[taildrop]

Isn't that kind of the point of hiring an expert?

If you knew the provenance of an item, what it was worth, and how it was obtained, why waste money on hiring an expert?

[civilitty]

...to verify that you are correct and the items are genuine.

[njarboe]

And in antiques, just like art, verification by the right expert(s) is what makes it genuine for most people.