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A brief 10-point beginner's guide to understanding the language of antiquities dealers and auctioneers.
1. Offered with Certificate of Authenticity = Faked. We were unable to get any independent scholar to authenticate this item, so we've printed our own certificate. 1/4
1. Offered with Certificate of Authenticity = Faked. We were unable to get any independent scholar to authenticate this item, so we've printed our own certificate. 1/4
2. Legal to buy under US Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600 Chap 14 = Without provenance. If we had any we would have said so. We don't.
3. From a European collection = From Turkey.
4. From an old European collection = Reserve stock of a Turkish antiquities dealer. 2/4
3. From a European collection = From Turkey.
4. From an old European collection = Reserve stock of a Turkish antiquities dealer. 2/4
5. From a prestigious old European collection = Reserve stock of a large Turkish antiquities dealer.
6. From a Turkish collection = From Syria.
7. From a distinguished private collection = From the reserve stock of the Baidun or Barakat families. 3/4
6. From a Turkish collection = From Syria.
7. From a distinguished private collection = From the reserve stock of the Baidun or Barakat families. 3/4
8. Some restoration = Glued together from tiny pieces.
9. From an old collection mainly formed in the 1960's = ...but also partly in the 1970's, 80's and 90's.
10. By family lore acquired by the owner's grandfather in the 1950's = No documented provenance. 4/4
9. From an old collection mainly formed in the 1960's = ...but also partly in the 1970's, 80's and 90's.
10. By family lore acquired by the owner's grandfather in the 1950's = No documented provenance. 4/4
A few more:
11. Hence by descent in the family = everyone who could personally vouch for the provenance is dead.
12. Acquired around the late 1960's = Acquired after 1970.
11. Hence by descent in the family = everyone who could personally vouch for the provenance is dead.
12. Acquired around the late 1960's = Acquired after 1970.
13. Will reward further scholarly study = No reputable scholar has shown any sign of interest in this piece so far.
14. Sold with an Art Loss Registry Certificate = No provenance, but we offer an official-looking certificate confirming it's not on any register of Nazi plunder.
14. Sold with an Art Loss Registry Certificate = No provenance, but we offer an official-looking certificate confirming it's not on any register of Nazi plunder.
[Specifically of papyri and cuneiform tablets]
15. Not yet transcribed or translated = standard administrative text or letter which we've privately verified before offering for sale is definitely of no wider interest at all.
15. Not yet transcribed or translated = standard administrative text or letter which we've privately verified before offering for sale is definitely of no wider interest at all.
16. A very similar piece sold at Christies on... for $... = the similar piece at Christies was bigger, older, more beautiful and, unlike ours, had provenance.
17. A piece of immense importance for biblical scholarship = even Hobby Lobby wouldn't touch this turkey.
17. A piece of immense importance for biblical scholarship = even Hobby Lobby wouldn't touch this turkey.
18. From an important East Coast collection / From a West Coast collection / From the collection of an Edinburgh surgeon / From the collection of a former Princeton professor... = There's no provenance at all, but we hope nonetheless you'll find this anecdotal info distracting.
19. Anecdotal evidence indicates = My pappy told me this story once around the campfire.
20. Rare = Not rare.
20. Rare = Not rare.
