Reading Condition Reports Like a Specialist
Reading Condition Reports Like a Specialist
Author
Adaeze Nwosu
Category
Collecting
Published date
Read time
6 min read
Reading between the lines
Specialists write in measured language. Terms like restored, associated, or in the manner of are not incidental — each carries a specific meaning about originality and value, and each should shape what you are willing to pay.
Absence matters too. A report that describes the front of a piece but says little about the back or underside is inviting you to ask questions. Request additional images, and never assume that what is unmentioned is therefore perfect.
When anything is unclear, call the department. A five-minute conversation before the sale prevents the far longer conversation that follows a disappointing collection.
A condition report is the most useful document in any catalogue, and the most frequently skimmed. Learning to read one closely is the single fastest way to bid with confidence.
Reading between the lines
Specialists write in measured language. Terms like restored, associated, or in the manner of are not incidental — each carries a specific meaning about originality and value, and each should shape what you are willing to pay.
Absence matters too. A report that describes the front of a piece but says little about the back or underside is inviting you to ask questions. Request additional images, and never assume that what is unmentioned is therefore perfect.
When anything is unclear, call the department. A five-minute conversation before the sale prevents the far longer conversation that follows a disappointing collection.
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