How to approach the provenance of an inherited object
The first steps to take with an object received as an inheritance.
An inherited object often arrives without instructions: no invoice, no old photograph, sometimes only a family anecdote. Here is how to ask the right questions, in the right order.
Start by looking, before searching
Photograph the object from several angles, underside and back included, then note what you see: material, dimensions, inscriptions, traces of repair. These simple observations will guide everything that follows. Specialist terms link to the encyclopedia.
Provenance is rebuilt like a conversation: we cross-check what each person remembers against what the documents confirm.Edith Mbella
Gather what already exists
Ask the family, and look for invoices, letters, gallery labels or sale catalogues. A label stuck under a base can be worth more than a long story. Keep the original; do not clean or restore anything before taking advice.
- Who has owned the object, and since when?
- Where was it acquired, and in what circumstances?
- Are there export or customs documents?
Going further
The collector’s guide sets out the legal precautions; the provenance research service supports complex files.
Next step
An object concerned by this subject?
Describe your piece in a few lines and attach photographs: the reply is confidential.