AVAILABLE: Antoine Blanchard’s “Boulevard de la Madeleine in Winter”
Source: Boulevard de la Madeleine in Winter – here is a recent addition to our available paintings by the 20th century French artist Antoine Blanchard (1910-1988). Boulevard de la Madeleine in Winter is a classic example from the early part … More…
DOJ wants a Picasso given to Leonardo DiCaprio
Last Thursday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) sued to recover about $540 million in assets allegedly stolen from Malaysian fund 1MDB, established by PM Najib. Among the assets they are looking to get is a Picasso that Jho Low, … More…
Art collector Agnes Gund uses $100M to start social justice fund
People are always moaning about how much people spend on art and what ‘good’ they could have done with that money. I have always believed that some of those lucky sellers will use the money to help others … … More…
Well-known art scammer Vincent Lopreto jailed in New Orleans on New York warrant
Vincent Lopreto, an admitted art scammer, who along with his partner Ronald Bell (a California dealer) pleaded guilty in 2014 to selling six figures’ worth of fake paintings by the famed British artist Damien Hirst, was arrested and jailed … More…
Art Basel – On Fire.
According to a number of recent articles, the hits just keep on coming at this year’s edition of Art Basel, Switzerland. The show opened on Tuesday and continued through Wednesday with what they call ‘Private Days’ — an invitation only … More…
‘Star Wars’ Memorabilia Theft
Earlier this month it was revealed that more than 120 pieces, worth some $200,000, were stolen, over a period of months, from the largest private collection of “Star Wars” memorabilia. The owner/collector, Steve Sansweet, started acquiring the collectibles over 40 years ago … More…
Modern technology could solve Lady in a Fur Wrap mystery
Will technology help solve the riddle? We will soon find out … well, by 2019 we might know. And by 2020 you can buy the book with all the details. According to Tim Collins’s article in the Daily Mail, researchers from the … More…
The 19th Century Auction Market — What Is Going On?
For some time now I have been watching the two main auction rooms put the 19th century European painting market on the back burner. As we experienced last month (in New York), they crammed their American, 19th century European and Latin … More…
Will a $10m reward solve the world’s biggest art heist?
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum has sweetened the pie, doubling the reward for the return of the artworks. However, there are some catches … the works must be in acceptable condition (guess they do not want a box full of ashes) and you must … More…
Could It Be? A ‘Lost’ Jackson Pollock painting found in Sun City home!
There seem to be a lot of these ‘discovery’ stories popping up … guess with the ever increasing art market there will be more and more. In any event, now just might be your chance to purchase a rare and “lost” … More…
David Rockefeller’s Art Heads to Auction – Could Top $700M
Kelly Crow covers Christie’s announcement that they will sell over 2000 items from the estate of David Rockefeller, with the proceeds from what many expect to be a record auction going to charity. While no specifics have been given, … More…
Alcoholics Anonymous Sues for Return of Original 12-Step Manuscript
According to Alcoholics Anonymous World Services (A.A.W.S.), the ‘printer’s copy’ of the text for William Griffith Wilson’s original 12-step book “Alcoholics Anonymous” was gifted to them by Wilson’s friend, Barry Leach, back in 1979. So, you may be wondering … More…
Art Market Over-saturation: Art Southampton Is Canceled
Source: A Second Hamptons Art Fair Is Canceled – The New York Times – another example of over-saturation in the art market. We see this in both the auction and art fair arena. Over the years, auction rooms have killed certain markets by offering way too much … More…
Former Sotheby’s Director Timothy Sammons’ Move to The Dark Side
Yes, we have another art dealer’s fall from grace. According to Chris Greenwood and Rebecca Camber’s article in the Daily Mail, Timothy Sammons, a former Sotheby’s director, is accused of illicitly selling an extraordinary catalogue by artists including Pablo … More…
Prominent Art Family Entangled in ISIS Antiquities-Looting Investigations
More and more stories from the Dark Side seem to be popping up. In short, according to the article, long-time antiquities dealers Ali and Hicham Aboutaam are under scrutiny as authorities in multiple countries look into how Islamic State finances … More…
Comments on the Art Market – Volume 198
Source: Newsletter Archives – out now, Comments on the Art Market – Volume 198. In this issue we cover: A Conversation with Alyssa Rehs, Tales from the Dark Side, Stocks, Really and the Art Market (coverage of the recent Impressionist, Modern, … More…