Recognition & risk
What questions should I ask a seller before buying?
Ask three questions before paying: why here, why now, why this price? Then demand a written declaration of all restorations, replacements, and defects — evasive or slow answers are data themselves. Finally, request high-resolution photos (including RAW files to detect retouching), strong light plus backlight, macro shots of marks/joints/base, and verified measurements. You must be able to judge the piece as if you were there.
The Method's take
The Method applies the Clue → Proof → Decision protocol: everything digital is only a clue; proof is the piece live or a super-detailed Condition Report you forced with exact requests. The seller's behavior under pressure reveals more than their description — reluctance to document is a red flag worth more than ten catalog lines. Complaining after skipping due diligence is not professional; refunds rarely come, litigation locks money for years.
The math
Buying on incomplete information costs €3,000–€30,000 per error (undisclosed restoration, concealed structural defect, wrong attribution you cannot resell). A Condition Report generated by the Method and forced before payment costs zero — just the discipline to ask. The 24-hour pass is €100; the annual pass €3,800. One avoided mistake pays both, forever.
One question answered here saved you a mistake. The engine answers yours — the exact object, the exact number.
Ask the engine — 24h pass €100