Our method
Six stages of examination.
An appraisal is not a glance: it is a method. It always follows the same order, so that each conclusion can be followed, discussed and, if need be, challenged.
Six stages of examination
1. Visual examination
The object is observed as a whole, then in detail, under several lights: proportions, volumes, symmetries, rhythm of forms. A trained eye spots a coherence — or a false note.
2. Material
Wood species or nature of the material, density, joins, added elements. Tool marks inform about making: they are not read the same way on a traditional tool and on a mechanical one.
3. Patina
Deposits, sheen, encrustations, tints: the surface tells of use and time. Consistency between worn areas and the supposed function is essential.
4. Use
How was the object held, worn, placed? What traces does that leave? Cavities, fixings and contact wear guide the reading of function.
5. Comparison
The object is set against published corpora and documented pieces from museums or collections: style, region, workshop, period. Comparison locates, and warns when the piece sits at the margins.
6. Documentation
Provenance research, publications, labels, old photographs, sales documents. See provenance research.
From body of evidence to opinion
None of these stages is enough alone. It is their convergence — or divergence — that grounds the opinion. The report distinguishes what is established, what is probable and what remains uncertain, and indicates the elements that could change the opinion.
- For the process from the client’s side: step-by-step process.
- For the deliverable: the expert report.
- For fees: fees and transparency.
Frequently asked questions
Going further
Is your method scientific?
It is rigorous and based on observation, comparison and documentation. It can be complemented by laboratory analyses where useful, without being reduced to them.
Do you use laboratory analyses?
Not systematically. They are offered when they provide decisive insight; the practice then refers to an independent laboratory. Laboratories are chosen case by case.
Can two experts differ?
Yes: an expertise is a reasoned judgement. That is why the report states its reasons, references and reservations.
Next step
See the method at work on your object.
Describe your piece in a few lines and attach photographs: the reply is confidential.