Frequenty asked questions
When you certify your artwork it is proof that you have carried out due diligence that fulfils a higher standard of restitution related due diligence check. It means that your artwork has been checked against the Looted Art Claims database that represents the widest range of archival reference points that have been contextually tested, verified and collated in one place. The certificate enhances due diligence documentation as part of a trustful and transparent transaction, valuation or loan of an artwork.
The Certificate can be used as part of the documents that support an artwork's provenance history. The certificate is therefore utilised by Collection Managers, as part of a Sellers document preparation process or as a pre-purchase risk assessment tool by Buyers.
A Certificate is produced within 4 weeks (20 working days) inclusive of registered shipping if you are requesting an individual certificate. 2. If you are an 'Industry' Client submitting more than 10 artworks per year for certification normally the production time per certificate is within 3 weeks of an artwork submission (15 working days) inclusive of registered shipping.
If you think you might be an heir to an artwork that was stolen, confiscated, seized, looted or subject to forced sale during the period 1933-1945.You are welcome to get in touch with us to understand what we require as evidence and how we test any evidence you feel you may have. We test source materials thoroughly because the Looted Art Claims Database has to preserve the integrity and the security of the data held within it. Please use the contact form to discuss your desire to submit data to the project for testing.
Yes, for a small administrative fee you can check if a certificate is authentic. As a critical Art Market tool that can be utilised by Private and Institutional collections, art lawyers, auction houses, art fairs, art dealers, and art insurers; robust certificate security against counterfeiting is in place. Using our encrypted log the digital twin of the original certificate; the Looted Art Claims Project can verify if the certificate you are checking is genuine and that the artwork recorded and the certificate number in conjunction with the seal numbers comply. Check your certificate here.
The Certificates are secured against copy with anti-counterfeit OptiSafe® safety paper with iridescent security feature (mainly used in security printing for the printing of banknotes & share certificates). An anti-counterfeit seal is applied to each certificate with security features; each hologram has a 6-digit fluorescent serial number, which is only visible under UV light.
If you are offered a photocopy or a digital scan of an 'original' certificate do not accept the certificate as genuine, if the anti-counterfeit seal has been disturbed in anyway, do not accept the certificate as genuine. If there is no visible 6-digit fluorescent serial number (embedded in the hologram seal, visible under UV light), do not accept the certificate as genuine. Genuine certificates will match the certifcate number, the UV visible Number and the details about the artwork we keep on the digital twin certifcates kept in the Looted Art Claims Project secured log. You can Verify a certificate here.
For pricing click here and scroll to the base of the page.
Yes, if additional evidence comes to light regarding the provenance of an artwork; an artwork can be resubmitted for testing which may result in a change to the artworks categorisation.
Yes, please refer to this section on Additional Services and use the contact form to request the type of Report you are looking for and the Looted Art Claims Project will provide you with a research proposal based on your aims and objectives for the research you are requesting. The Research proposal outlines the research to be done, the time frame and a quote for a secure report to be generated.
The certificate is a Risk Indication Tool, a snap shot of the level of Risk the artwork represents based on the data that was submitted to be tested and the data held with the Looted Art Claims Database. The certificate does contain the evidence materials indicated that have been tested. Client can request a more in-depth report that would contain certified and verifiable copies of original archival materials. The in-depth reports fulfils the highest standard of restitution related due diligence check available in the Art Market.
This service is quoted. This is because each artwork is unique and has links to variable amounts of original source materials contained within the Looted Art Claims database. When an enquiry for an in-depth research report is received; we offer to provide a proposal of work, this clearly outlines the reports aims and objectives, the amount of research materials to be recovered, the time it will take the report to be provided and the fee. Along with the Research Proposal our Terms and Conditions are also provided for the Client to approve.
Ultimately The Artworks. As an artwork moves through time and its 'holders' into the future art industry world that will be governed by verifiable factual data analysis rather than 'expert' opinions, the data processed by the Looted Art Claims Database will continue to form the most robust dataset that actively tests and protects the knowledge of where artworks were and where they were not during the period 1933-45. Every time an artwork is submitted; the core knowledge base is enhanced.