At CIRAM, we put our scientific expertise at the service of art market professionals to establish reliable and documented dating for your old works.
Contact our teams
Whether it's a collector's item or a piece intended for sale, dating plays a strategic role:
CIRAM supports museums, collectors and experts in these sensitive processes with scientifically validated results.
Contact our teamsThe greatest museums and art professionals trust us for the authentication of their objects.
At CIRAM, each work is the subject of an analysis adapted to its nature and its production context.
The carbon-14 dating method applies to organic materials (wood, ivory, bone, paper) and can date materials up to 50,000 years old. It is suitable for paintings, manuscripts, wooden statues, and antique furniture.
For other materials (stone, metal, ceramic, pigment, glass), we use physico-chemical methods: thermoluminescence dating TL/OSL, chemical analysis, electron microscopy or scientific imaging, in order to identify the materials, date the interventions and refine the chronology of the work.
Find out more about our analysis methodsAt CIRAM, each analysis is based on a structured scientific protocol, guaranteeing the reliability of the results:
We begin with an in-depth discussion to understand your expectations, the nature of the work, its history and the hypotheses to be verified.
Depending on the materials, state of preservation and presumed dating, we determine the most appropriate methods (carbon-14, thermoluminescence, microanalysis, imaging, etc.).
We perform in situ micro-sampling, while respecting the integrity of the object.
The sample is processed in our laboratories near Bordeaux.
You receive a clear, dated and scientifically interpreted report.
For over 20 years, CIRAM has been assisting museums, experts, collectors, and heritage institutions with their analysis and authentication projects.
We guarantee :
With CIRAM, you benefit from recognized scientific support and a tailor-made service.
Contact our teamsYes. CIRAM favors non-destructive or minimally invasive sampling, performed in situ. In some cases, imaging or surface analysis is sufficient.
C14 is only applicable to organic materials (wood, paper, textiles, parchment, etc.). Other methods are available on a case-by-case basis.
Very little: just a few milligrams are needed for a C14 analysis. We'll tell you exactly how much you need, depending on the type of material.
CIRAM reports can be used for litigation, certification and insurance purposes, and can accompany independent expert appraisals.
Check the historical compatibility of a painting by studying the pigments, binder and support used in relation to the period advertised.
Identify past restorations and assess the work's state of preservation to guide its exhibition, sale and preservation.
Analyze the composition of materials to distinguish an old work from a modern reproduction, even if it has been cast or restored.
Check whether your art object is genuine, thanks to scientific analyses adapted to its nature, origin and presumed period.
The scientific analysis of a painting combines several methods to study its support, materials, manufacturing technique, state of conservation, and authenticity.
Recognizing bronze from brass: visual tips, pitfalls to avoid and reliable analyses for experts, collectors and art enthusiasts.
A signature can weigh heavily in the appraisal of a painting. However, it alone does not guarantee the authenticity of a work.
Knowing how to recognize an authentic bronze is a strategic issue for art professionals in order to protect themselves from forgeries. Each clue can reveal or betray the origin of a piece.
Thanks to these techniques, it is now possible to access valuable information regarding pigments, restorations, and the internal structures of an artwork without taking any samples.
Should one favor optical imaging or radiography to analyze an artwork, an archaeological object, or an industrial material?
