To expand the zone of 'land mines' a bit, I think I recall
someone at an ALI-ABA seminar saying the first step in
an appraisal is authentication. This came home to me
when learning of museum employees with recognized
expertise in specific subject matter areas who provided
signed authentications of objects brought to them by
dealers. Clearly, the employees got enmeshed in the
appraisal process (and the dealer's profit structure) by
making such authentications.
--
Tom Vaughan    "The Waggin' Tongue"
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