Artworks are often unique pieces, and traditionally provenance has been used to help establish the age. Even merely establishing that's it been around a long time is useful information. Seeing that a "Rembrandt" was exhibited or sold in 1890 doesn't prove it authentic or from Rembrandt's lifetime, but at least proves that it wasn't made yesterday.
So, yes, mass produced cards and an oil painting or sculpture are different in ways provenance-wise. You don't need provenance to authenticate a T206 or 1955 Topps. And a painting having been exhibited in a museum, owned by a famous collector or auctioned by Sotheby's will enhance its 'prestige.' Those things work both as authenticity evidence and prestige.
Some people do like famous ownership of cards-- find it neat that card belonged to Mickey Mantle or Sandy Koufax--, and that, of course, is fine. In fact, I bet everyone here would think it cool to have a T206 Cobb that actually belonged to Cobb. The $$ worth of that provenance will vary from collector to collector, but I wager that everyone here would find it neat.
Last edited by drcy; 02-01-2018 at 02:18 PM.
|