Provenance research plays an important role in the art trade, too. However, the full scope of research results achieved in this context hardly ever becomes visible. The anthology ‘Provenance Research and the Art Trade’ aims to change this, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the Washington Principles intended to regulate the handling of Nazi plunder. This book, published by the Munich based art auctioneer Ketterer Kunst, combines essays by renowned academics and experts from museums and institutions with concrete case studies by art trade provenance researchers. It highlights latest findings on previously little known Jewish collectors and dealers, as much as the fascinat­ing and uneasy relationship between provenance research and the art trade. This compilation is designed to offer case studies and information on relevant archives, databases and institutions to colleagues in academia and the art trade as well as interested readers from a wider audience, while also providing instructive insights into current provenance research projects and further inspiration.

Provenance research in the art trade? It does exist, that much is known, but what is taking place in essence? What is or was subject of research, by whom, for what purpose and what are the results? To date, only a few ‘insiders’ have had the opportunity to obtain answers to these questions. This is largely because research results from the art trade are only published to a very limited extent: they are mentioned in the catalog with just a few lines. The efforts behind the in-depth research are hard to recognize for outsiders.

This is the first publication of an ‘inside view’ from the provenance research department at a major German auction house, with the aim of making research into previously unknown Jewish collections and dealers accessible to an academic community. At the same time, this publication also wants to demonstrate how provenance research is or can be carried out in the auction trade. Renowned guest authors from research institutions, museums, the international restitution system, private archives and the art trade provide a framework and superstructure for the specific case studies. The articles address the often uneasy relationship between the art trade and the academic world. However, they also illustrate the opportunities that a close exchange in the field of provenance research can and should offer. Thus, 25 years after the adoption of the Washington Principles, which provided guidelines for public handling of Nazi plunder, but by no means for the private and commercial sector, this publication is also an appeal: for transparency, for cooperation, and for a common goal.

The original German version of this book was published in 2023 under the title ‘Provenienzforschung und Kunsthandel’ to mark the 25th anniversary of the Washington Principles.