The words,
explained.

Signed

The artist's name appears on the work in the artist's own hand. A signature is evidence and not proof, and it is judged together with the style, the materials and the history of the work.

Dated

A date appears on the work. It may record when the work was begun, finished or signed, and these are not always the same.

Inscribed

The work carries writing that is not the artist's signature, such as a title, a dedication or a note. The writing may be in the artist's hand or in another's, and a careful description says which.

Attributed to

In the trade this generally means the work is thought to be by the named artist, with less certainty than an unqualified attribution. Houses define the phrase in their conditions of sale, so ask for the definition in writing.

Studio of

Generally means made in the artist's studio, possibly under the artist's supervision, but not by the artist's own hand.

Circle of

Generally means by an artist closely associated with the named artist, in the same period and manner.

After

Generally means a copy of a known work by the named artist, made later and by another hand.

Catalogue raisonné

A comprehensive published list of an artist's known works, usually compiled by a scholar or an estate. Inclusion is strong supporting evidence for a work. Not every artist has one.

Provenance

The recorded history of a work's ownership from the artist to the present. An unbroken, documented chain is the strongest support for a work's authenticity and value.

Exhibition history

A record of the exhibitions in which a work has been shown. Documented showings are part of a work's provenance and can support its date and attribution.

Literature

In a catalogue entry, the books, catalogues and articles in which a work has been published or discussed. Published references help to establish a work's identity.

Certificate of authenticity

A document in which a seller or an authority states that a work is by the named artist. Its worth rests on who signs it and on the evidence they relied on. It supports a work but does not replace the work's history.

Condition report

A written description of the state of a work, noting damage, restoration and wear, usually with photographs. Ask for one before you buy.

Recto and verso

The front of a work and its back. The back of a painting often carries labels, stamps and inscriptions that help to trace its history.

Inventory number

A unique reference given to a work by the house that holds it, kept for the life of the work so that any record can be matched to the object.

Craquelure

A network of fine cracks in the paint or varnish of a painting, caused by ageing. It is common on older works and is not in itself a fault, but its extent should be reported.

Foxing

Brownish spots on paper, caused by mould or by impurities in the paper. It is common on older works on paper.

Relining

Attaching a new canvas to the back of an old canvas to support it. It is a major intervention and should always be disclosed.

Inpainting

Restoration of lost paint with matching colour, kept to the area of the loss. Its extent is part of a work's condition and should be disclosed.

Conservation framing

Framing with materials and methods chosen to protect a work from damage and to be reversible, such as mounts of neutral, non acidic card and protective glazing.

Oleograph

A colour print made by chromolithography with oil based inks, often given a canvas texture and varnish so that it resembles an oil painting. It is a reproduction process and not a painting.

Serigraph

A print made by forcing ink through a screen, with a separate screen for each colour. Also called a screen print.

Lithograph

A print made from a design drawn on a flat stone or plate, which holds the ink where it has been drawn. The process allows fine tone and many impressions.

Giclée

A print made on an inkjet printer, usually on archival paper or canvas. The name is a trade term. Ask whether a giclée is a reproduction or an edition the artist authorised.

Original print

A print that the artist made, or oversaw, as an artwork in its own right, as distinct from a reproduction of an existing work.

Edition number

A fraction such as 12/50 marks the number of the impression within the total edition. A smaller edition is generally scarcer.

Artist's proof

An impression set aside for the artist, outside the numbered edition. It is usually marked A.P.

Hammer price

The price at which the auctioneer's hammer falls, before any premium or tax is added.

Buyer's premium

A percentage added to the hammer price and paid by the buyer to the auction house. The rate varies by house and is set out in its conditions of sale.

Estimate

The range within which an auction house expects a work to sell, published before the sale. It is a forecast and not a valuation.

Reserve

The confidential minimum price below which a seller will not sell at auction.

Lot

A single item, or a group of items sold together, in an auction.

Consignment

Placing a work with a dealer or auction house to be sold on the owner's behalf, usually for a commission, with title remaining with the owner until it sells.

Private sale

A sale arranged directly between seller and buyer, usually through a dealer, and not in public. The terms and the result are not published.

Deaccession

The permanent removal of a work from a museum's collection, usually in order to sell it.

Insurance valuation

A written figure for the cost of replacing a work, used to set insurance cover. It may differ from market value and from a quick sale figure.

These are the meanings in general trade use. Auction houses and dealers publish their own definitions in their conditions of sale. Where a term matters to a purchase, ask for the seller's definition in writing.