The Gardner Museum Heist – One Step Closer?
Last week, Paul Calantropo was interviewed by the Boston Globe about his time as a jeweler. Calantropo claims that in the spring of 1990, his acquaintance Bobby Donati came to him to have something appraised. Calantopo, now aged 70, is … More…
Billionaire Michael Steinhardt Forced To Give Up Prized Possessions
Buying and selling stolen artifacts is a crime, but it seems that some people (especially the rich ones) do not care; that is until they get caught. News broke this week of 80-year-old retired hedge-fund billionaire Michael Steinhardt’s veracious appetite … More…
Eleinne Basa’s Solo Exhibit ‘LuminoCity’ Now On View!
Known for her intimate cityscapes, artist Eleinne Basa seeks to explore her environment through an investigation of light. While each piece featured in LuminoCity is set within a city (most in New York City), the subjects are not simply buildings … More…
The Papers That Led To The Theory of Relativity
A few weeks ago, while at Christie’s, I was fortunate to see a bunch of old, yellowed, and worn papers. They were lying in a glass case with a ton of scribbled mathematical formulas on them when. It turns out … More…
How Paintings Influence Movies
Stepping Through the Frame: How Paintings Influence Movies Because of their seemingly serious subject matter, movies about art and artists can serve as a quick way for a director, an actor, or a screenwriter to garner some attention and a … More…
The Crypto-Constitution-Catastrophe
The Crypto-Constitution-Catastrophe… does anyone know how any of this works? Crypto-mania is still going strong and the jealousy-inducing headlines keep coming… but as evidence that many of us still have no idea how it all works, I present the following … More…
Emilio Sánchez Perrier – L’Epte à Gisors
Rehs Galleries is pleased to have had the opportunity to acquire L’Epte à Gisors, an outstanding painting by one of the finest 19th-century Spanish landscape artists, Emilio Sánchez Perrier. Emilio Sánchez Perrier was born in Seville, Spain, on October 15, … More…
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…