The MILLON auction house has mistaken Vladimir Kagan for a designer a lot less popular, known as Homecrest. Therefore, MILLON was pulled over by the PATROL on January 22nd, 2016. Shortly after posting our article about the mix up, MILLON rectified its mistake the day of the sale, consequently avoiding the potential buyer to become a victim of an attribution error.
Once the case solved, DOCANTIC offered its very much needed identification services to MILLON, and its experts a second time. In fact, the Art Nouveau, Art Deco - Design sale that will take place on April 6th, 2016, at MILLON house contains an identification error on a 5 figures item! Complete black out!
We then decided to contact Alexandre MILLON himself to notify him about the error he was about to make. Well aware of his auction house’s planned offense, he decided to disregard our services. DOCANTIC knows that Alexandre MILLON is free to decline any help offered to him, even when in need, which is why the PATROL will accept his decision without further judgment. FYI, the Lot #185 is not a desk by Jacques Adnet but by René Drouet.
Five stars versus one (exhibit #1). DOCANTIC directed a survey based on the difference of style of the two auction houses when it comes to 20th century lots, by using a chunk of its community as the sample.
Exhibit #1
Lets take a closer look to auction houses that take pride in their clients, and therefore welcome them with infinite respect. Need an example? Here is one.
On April 24th, 2016, auction house PIERRE BERGE will offer in auction, an armchair by Finn Juhl, estimated between 80.000 € - 120.000 €. By documenting this beautiful work of art with great panache, the auction house has done a remarkable job, which others should benefit from as an inspiring example (exhibit #2).
Exhibit #2
An exceptional piece, in an exceptional auction sale. The surely well documented armchair comes with 6 bibliographical references with In- Situ photos. DOCANTIC certainly enjoyed admiring PIERRE BERGE’s incredible work, and insists on further enriching the auction house’s expertise with its original documentation.
The chair « Chieftain » by Finn Juhl is also published in 8 different French, Italian and Danish books, which can be found in DOCANTIC’s library (exhibit #3).
Exhibit #3
Exhibit #4
The majority of the 40 items in the auction sale that will take place on April 24th, 2016 at PIERRE BERGE comes with a bibliographical reference. Those who were issued from more recent books, come with their original references, reliable, yet a lot more difficult to put our hands on. Once again, congratulations to the auction house and its experts.
On April 05th, 2016, and following to the PATROL's warning, experts at MILLON fixed their mistake (exhibit #5)... You're welcome!
Exhibit #5
PIERRE BERGE auction sale took place as planned. The fantastic armchair by Finn Juhl was sold for 99.000 € (exhibit #6). Well done!
Exhibit #6
Book ’em! The auction house or the art dealer provided little or no corroborating evidence in the form of documentation for this item.
Time Off! The expert made a significant mistake on this item. His attributed period came in way off. No early parole!
Missing persons alert! The auction house or the art dealer failed to uncover and identify the artist for this item.
Identity theft! They’re guilty of the worst crime of all: mislabeling the artist with another alias. And Picasso painted the Mona Lisa, right?!
The obsessive, nitpicky and no-holds-barred investigative team at DOCANTIC maintains an unparalleled database of original documentation for 20th Century, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco & Design furniture and works of art.
At DOCANTIC we believe that designers deserve proper identification for each work they have created, and that any art lover should confidently pay the right price for his or her purchase. We see the art world filled with both talented artists and con artist and, therefore, also riddled with innumerable attribution errors and outrageous pricing mistakes. By supplying authentic period photographs, DOCANTIC catches and apprehends the undervaluation (or overvaluation) of furniture and works of art. That’s our mission. We stop errors dead in their tracks. We serve and protect 20th Century furniture’s reputation.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, DOCANTIC sets the bar for the identification of 20th Century furniture, and shares with every art lover the information that has been kept under wraps by a handful of experts for far too long!
