Update: Inigo Philbrick And His Day in Court
Since 2019 we have covered the unraveling fraud scheme of disgraced art dealer Inigo Philbrick. Philbrick, who has defrauded art collectors, investors, and institutions of $86M, pleaded guilty in Manhattan court on one count of wire fraud. During the hearing, … More…
Christie’s American Art Sale
As Christie’s New York auction extravaganza comes to a close, the last to cross the auction block was their 20th Century American Art sale, and I would say it went out in style. Top Lots Taking the top spot in … More…
Weekend at Christie’s – The Edwin Cox Collection
Witnessing the events of Thursday November 11th at Christie’s New York was electrifying, to put it lightly. The 23-painting collection of the late Texas oil baron Edwin Cox, which included works by Van Gogh, Monet & Caillebotte, brought in $286 … More…
The Macklowe Collection’s Results
The buying frenzy keeps going and going. On November 15, Sotheby’s presented The Macklowe Collection, a sale of 35 Modern and Contemporary works of art. Before we get started, please note that all the lots in this sale were guaranteed, … More…
Marie Antoinette’s Diamond Bracelets
Marie Antoinette (1755 – 1793) was the last Queen of France and became famous for her lavish lifestyle and eventual beheading. Born in Austria, Marie was the 15th child of the Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and Empress Marie Thérèse. … More…
The Other Boleyn Bird
Sometimes you don’t need a stained parchment map with a big, red X to find some treasure. Some treasures can be found in the most unexpected places, including when we’re unknowingly staring right at them. For example, just a few … More…
Art Crime In A Time Of Covid
The pandemic has been an interesting period to study. With nearly everyone abiding by the prescribed public health measures for nearly two years, not only have our lives clearly changed, but the processes that govern our lives have changed as … More…
Sotheby’s Sale Of Mid-Level European Paintings
Towards the end of October, Sotheby’s offered their selection of lower to mid-level 19th and 20th century European paintings. As with the competition, the pickings were rather slim. The top seller here was a fresh-to-the-market Jean Beraud titled Le Buggy. The … More…
Al Capone’s Prized Possessions at Auction
Alfonse (Al) Capone was one of the most notorious American gangsters of the 20th century. Also known as Scarface, Capone was the inspiration for many books and movies based on his time with The Chicago Outfit, an organized crime syndicate … More…
French Exit: A Rare Prayerbook and the Fate of Jewish Cultural Heritage
The auction room is where one can witness some once-in-a-lifetime moments. Having briefly worked at an auction house myself, there’s always a small thrill in seeing a rare item being fought over, ending with the sharp rap of the hammer. … More…
The Bridge at Pooh Corner
Alan Alexander Milne (1882 – 1956), often referred to as A.A. Milne, was an English author best known for his books about the adventures of his son Christopher Robin and his stuffed animals, most notably, the lovable teddy bear, Winnie … More…
Christie’s European Art Part II
On the 15th of October, Christie’s online sale of mid to lower-level European art closed, and while some lots generated action, many others had a tough go. The most expensive work in the sale was a bit of a surprise. … More…
Decisions in Revision: Reimagining a Christopher Columbus Monument
One of the ways society expresses admiration is public memorialization. Busts, plaques, obelisks, and statues all have a prominent place in our culture. They can be something you pass every day, or an iconic piece of a city skyline. … More…
Sphinxes Surprise Saleroom
Wouldn’t it be nice to find out that something you have had in your possession for years, that you assumed was worthless, turned out to be the real deal? That is what happened to one lucky family in the United … More…
Christie’s 19th-C. European Art Auction – A Tough Go
On October 13, Christie’s presented their European Art Part I auction, which included just 37 lots. We did go to view the sale; in fact, I went twice, and while there were some nice paintings, I was a little skeptical … More…
Another Rare Moulin Rouge By Edouard Cortès Surfaces
I am sure you can guess that as the foremost dealer in the work of Edouard Cortès, we are continually receiving emails from people offering paintings for sale. A majority of them are either very late examples or, sadly, not … More…
Todd M. Casey & YIn Mn Blue
It’s not all that often that a new color is available in the art world. Blue pigments in art have always been precious, with Smalt, Egyptian blue, and Lapis lazuli being the three most commonly used in painting for centuries. … More…
Beth Sistrunk’s Zero Calories Series – Caramel Popcorn
The Zero Calories series is all about nostalgia, happiness, and a celebration of the delicious, whether it’s pastry and other confections or favorite candies. For example, “Caramel Popcorn” is inspired by a memory of movie night from when I was … More…
Dark Side Of The Art World – Forgeries
Federal charges have been brought against artist Christian Rosa Weinberger for selling forged Raymond Pettibon paintings. According to the law enforcement agencies involved, from 2017 through 2020, Weinberger and several co-conspirators sold several fake paintings from Pettibon’s Wave series to … More…
Contemporary Art Evening Sale – Sotheby’s Hong Kong
This past Saturday, Sotheby’s hosted a Contemporary Art Evening Sale in Hong Kong… the auction featured “a refined selection of exceptional masterpieces,” though you could probably debate the “masterpiece” status of a few of the lots. As expected, the top … More…
The London Impressionist and Modern Sale – Sotheby’s
Sotheby’s had another tough go on October 7th with their lower to mid-level Impressionist and Modern works of art. While there were a few nice paintings in the mix, there was nothing that made me say – “I gotta have … More…
The American Art Sale – Sotheby’s
On October 6th, Sotheby’s offered up a wide range of American paintings, spanning the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. I will say that there wasn’t anything for us, but then again, we only deal in a handful of American artists’ … More…
The Achilles Heel Is Samson’s Foot: Artificial Intelligence In Art Authentication
When it comes to the future of many jobs, one of the most common fears is the advent of automation. The image that often comes to mind is that of robotic arms on an assembly line, repeating the same action … More…
Damaged Vase Still Makes a Mark
One of the highlights of Asia Week in New York was a vase owned by Sarah Belk Gambrell, the heiress to the Belk department stores; she was 102 years old when she passed away in July of 2020. Gambrell created … More…