For collectors
Reading a lot page and a condition report
Description, maker, period, dimensions, condition report: what a lot page contains and how to read it before you bid.
The lot page
It brings together the lot title and number, its description, the artist or maker, the period, materials, dimensions, provenance, the photographs and their credit, and the estimate. This information comes from the auction house.
When a lot page is corrected after publication, the correction is shown on the page: you see what changed and when.
The condition report
It describes the object's overall condition, its appearance, materials and dimensions, whether it was tested and with what result, known restorations, and each defect where it is, with photographs.
It also states what was checked: documents reviewed, a physical inspection of the object, authentication and by whom. Only the checks listed were made: a check that does not appear did not take place, which does not mean it would have failed.
What a report does not say
A report describes the condition observed on a date; it does not replace your own examination. The absence of a remark is not a guarantee. If in doubt, ask the auction house before you bid.
These guides give general pointers; the conditions of each sale, published with its catalogue, are what apply.