Following the Modern & Contemporary Art Online sale of 28 November 2015, I acquired a photographic diptych from Bonhams.Before bidding, I formally requested a condition report. It specifically stated that the frames and Plexiglas were in poor condition, but clearly confirmed that the photographs themselves showed no damage. This assurance was a determining factor in my decision to purchase.Upon receiving the works, I discovered that one of the two photographs contains a clearly visible scratch of approximately 4 cm, easily noticeable even to a non-expert. This defect was neither mentioned in the condition report nor visible in the pre-sale images, likely because it could have been mistaken for a mark on the frame.As a long-standing collector of fine art photography, I have always considered major international auction houses to be a guarantee of rigor, transparency, and professionalism. I have purchased from Sotheby’s, Phillips, and Christie’s without ever encountering such a serious failure in reporting or responsibility.This experience has definitively broken my trust in Bonhams.This was my first purchase with them — and it will unquestionably be my last.
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