random check
Each year, 10% of holders are checked.
- Reporting
Any reported breach is investigated.
- Decision
Maintenance, suspension or withdrawal.
- Renewal
At the end of three years.
A withdrawn label is public
Active holder or holder with reservation
Active
Compliant- Full label
- No action plan
- Standard annual check
General case.
With reservation
Gaps to correct- Six-month action plan
- Targeted check
- Public mention of the reservation
Transitional situation.
Holders over the years
- 100
First labelled organisations.
- 210
Extension to dealers.
- 330
Opening to collectors.
- 412
Presence in 51 States.
Case study: a suspension
A breach reported
A customer reports that a labelled gallery sold a work under a BIOP alert.
- OIMAP opens an adversarial investigation.
- The label is suspended during the inquiry.
- The breach is established: the label is withdrawn.
The gallery leaves the directory and appears for two years in the list of withdrawals.
Check a holder before dealing
Before a major transaction, consult the directory: does the organisation appear in it, is its label in force, does it carry a mention of reservation or suspension? This check takes less than a minute and usefully complements that of the work's certificate.
If you notice that an organisation claims the label without appearing in the directory, report it: improper use of the logo is an offence liable to sanctions, and the Certification Department follows such cases closely.
A principle of loyalty
« A label that is never withdrawn is worthless. »
Vocabulary of holders
- Holder
- Organisation holding the label.
- Suspension
- Provisional interruption of the effects of the label.
- Retrieval
- Final end of the label.
- Annual report
- Report on application of the criteria.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I consult the list of holders?
In the directory of auction houses for houses, and in the label directory.
Can a sanctioned holder apply again for the label?
Yes, after two years and depending on seriousness.
How do I report a breach?
Through the contact form.
Are all holders audited every year?
No, 10% are, each year, at random.
Contacts
Related pages
CriteriaThe twelve criteria of the conformity label: content, evidence expected and assessment levels.›
Auction housesThe role of auction houses in the certification chain, their obligations and the directory of approved houses.›
Directory of auction housesSearch for an OIMAP-approved auction house: criteria, specialities, countries, year of approval and conformity label.›
Become a holder
Image credits (16)
- Leopard d'Or of Edward III of England (1327–1377) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Plaque (1500s–1600s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Medal Depicting Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) from the Illustrious Men of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (obverse), V. Catenacci (1830–34) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Brooch (c. 1890–1910) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Coin of Eukratides I (170–145 BCE) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Carnet (1863–1865) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Tetradrachm: Head of Alexander (obverse); Athena (reverse) (297–281 BCE) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Plaque (c. 500–200 BCE) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Coin of Demetrios, I (reverse) (200–190 BCE) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Seal Color Box (1662–1722) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Tetradrachm: Owl, Crescent Moon, Olive Branch (reverse) (480–449 BCE) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- A Palace with an Arched Bridge (A Roman Villa), Hubert Robert (1760) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Necklace Bead and Pair of Pendants in the Shape of an Auspicious Symbol (c. 150 BCE) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Sugar Bowl, Louis Rorimer (c. 1910) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Portrait of Georges Arnold Fitzwilliam, Charles Balthazar Julien Fevret de Saint-Mémin (c. 1790–1852) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Ornamental Brooch (c. 100–300 CE) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0