Art advisor and appraiser in Lugano and Ticino

The studio

My studio is in Como, at via Lambertenghi 41. I receive clients by appointment and work across Ticino (Lugano, Chiasso, Mendrisio, Locarno, Bellinzona, Ascona). I work in Italian and in English.

My field is modern and contemporary art: paintings, sculpture, works on paper, fine art photography, multiples and editions. I am an Accredited Member of the Appraisers Association of America (AAA) and a member of the International Catalogue Raisonné Association (ICRA) and of the Catalogue Raisonné Scholars Association (CRSA). I am a registered expert with the Milan Chamber of Commerce and a court-appointed technical consultant (CTU) in the art sector at the Court of Milan. My appraisals are prepared in accordance with the international USPAP or IVS standards.

What I do

Appraisals and valuations

I prepare appraisals to insure a collection or update its values, for an estate or a division between heirs, for a donation, after damage or in a dispute, or when a work is pledged as collateral for a loan. An appraisal is a written, reasoned and signed report that states the purpose of the valuation and the type of value adopted. When a family's assets are partly in Italy and partly in Switzerland, the report has to be usable by the professionals in both countries. Tax and succession matters remain with the notary, the lawyer or the fiduciary; policy terms with the broker.

Art-historical research and due diligence

I also carry out art-historical research and due diligence: I verify the provenance and condition of the work and compare scientific analyses, scholarly opinions, certificates and archive registrations, in order to identify any gaps or issues and provide a sound documentary basis in support of the judgement on authenticity. This research is useful before a purchase or a sale, and also for works already in a collection, when doubts arise or when a work is being registered with the artist's archive.

Collection management

For collections spread across several residences, in Ticino, in Italy or abroad, or held in storage, I keep the inventory to the Object ID standard, with photographs and locations, a file for every work and a confidential digital archive. I oversee periodic condition checks, movements and loans, coordinating conservators and shippers.

Art advisory

I advise collectors on forming or developing a collection, and on acquisitions and sales through galleries, auction houses or private treaty, in Switzerland, in Italy and abroad. When I have appraised a work, I do not handle its sale: appraisal and advisory remain separate engagements.

Works between Italy and Switzerland

Many collections in Ticino are held partly in Italy, and many works cross the border for a sale, a loan or a move. In these cases I prepare the documentation of the work needed by those handling its movement: identification, photographs, provenance, condition and value. Export formalities from Italy and import into Switzerland remain with the shipping agent and the customs specialist, with whom I coordinate.

Inspections in Ticino and abroad

I carry out inspections at private residences, storage facilities and free ports, in Ticino, in Lombardy and abroad. The work is examined in person: photographs serve for a first assessment. For assignments in Como or on Lake Como, see the page on Como; for Milan, the page on Milan.