Can an unsigned painting have value? Where a valuation begins

A family calls it “grandfather’s painting”. There is no recognisable signature, nobody remembers its purchase and only a label remains on the reverse. Such a situation calls for orderly documentation before a famous name. The absence of a signature alone does not establish that a painting lacks interest, while a signature alone cannot settle an attribution.

Describe before attributing

Begin with the subject, dimensions excluding the frame where measurable, apparent support and photographs. Use “artist unidentified” when evidence has not been verified. Getty’s descriptive categories recognise inscriptions, specialist analysis and documents as possible sources for attribution. A signature is therefore one element of an investigation.

A name remembered by the family

Record the traditional attribution, who supplied it and when. “According to a family note” differs from “published in a catalogue”. Send any written opinion in full, with its date, author and qualifications. The degree of certainty is part of the evidence and should not be removed.

Do not silently turn “school of” or “attributed to” into an unqualified authorship. Such expressions need explanation in their context. A useful assessment considers the complete wording alongside the actual work.

Photographs that help

A frontal photograph without filters records the composition. Details of a face, hands or another significant passage help show the paintwork. An accessible reverse records labels and structure. Do not force fittings or treat the surface in search of a hidden signature. Explain which areas are obscured by reflections or cannot be photographed.

Considering a sale

From Balerna, CFA receives enquiries about Old Master paintings and collections in Ticino, Switzerland and Italy. An initial discussion can identify missing documents and whether direct examination is appropriate. Some paintings need further attribution research; others first require a clearer understanding of their material history and condition. An initial estimate remains distinct from authentication.

The work by Giuseppe Antonio Petrini reproduced here is a museum illustration identified in the credits. It is not presented as an anonymous painting or as a CFA auction lot.

Presenting a work to Colucci Fine Art

For an initial discussion, send clear front and back photographs, dimensions and available documents through our valuation enquiry. To discuss a possible consignment, see selling with CFA. Our premises are in Balerna, Ticino; an initial review of the documentation precedes any decision about a sale.

Sources and further reading

• Getty — Categories for the Description of Works of Art: Creation
• Getty — General Guidelines: Uncertainty and ambiguity

Image: Giuseppe Antonio Petrini, Sacra Famiglia — MASI Lugano. Giuseppe Antonio Petrini · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons. Photograph reproduced with automatic web resizing.

CFA Editorial