Whether a collector of documents in the possession of the picture? Beginners want the final paper, actual armor. What if it gets stolen? What if you need to sell? Than I will prove that the painting is mine?

I, like my colleagues, I believe, no need to worry. And if you worry about something, certainly not about this and not in the first place.

But as soon as the concerns are there, let's go through the major issues novice collectors and far from the topic of owners of paintings.

If I bring a picture up for auction or in the gallery, but there I am asked whose picture — than I will prove my right?

Tell. In practice, for auction, the picture belongs to the person who brought and passed under the contract. If you are asked to bring a picture of your wife, it will be for the auction or gallery to be considered by the owner. And that's the one who signed the contract, send the money after the sale. For the contract of the deliverer will only need a passport. No purchase receipts or other papers confirming your rights, no one asks. There is a — well. No — is not important. 95% of deliverers in Russia such documents had never vodilos.

What documents should obtain when buying picture?

the buyer left payment documents and, as a rule, the certificate of seller to the purchased work. Certificate if not a document, but confirms the provenance. Very rarely, the buyer may be asked to sign the auction purchase agreement. And usually he don't refuse. But in fact this exotic option.

But if a picture, God forbid, stolen? Than to prove that it was my?

And if you steal the bike? Or briefcase? Or wallet? On them you also have the documents? In fact, in this sad situation, you will need paper and good photographs and descriptions of the stolen paintings. Will need sizes, technique, distinctive features. Seemingly simple, thing. But, paradoxically, many collectors no description, no photos of his own paintings there. Or is there, but not all of the picture. By the way, here I write and you understand that the same sloven, alas. And after all that happen, and it is for these pictures and data will be looking to give guidance, to place information on the sites about the stolen art. No contracts, no receipts in this case will not help.

What to do if stolen from me, the painting was put up for auction, and supporting papers I have no?

Not terrible, that no securities. You still need to immediately report to the auction. Believe me, the organizers of the auction will treat your request seriously. The auction does not need a problem with a prospective buyer. But the first thing you ask in the auction house, — copy of the police report or confirmation of the information on excitation of criminal case. This is necessary to avoid false allegations of bullying, allegations, emotional disputes, spouses and business entities. If the application and the criminal case is — question, consider solved. A lot will remove or make sure it has not been sold. In any case, the auction delves into every situation and tries to avoid billing of the disputed lots. Supporting documents on property it does not need. Gallery — same.

So do I have to try to rectify the official documents on the ownership of the picture?

Depends on what you want. If you are prepared to "hold the Fort", divide property, waging war in court, you probably need. In this case the lawyers you and advise you on how to make this work. But in order to legallyhave a picture and legally put it up for sale, documents on property you do not need for sure. And then you decide whether it makes sense to enter into a formal relationship with the state, to issue, to assure, etc. After all, one never knows, enter a-нибудь luxury tax or some-нибудь encumbrance. Nothing can be excluded. And how then would not spare that was involved in official registration.

I personally think about documenting ownership rights to the paintings? Today, this problem seems contrived and bloated. I myself would be discouraged from additional papers did not. Yes, and did not, without any "if". I repeat: if you have time, it is better to spend for photographing and cataloging his collection. A copy of the archive it would be good to copy in a safe place, where not stolen. In real life the main risks associated with the paintings, lie in very different fields. The first is to think about the authenticity of, liquidity, about the risk of falling prices. As what we have discussed above, — case if not the tenth, the fifth-шестое exactly.

Vladimir Bogdanov, AI