One of the most useful and invaluable tools for those persons and entities engaged in the business of fine art is the Art Loss Register (ALR). The link is here: www.artloss.com/
The ALR provides an incredible array of services for almost anyone including those who have suffered a theft of artwork. The ALR website states that its services include:
- Registration of the legitimate ownership of works of art and other valuable possessions
- Registration of the loss of works of art and other valuable possessions
- Registration of fake and forged works of art and other valuable possessions
- Due diligence services
- Expert provenance research of works of art and other valuable possessions
- Specialist World War II provenance research
- Investigative and recovery work
In addition, the ALR’s website notes that it provides services to the following markets:
- Collectors
- Auction Houses
- Art Dealers
- Art Fairs
- Museums
- Financial Institutions
- Law Enforcement Agencies
- Government Authorities
- Private Individuals
The ALR publishes an email newsletter which updates any interested party in recent and unresolved art thefts and can alert those who may be in possession of knowledge of the theft in the interest of gathering leads on the thefts.
The ALR is a highly useful service indeed.