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Want more awesome tips about being a working artist? Log in Get Started. Format Team April 01, What is a Certificate of Authenticity?
Why You Need a Certificate of Authenticity for Artwork A COA certificate proves that a work of art was created by you, which could be important in determining the provenance and relative value of the work should it be sold later on, particularly if you become well-known and valued in the art market.
Where to Get a Certificate of Authenticity If you want a high-quality document, a certificate of authenticity template may be the way to go. Artist Name Title of Work Year of Completion Dimensions Medium: For prints, both the medium of the original artwork and the print should be included, including paint or ink type, printing device or process, type of canvas or paper, and any other specific details that may assist in identification and conservation in the future.
Photo of Artwork: This helps to identify and authenticate a work of art should it be separated from its COA certificate. Statement of Authenticity: A brief statement written by the artist that states the authenticity of the work and relevant copyrights. Additional Information: You may choose to include details here like the subject or location of the artwork, if applicable.
This is also a good section to include any necessary information on caring for the artwork. Some artists choose to include further sections on their certificates of authenticity: Location of Completion Original or Print: For prints, additional information is required on the certificate of authenticity. In the case of a limited addition, the artist should list the number of prints made and what number that particular print was out of the print run.
A formal certificate of authenticity is not necessarily required to prove a work of art is genuine. Any valid receipt, bill of sale or proof of purchase either directly from the artist or from a confirmed and established dealer, reseller, publisher, or representative or agent of the artist will do.
An appraisal from a recognized authority or expert on the artist which includes a statement or guarantee of authenticity is also acceptable. You can never be too careful here. Certificates of authenticity can be problematic; some are basically worthless and others even fraudulent. Unfortunately, many people believe that art with a COA is automatically genuine, but that is absolutely not the case.
To begin with, no laws govern who is or is not qualified to write certificates of authenticity except in rare instances. Nor is there any standard with respect to what types of statements, information or documentation a COA must include. In other words, anyone can write a COA whether they're qualified to or not. As if that's not bad enough, unscrupulous sellers sometimes forge official looking documents or certificates of authenticity and use them to either sell outright fakes or to misrepresent existing works of art as being more important or valuable than they actually are.
These days, anyone can buy attractive COA templates online and simply fill in the blanks. To make matters even worse, meaningless or bogus COAs have been issued for decades, so don't automatically assume that a COA dated , for example, is genuine just because it's old.
Your particular situation does not sound good because the seller says the art has certificates of authenticity, but has not yet shown or sent them. Templates can be found that can be used, and the great thing about these is that all of the required information is on the form. All that is needed is for the details to be filled in. For example, if the artwork is a print, then the ink type, paint type, printing device or process should be noted.
It should also include any copyright information. Additional sections can be included on the COA, which can provide valuable information. It can be worth considering adding these other sections:. If the print is not limited and can be reproduced, then this also needs to be included.
Although templates are a useful way to create COAs, they can be created from scratch as long as all the important information is included.
This can dramatically speed up the process, especially if you are doing a number of prints of the same work of art. Additional Tips: As well as the COA itself, there are some other ways that you can help not only identify your artwork but also improve authenticity. This allows the piece to be identified if the COA is not available.
However, it should not be used as the sole COA for the work of art. Try to use a thick paper and choose a template that matches the overall aesthetic of the piece. However, the name and position of the person creating the COA need to be included. Although it may seem that this process is long and complicated, the main pieces of information needed are things that most artists will know already.
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