John Preston,
Buy absentia is always a risk ... But we know - nothing ventured ....
You are given the correct advice - let the dealer write provenance of this picture, it is desirable to know who she was before. It is also desirable that the dealer, but there the best art critic described it in detail, a gap in the UV-rays, etc., ie, made an initial inspection and description. If the dealer wants to sell now, then he will do it.
I bought in absentia in France, the Russian artist now the 19 th century. At my request, all of the above made the expert from the Louvre. Especially liked the fact that at the beginning of the description he gave his entire biography, work experience, what, where and when finished, and that his father was also an expert restorer at the Louvre the same
I was in your picture is one troubling - the signature is absolutely identical to the model of the signature contained in the directory hierarchy Soloviev (p.48). Simply twins signature. It's more bad than good. Although I may be wrong ...