Dealers who don't document provenance

[coxfan]

There's a related thread about a Ruth jersey but this is a more general point. One of my pet concerns has always been dealers who don't document what they know of the provenance of items (autographed or g-u) they buy. With word processors, this should be easy. Just a few sentences about how you bought it, and what you know about it, could easily be entered into a permanent record on your laptop that could be given to a customer, or kept for your own protection.

But typically dealers look confused when I've asked, saying something like: "I don't recall exactly, but I'm sure I bought it from someone trustworthy".

A related point: store clerks who aren't told anything about their items, so they unintentionally give misleading replies to customers.

[commando]

Great post.

Since I collect, document and carefully archive anything related to the Houston Gamblers, regardless of what it is, it is very important to know from where these items came. Most of the game-used items are pretty self-explanatory, but when you're talking about practice undershirts or other articles of staff-worn clothing that were also sold retail, the question of provenance means everything.

[David]

Not all dealers like to detail where they bought their merchandise from. This isn't always nefarious, but they don't want to reveal to buyers where they buy bulk or whatever. Sellers of most anything, blank computer disks to pottery, don't always wish to reveal their source to the public.

But I agree that documented provenance is a good thing. As a seller if I buy something from a reputable source, I detail that as a selling point.

[David]

In the fine art world, provenance is documented in part for authentication reasons and in part to verify ownership. Some $100,000 paintings are stolen.