Collecting tip of the day: Invest time in spotting mistakes

Don't believe everything you read in the catalogue description when buying at auction...

It's not in an auction house's own interests to mislead bidders - bad reputations spread quickly - but unintentional mistakes and omissions unfortunately can occur in catalogue descriptions, especially when stressed-out experts are required to meet tight deadlines.

Always speak to auction house staff before bidding on a piece and don't be afraid to ask questions regarding the descriptions. After all, there's a big difference between "Caravaggio" and "possibly Caravaggio"!

 

 

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