How to Read an Art Auction Lot Description

1. The artist line: who the house says made it

Auction houses use a graded vocabulary for attribution. The exact definitions belong to each house and are printed in its catalogue glossary or conditions of sale, so always read that page. The common pattern runs like this:

• The artist’s full name alone (for example, “Marc Chagall”): in the house’s opinion, the work is by that artist. This is the strongest statement.
• “Attributed to”: the house believes it is probably by the artist, in whole or in part, but is less certain.
• “Studio of” or “Workshop of”: made in the artist’s studio, possibly under supervision.
• “Circle of”: by an unidentified hand closely associated with the artist and of the period.
• “Follower of,” “Manner of,” “Style of”: by someone working in the artist’s style, possibly later.
• “After”: a copy of a known work by the artist, of any date.

The difference between “Marc Chagall” and “After Marc Chagall” can be the difference between a museum-quality work and decor. Both descriptions are honest. Only one of them is what most bidders assume.

2. The medium: what it is physically

For paintings, “oil on canvas” and “oil on board” are straightforward. Works on paper and prints need more care:

• Original lithograph, etching, screenprint or woodcut: the artist made, or directly supervised, the matrix the print was pulled from.
• Offset lithograph or poster: a photomechanical reproduction. It may be attractive, but it is not an original print.
• Giclée or pigment print: a digital inkjet print. Some are authorized editions; many are reproductions.
• “Mixed media”: a catch-all. Ask what the media are.

If a description just says “lithograph,” ask whether it means original or offset. A good auction house will answer in writing.

3. Signatures: how it was signed

• “Signed” or “hand-signed”: the house believes the artist signed it by hand, usually in pencil on a print.
• “Signed in the plate” or “plate-signed”: the signature is part of the printed image. It was reproduced, not added by hand.
• “Bears signature” or “inscribed”: there is a signature, but the house does not vouch that the artist wrote it.
• “Stamped signature” or “estate stamp”: applied after the fact, often by an estate or foundation.

“Bears signature” is one of the most important phrases in the catalogue, because it tells you the house is not standing behind the signature.

4. Edition information: how many exist

A print numbered “45/200” is the 45th impression of an edition of 200. For most modern prints, the number within the edition matters far less than the edition size and condition. You may also see:

• AP (artist’s proof): outside the numbered edition, traditionally reserved for the artist.
• HC (hors commerce): “not for sale”; impressions set aside for exhibition or the publisher.
• PP (printer’s proof): for the print shop.

Proofs are legitimate. What matters is that the total number of impressions is disclosed, and that the catalogue raisonné (the scholarly list of an artist’s works, where one exists) lists the edition the way the description does.

5. Dimensions: what is being measured

Look for whether a measurement is the image, the sheet, the sight size (the visible area inside a mat) or the frame. A print described only by its frame size tells you little about the work itself.

6. Provenance, literature and exhibition history

Provenance is the ownership history. A strong provenance line names owners, galleries or prior sales with dates. “Private collection, Atlanta” is not nothing, but it is not documentation. Ask what paperwork comes with the lot: invoices, prior auction records, exhibition labels or correspondence. My guide to verifying provenance before bidding goes further.

7. Certificates of authenticity: who issued it?

A certificate is only as good as the person or organization behind it. A certificate from a recognized expert, foundation or the artist’s publisher carries weight. One issued by the seller is a statement by the seller, nothing more. Read who signed it and whether that person is qualified to judge that artist.

8. Condition: what the photo doesn’t show

The description may say “good condition” or nothing at all. Always request a condition report: toning, foxing, tears, creases, fading, restoration, lining or inpainting. Ask whether the work has been examined out of the frame. My note on asking for the condition report before you bid explains why this matters.

9. The estimate comes last

Only after reading everything above should you look at the estimate. An estimate is a guide to a plausible hammer price, not an appraisal and not a promise. Then add the buyer’s premium, sales tax and shipping, and decide on a hard maximum before bidding opens. See how to read auction estimates and setting a hard max bid.

Dion Abadi is an Atlanta-based art and jewelry auctioneer, licensed in Georgia, Florida and South Carolina (license numbers and state lookups), and the author of The Collector’s Guide to Art, Jewelry, Watches & Auctions. Also see the longer guide to buying art at auction and the 30-second lot-description video.