Fine Art Investigations

FineArtInvestigator.com is the specialized art investigative unit of Financial Investigative Services (FIS), an agency focused on financial investigations. The firm is licensed and regulated by the California Bureau of Security & Investigative Services.

FineArtInvestigator.com serves the unique needs of art dealers, auction houses, collectors, claims insurers, gallerists, law firms and private museums. We investigate high-value art of contemporary artists, expressionists, impressionists, modern, and old-world artists. Our firm is retained to investigate art theft and conduct provenance research. 

Our company’s Chief Investigator is Curtis L. Novy, a Certified Fraud Investigator with years of experience in financial investigations and often serves as a government consultant or expert witness in civil and criminal fraud cases.

Investigative Services

• Analysis of fake artwork & forged artist signatures
• Art theft investigations & recovery
• Auction house, dealer, and gallery due-diligence
• Catalogue Raisonné research & validation
• Certificate of Authenticity- verification of historical records
• Fine art specialty insurer investigations & loss mitigation
• Museum theft & employee investigations
• Provenance investigations, ownership disputes, and title claims

Pre-Acquisition Due-Diligence

FineArtInvestigator.com provides its clients with high level due-diligence reports to understand all facts related to an artwork and parties connected to the sale. Our proprietary reports reduce the likelihood of acquiring a questionable artwork.

We offer summary investigation reports prepared for auctioneers, dealers, and gallerists to better understand provenance and identify potential red flags. Our executive dossiers are fact-filled narrative reports for high-net worth collectors, institutions, insurance companies, and museums. These reports include auction records, background investigations on sellers & intermediaries, criminal & legal records searches, lost/stolen database searches, and provenance verification. Executive dossiers serve as supportive documents to Certificates of Authenticity.

Why Retain an Art Investigator?

The fine art industry is well suited for high-net-worth collectors and investors who see art as blue-chip investments. White-collar criminals and unscrupulous dealers are also well suited to fine art. When fake or stolen art is discovered or an artists’ relative claims ownership, litigation is often the next step followed by reputational damage.

Savy art collectors, investors, and insurers now retain professional investigators to evaluate fine art and conduct deep-dive provenance or theft investigations. Art investigators expand on the experience and training of highly skilled art researchers who are not licensed investigators or trained in detecting white-collar crimes, such as art fraud. Art investigators are an essential source of information and risk management to protect collectors and investors from financial loss or reputational damage.