Nyc02 overground

 Don’t let it happen to you. Special Agent Brusokas has a few words of advice when it comes to buying high-dollar art: 

• “Get a complete provenance or chain of custody on each piece to find out where the art came from originally. Was it obtained directly from an estate, for example? This information provides a way to double-check the piece’s history instead of just relying on the certificate of authenticity.” 
• “Research the dealer carefully. Check the Better Business Bureau for possible complaints. Find out if they sell only online or if they have a gallery.”
• “For pieces of art you already own, you can go back to the gallery and ask for provenance on your print. You can also contact artists’ foundations which will do side-by-side comparisons with originals for a fee.”
• “And remember, when you’re trying to find that one treasure from someone’s garage, that’s when you’re more likely to let your guard down.” 

from: http://www.fbi.gov/page2/march08/artscam_032108.html