Auction houses

Approval is a five-point commitment: systematically consult the BIOP database before each sale; require documented provenance for lots above a threshold; publish clear terms of sale; declare each result to the Observatory; handle disputes through mediation.

In return, the house benefits from an accelerated sale approval procedure, visibility in the OIMAP directory and the right to use the conformity label. It is audited every three years.

An approved house is bound to checks that others may neglect. For a seller, this means less risk of challenge after the sale. For a buyer, it means a more reliable description, a better-documented history of the work and recourse in case of dispute.

The market has understood this: lots sold by approved houses reach on average prices 6% higher than those of unapproved houses, at comparable quality.

Auction houses are on the front line in detecting doubtful works: they examine lots, check identities and query databases of stolen works. In 2024, approved houses reported 1,940 suspect lots to OIMAP, of which 312 were investigated.

This vigilance rests on the training of teams: the OIMAP Academy trains more than 900 auction house staff each year in detecting fakes, checking provenance and compliance.