ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Auction houses guarantee provenance as prices soar

market-auction · 2026-04-23

With art prices at historic highs, auction houses are placing greater emphasis on guaranteeing the authenticity and provenance of works. The article argues that while the importance of an artist and the piece itself are already assured, it is the provenance that now requires the most rigorous verification. Auction houses are thus intensifying their efforts to provide this assurance to buyers.

Key facts

  • Art prices are higher than ever before.
  • Demand for assurance on artist importance, piece importance, and provenance has increased.
  • Auction houses are focusing on guaranteeing provenance.
  • The article was published in artpress in December 2005.

Entities

Institutions

  • artpress

Sources