Antique Trader Blog - Antique scams

Art Loss Register recovers Dieppe carved ivory box

Karen — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:43:06 GMT

Relying on its one-of-a-kind, international database of over 300,000 lost and stolen items, the Art Loss Register has recovered an ivory box stolen from a private residence in , while the theft victim sat rooms away.

The theft of the delicately crafted box, executed by famed French draftsman Charles-Etienne Thomas (1787-1857), occurred in December 2009.

Chubb Insurance, acting on behalf of the theft victim, was quick to provide photographs of the stolen property to the Warwickshire Police who within days reported the items to the Art Loss Register. The ALR maintains the largest international database of lost and stolen works of art. It records both public and private losses, regularly conducts searches of the database against international auctions, private treaty sales, gallery stock, art fairs and museum collections, and aims to identify then mediate the return of these items.

In March 2010, just over three months after the box's theft, the ALR matched the stolen box at a Christie's New York auction where it had been valued at $4,000 to $6,000. The name 'Dieppe' is attached to the box as it denotes the type of ivory traded in the port city in France, which served as a luxury commerce hub from the 16th through 19th centuries.

Christie's immediately withdrew the box from auction and held it until the ALR negotiated the consignor's surrender of the item. The consignor, a former US police officer, was completely unaware of the box's crooked history, and cooperated fully with the ALR and Detective Constable Paul Whitehurst of Warwickshire Police, who led the UK investigation.

By June, a mere six months after it was stolen, Chubb was happy to offer the Dieppe Carved Ivory Box back to its client, the theft victim.

Christopher A. Marinello, executive director and general counsel for the ALR, who led the case, commended Detective Constable Whitehurst for his persistence. "The theft victim was fortunate to have such a diligent officer working on his behalf. Choosing a quality fine art insurer like Chubb who painstakingly documents its client's possessions is the smartest move you can make if you ever hope to recover a cherished family heirloom after a theft."

-posted by Eric Bradley

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Better paper on the way

Karen — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:24:43 GMT

Thank you to those who took the time to write or call about Antique Trader’s new look. It means a great deal to us as Antique Trader continues to evolve to better reflect the hobby and your changing tastes. Making such large changes to a 53-year-old antiques publication is an ongoing process and I respect that you care enough about the title to voice your opinion.

A selection of your letters is reprinted in Antique Trader magazine. They do a darn good job showing the passion you have for the hobby.

We’ve already heard the new format has streamlined delivery. A reader in New York state called and reported his copy arrived on time — a first for him over the last few issues. This reader also commented about the new size and the type of paper we use. Although he didn’t care for the paper stock, his immediate attention was on the fact the new size allows for more pages and better content, which matters more than ever now that its finally being delivered on time.

Nevertheless, you have spoken and we have listened. Although the new size is here to stay, we will be improving the quality of the paper in the next few weeks. The cover stock will be heavier and brighter. The inside pages will be a heavier, stronger sheet with less show through. The paper is an investment by F+W Media for the sole purpose of improving Antique Trader’s readability.

Again, to all of you Antique Trader subscribers who wrote in – thank you. As always, I welcome and encourage you to request features or column topics on any collecting area. Feel free to send reactions to the articles, features, new look and our columnists at any time. Send your thoughts to Antique Trader Editor, 700 E State St., Iola, WI 54990 or to eric.bradley@fwmedia.com.

On a related note, we are hearing reports that many of our subscribers have been targeted by agencies attempting to charge as much as $70 a year — three times our promotional subscription rates. Official renewal notices will only come from Palm Coast Data and F+W Media, Inc.

If you receive a notice and you suspect it is not from Antique Trader, please call Palm Coast Data at 386-246-3434 and a representative can help you.

— Eric Bradley

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Reward offered for trailer of antique furniture stolen in St Paul, Minn.

Karen — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:44:41 GMT

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Police are still searching for a 14-foot Pace trailer full of antique furniture that was stolen Dec 10 from the parking lot of J & E Antiques in St Paul, Minn.

The trailer held two reproduction mahogany Morris chairs decorated with full standing lions, two oak hall trees with bench seats, many Empire-style oak library tables, a library table with caning decoration and several display tables used for setting up at shows. The trailer also contained two sets of chairs, fishing tackle and an outboard motor.

A reward is offered and anyone with knowledge of the theft is asked to call 612-961-3401 or 612-708-3946. The theft is documented under St Paul Police Case #09-261-474; the trailer's license number is (Minn) CTA 2945.

-posted by Eric Bradley

Allegations of fraudulent posters rock the collecting community

Karen — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:18:11 GMT

Disturbing. Very disturbing.

High-priced allegedly fake posters - to the tune of $2 million - have been discovered so far.

According to the Web site www.learnaboutmovieposters.com:

The Scheme

According to knowledgeable sources, the scheme to produce these fake posters involved taking lower end vintage poster materials (i.e. posters that do not command high dollars), sanding the existing images off , and affixing high-resolution images of the sought-after posters to the sanded materials. These posters would then be painted/airbrushed to give the posters the vintage authentic look of a poster that had been repaired. These fraudulently produced posters were either sold or used for trades for legitimate original material. For the past three years, it is estimated that over $2 million in fake posters have been put into the collector's market. The alleged perpetrators have been named in two civil lawsuits which are addressed below.

Fakes Finally Detected
The plot to defraud millions of dollars from unsuspecting collectors quickly began to unfold over the last few months. A knowledgeable collector purchased one of the alleged fake posters from a reputable auction house. The collector recognized that something was not right and returned the item. The auction house then hired a poster restoration expert to determine if this poster was indeed a fake. Once it was determined that it was, other posters provided by the alleged perpetrator (the defendant named in the two civil lawsuits) were also evaluated by a number of different poster restoration experts.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE AT: LEARN ABOUT MOVIE POSTERS

Any thoughts you'd like to share?

Post a reply here on the blog or e-mail them to eric.bradley@fwmedia.com.

NH man hawked paintings stolen from Fla.

Karen — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:43:57 GMT

NH man hawked paintings stolen from Fla.

SALEM, N.H. (AP) - Police say a stolen painting a New Hampshire man was selling on Craigslist was among $47,500 worth of antiques, furniture and other valuables he stole from a Florida home.

Twenty-five-year-old John McCulloch was arrested Friday after a potential buyer on Craigslist turned out to be a private investigator hired by the painting's real owner, William Shoemaker of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Fla.

Police say Shoemaker came home May 4 and found his house cleaned out, allegedly by his houseguest, McCulloch.

The Eagle-Tribune says McCulloch told police he started hawking other paintings and valuables to get back home.

The painting that led to his arrest is by Wildlife artist Douglas Van Howd, the official White House artist during the Reagan administration.

Antique Trader Subscriber Alert

Karen — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:21:55 GMT

Please be aware that there are some unauthorized magazine agencies that may attempt to solicit your renewal subscription to Antique Trader magazine either through the mail or by telephone. They operate under several different names and request that payment be sent directly to them.

Be sure to renew your subscription only through one of our mailed notices. These notices bear the Antique Trader logo and ask that payment be made to Antique Trader and sent to our Subscription Processing Center in Palm Coast, FL. Any request for payment made out to someone else or sent to a different address is likely fraudulent.

We value our relationship with you and want to ensure that you are informed of these unscrupulous practices. If you would like to contact us, please send us a note to the Subscription Services address at the front of the Antique Trader magazine.

For more information, visit http://www.fwmedia.com/customerservice.

More on the misrepresentations of antiques at the highest market levels

Karen — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:25:32 GMT

The New York Times has recently run another article on the John and Carlton Hobbs, the British highest-of-the-high-end antiques-dealing brothers who employed the services of a British furniture restorer named Dennis Buggins to do MUCH more than buff and polish top-end antiques pieces.

I encourage you all to read the story: The Feud and the Fakes

You will probably want to stick to decaf when you're reading this ... I know I should have. Personally, I don't believe the "financial toll" of the scandal will be punishment enough, as Rupert Hobbs says. If it turns out the Hobbs brothers were deliberately altering antiques to bilk customers out of additional money, punitive damages should be in order.

What do you think?

— Karen

Deployed troop's antiques & collectibles stolen

Karen — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:56:13 GMT

Oh, man. I'm so mad. You would be too: Check out this article from the NBC Action News about a couple of "enterprising" fellows in Kansas who were involved in the "theft of antiques and household goods put in storage by military personnel who were deployed or transferred from Ft. Leavenworth."

From 1999-2003, an employee of Century Van Lines in Leavenworth, Kansas, sorted out valuable goods soldiers stored with CVL and placed them up for sale on eBay and at his "garage sale."

Stolen goods including collectable lunch boxes, decorative platters and oriental rugs were sold to antique shops and individuals in Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin and Ohio.

You can read the entire article here.

Stealing from servicemen and women who are away serving their country ... shame on you!

— Karen

Do your homework

Karen — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:30:19 GMT

School is back in session in Wisconsin now that Labor Day has come and gone. I have to confess, I am one of those geeks who loved school. And I am enjoying it the second time around, too, helping my son with spelling words, homework and special projects. It’s like I am learning all over again (did you notice as we get older we tend to forget things?).

When I was a real student the first time, getting good grades came pretty easy for me. I never got a chance to get a big head about it, though. My mother would quickly remind me, “Brain smarts don’t mean anything if you don’t have common sense!” (What class do I learn that in?!)

A few weeks ago we asked readers: How do you determine a seller (or buyer) is trustworthy? Have you ever been the victim of an antiques-related scam? Any advice on how others can avoid the same trap?

The response could be defined by my mother’s two words: Common Sense.

If you want to avoid being scammed, take a good look at the offer. Is it too good to be true? Then it probably is.

Reader Helen wrote about the Patricia Jacoby case: “A 22 percent return on investment in 30 days! That sounds shady to me. The investors had to know something wasn’t right. If they had made 22 percent on their investment did they intend to pay taxes on that? I don’t think so. Mom was right, no such thing as easy money.”

Sometimes, though, it’s not so easy to spot a scam artist. The victims in the Jacoby case said she was a “nice lady” who seemed to have their best interests at heart. Why shouldn’t they believe her?

Reader Barbara from Tucson, Ariz., said she and at least 40 other consignors in the Southwest are fighting to get their money from an auction house there.

“We trusted these people completely,” she wrote. “We were shocked, we thought they were as honest as they come.”

Now at least one of the alleged victims is trying to share information with the others – and future consignors – through a Web site. Let’s hope this network of sharing information will help police gather enough information to file charges if warranted and help these antiques collectors get the money coming to them.

We also can’t underestimate the power of word-of-mouth “advertising.” If a business or individual isn’t following through on their promises, let other potential consignors and investors know so they don’t make the same mistakes you did. On the flip side, certainly spout the virtues of auction houses and shops who have lived up to the reputation of being “as honest as they come.” There are a lot of them! In these times of schemes and scandals, they certainly deserve our business, right?

Let’s go back to “school” for a minute and think about how we “learned” common sense. Do moms get all the credit? How about the wise old shop owner down the street? Antique Trader would like to know: What’s the best piece of advice anyone gave you on how to buy, sell or collect antiques?

Drop me a line at robyn.austin@fwpubs.com or post a reply here on the Antique Trader blog.

In the meantime, do your homework! School is back in session and we are never too old to learn ... about anything.

— Robyn

In whom do we trust?

Karen — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:08:23 GMT

Back when I was a kid – and I’d like to think it wasn’t that long ago – I can’t recall many occasions where we had to lock the doors of our house or our car. Sometimes, during the deep-freeze days of winter, we’d even leave the old station wagon running while we popped into the store to grab some milk and bread.

We weren’t concerned someone would drive off with our car. Or sneak into our house and rob us blind while we were away at church. We trusted our friends and neighbors. We trusted people in general. We didn’t give it a second thought.

Somewhere along the line, that ability to trust became an exception rather than the norm. We want to give people the benefit of the doubt. And many times we can. On rare occasions, though, we get burned and the thought of trusting someone with our friendship, with our business, with our money, leaves a bad taste in our mouth.

Last week, a North Carolina woman named Patricia Jacoby was sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for a pyramid scheme. Why do we care? We care because she represented herself as an antiques dealer and investor who bilked dozens of people like you and me out of an estimated $2.5 million.

The first troubling fact about this news story is that she was representing herself as a legitimate member of our industry. She lied to investors, telling them she purchased estate lots of antiques to resell them at profit and promised a 22 percent return on their investments within 30 days. The victims trusted her at her word.

The other troubling fact is that this latest conviction was her third offense. According to news accounts, Jacoby was previously convicted in two other schemes. She spent a year and a half in prison for bilking investors in an art scheme after a 2000 conviction. In 2006, she pleaded guilty to similar charges and paid $56,000 in restitution to victims.

Investigators said she used money raised from investors in the latest scam to repay previous victims, noting the antiques investment scheme was in the works as soon as Jacoby completed her sentence in the earlier case.

Fortunately, this brand of schemer doesn’t come along every day. For the most part, we can be proud to be a part of an industry of honest, hardworking dealers and shop owners. These rare exceptions, however, do raise some red flags. Whom can we trust? How do we know if someone is running a legitimate business? Can I trust that I am not buying a fake or reproduction?

Antique Trader would like to know how you determine a seller (or buyer for that matter) is trustworthy. Up to and including a police background check, what do you do to safeguard your investment before making it? Have you ever been the victim of an antiques-related scam? Please share your advice so other readers can learn from your experience, too. We’re all in this together. Let’s continue to watch each other’s back as we have been ... and pat each other’s back for your efforts to keep this industry clear of scandal.

Please e-mail me at robyn.austin@fwpubs.com, post a reply here, or drop me a line in the trusty old mailbox!

— Robyn

Antiques dealer sentenced - again

Noah — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:16:08 GMT

Patricia Jacoby reportedly collected money from investors, promising a 22 percent return on their investment from her buying and selling antiques. The result wasn't a 22 percent increase in funds, but a 100 percent loss of funds.

From WRAL.com: Antiques dealer sentenced to prison in pyramid scheme

Jacoby wept in court as she listened to Buccellato and to letters written by other victims – nine people sent letters to the court describing the impact of the scheme on their lives. She said the episode caused her "untold sadness, remorse and terrible guilt."

So, does she feel "untold sadness" and guilt because of her actions? or because she got caught? again.

For me, the most disturbing detail in the story is that this is the THIRD time she's been convicted of investment fraud.

Now she's facing 10 years in prison. When she gets out, let's not give her our money to "invest." She's going to need to raise $1.6 million to repay investors, but I think she should find it elsewhere ...

The "Antiques Rogueshow," starring the Johnson family

Sandra — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 22:53:19 GMT

It took a while, but this rogue family in the UK has finally started serving time. For stealing over millions in art and antiques over the last 20 years, the five members of the Johnson crime family will serve a total of almost 50 years.

It doesn't seem like much time to serve, does it?

Imagine: Staking out a British manor for a week, waiting until the right time, and smashing your 4-wheel-drive into the property and hauling away a take of $A49 million in art, jewelry, and antiques in 10 minutes.

That's just one of the nefarious family's misdeeds over the past 20 years, but it was the family's largest heist.

One article says of the family: Barely able to read, write or even spell their own names, their loves included dog and game bird breeding, hare-coursing and bare-fist fighting.

Crude, but apparently they could spot the good stuff.

You can read more here. Or click here to Google "Johnson crime family" and take your pick of the coverage.

Do you know AuctionWally?

Noah — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:40:01 GMT

If not, you should.

AuctionWally, a 25-year veteran in the auction and appraisal field, has an antiques appraisal blog that is just chock-full of information on antiques values and how to sell them. You can find him at http://www.antiquewally.com, where you can view 500 stories and appraisals for free.

I found this recent article on examiner.com especially interesting: Auctionwally's tips for buying expensive collectibles from eBay and elsewhere

AuctionWally also tips us off to scam examiner in Karin Malchow, who keeps current with the latest scams (from Internet hucksters to door-to-door cons) and alerts readers to them.

Knowledge is power, everyone! Protect yourselves.

— Karen

Is there a safe place to sell?

Sandra — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:19:05 GMT

I read the following in one of my favorite collectibles forums:

"My in-laws have inherited tons of things that look to me to be collectors items or things of worth to others. She doesn't want these things and I want to try and help her get rid of some of them. I don't want to give things that are worth money away for free ya know 'cause they don't have much money as is."

And then shortly after, I received this:

"After reading commentary re: eBay (Antique Trader 7/23/08), I wouldn't list as a beginner but I do have variable items such as pottery and furniture that I inherited and would like to sell. Would your experienced readers have any suggestions as to where I can list items I'm interested in selling and not get 'taken'??"

I'm seeing a trend. I think in these difficult economic times, and with the Boomer and earlier generations beginning to pass on their lifetime collections, people are looking to sell some of the items they don't need or want.

So we turn to you, the Antique Trader readers for your input on safe and cost-effective places to sell, whether they are brick-and-mortar or based on the Internet.

What do you think: In your opinion, where can someone sell their pottery, furniture, collectibles — what-have-you — and not be cheated?

We would appreciate you dropping a line to robyn.austin@fwpubs.com and letting us know, or you can post a reply here on the Antique Trader blog.

Remember: We welcome your questions and commentary at any time.

-- Karen

Internet posse roots out auction fraud

Noah — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:32:33 GMT

Iffy eBay goods draw ire of Internet posse: Cyber-vigilantes track down sellers of questionable items—often with blessing of overworked authorities

I was going to comment on a similar story yesterday, but didn't quite find the time. Today I just couldn't miss the opportunity again.

I encourage you all to read it. It reminds us of that age-old saying: If it's too good to be true, it probably is. That's not saying you can't get taken to the cleaners with a phony item if the price is in the ballpark of where it should be... but you want to stick with reputable dealers to minimize your chance of being swindled.

Buyer beware.

— Karen

Misrepresentations of antiques at the highest levels

Noah — Thu, 29 May 2008 20:49:06 GMT

*shudder* I just read this article about an antiques scandal that I just couldn't pass without comment.

[you can read it here: Furniture Restorer Accuses Antiques Dealer of Deception]

I doubt that I will ever be able to purchase antiques from auction houses like Christie's or Sotheby's (unless my husband's devoted efforts with the weekly lottery tickets pays off some day), but I empathize with those who have purchased items from John Hobbs, and the uncertainties they are now experiencing about their antique treasures.

The optimist in me hopes that this issue is resolved quickly and equitably. Time will tell.

— Karen

A road well traveled

Noah — Mon, 12 May 2008 20:29:23 GMT

The antiques world is fascinating. Unfortunately, because of the abundance and the value of antiques, they are targets for criminals all over the world.

For example, check out this story from Standart News:

Antiques Are Smuggled in Bulgaria Through Drug traffic Channels

The police say that there are about 200,000 treasure hunters in Bulgaria, working in over 300 organized groups. Each of these groups makes one or two million levs a year.

Western experts say Bulgaria is the third largest supplier of antiques in Europe.

Antiques, mafia, treasure hunters, smugglers ... Disturbing, but fascinating.

— Karen

British stolen antiques fence sentenced

Noah — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:29:02 GMT

Philip Capewell will have around five years to think about what he's done.

On April 25 an English judge sentenced the man for handling valuable antiques stolen from a couple, who was tied up in their country house, and threatened with various tortures like having thier fingernails pulled out if they didn't tell the thieves where the valuable antiques were.

They did as any of us would have done when faced with such a thing; they told the thieves exactly where the antiques were.

Two other men were also found guilty of conspiring to handle stolen antiques, but not of the theft itself. I'm not exactly sure if anybody has been charged with the deed itself, because this article from the Midhurst and Petworth Observor is rather poorly written. I do hope, however, that someone pays for the heinous act of committing the crime itself.

This sentencing is a clear message at least to would be antique thieves and fences in England: You will do time if busted.

Capewell is in poor health, suffers from depression - and has a penchant for selling stolen goods. He's a serial offender. I'm sorry for his health issues, but if you do the crime, you will do the time. Sorry. Them's the breaks. Capewell evidently showed no remorse for his crimes, and in so doing gave the entire antiques community a black eye. I hope he uses his time to the truly reflect on how he's wasted his life.

Orlando man arrested for selling fake coins

Noah — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:24:04 GMT

The sad reality of the antique coin market right now is that there are an awful lot of fakes coming out, especially being manufactured in China.

This guy in Orlando - busted faking it in the land of Mickey - is just barely one blade of grass in a large lawn.

Antiques scandal rocking the U.K. biz

Noah — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:27:28 GMT

When the story broke last week about a restorer, Dennis Buggins, in England who alleges that many dealers, including one very high-end dealer in London, John Hobbs, had been selling his restored pieces at highly inflated prices as rare antiques, I wrote something hastily and put it on the Web.

Quickly after posting that, I took it down out of deference to the whole business of antiques, and to Mr. Hobbs, his family, friends and associates. The claims are, at this point after all, only allegations. We have to remember that, sensationalism aside, all parties are innocent until proven guilty.

I've received numerous emails and queries from readers looking for a response to this, wondering what it means, what it could mean on this side of the pond and how far the ramifications might go. The truth is, who knows? The Times of London broke the story, and BADA has temporarily suspended Hobbs's membership pending an investigation, so I really can't have an opinion either way.

It's hard to imagine that Buggins didn't know what was going on, as he was making a good deal of money out of his restorations, and it's hard to imagine that all the dealers that will eventually be implicated - many more than Mr. Hobbs, that's for sure - didn't know what they were selling. Were some of them in the dark? Probably. All? No. Let's see what other names surface before pointing fingers and rushing to judgment.

John Hobbs didn't get to where he is in the business by being a scammer, so I prefer - after researching and watching the situation - to give him the benefit of the doubt. Why is Dennis Buggins just coming out with his allegations now, and why single out Hobbs if he's sold to many people? Is there an axe to grind?

Who knows. Let's keep watching, stop saying the sky is falling, and wait for a proper investigation to reveal the truth. There's a tremendous amount of money at stake here, the livelihoods and lives of many more, and the overall reputation of the antiques business itself to consider.

Allegations are one thing and a guilty verdict another. Right now all we have are allegations.

I, for one, will refrain from casting stones until I know the truth.

FL antique thief busted

Noah — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:09:15 GMT

Good for the Palm Beach police department and the antiques community there.

The cops busted a guy that had lifted several thousand dollars worth of antiques from four different shops. Sad thing is that he probably wouldn't have been caught or pursued by the police if he hadn't been involved in a hit-and-run shortly before he got picked up.

These things obviously go on all the time at antiques shops, malls and shows across the country. Is it the perception of antiques that keep enforcement from being more stringent, or simply that law enforcement has better things to do with their time than worry about antique theft?

I think, as I'm sure anyone that reads this would, that communities would be well-served to pay attention to antique theft.

Think about it: Any given weekend (not to mention weekday traffic) there are thousands of shows, shops and auctions going on, and thousands and thousands of people going to these places. Do the math on it and you get a huge amount of dollars. Extrapolate possible theft and that equals many thousands of dollars of lost revenue right there.

It starts by getting one thief at a time, and the Palm Beach police force has done its part today. Once again, I say, good for them!

Upper Midwest antiques malls hit by roving gang of thieves

Noah — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:25:55 GMT

I'd love to get my hands on these punks that have been hitting several antiques malls - cleaning them out of thousands of dollars of merch - in the Upper Midwest, mainly Illinois and Wisconsin, as reported here by Maine Antiques Digest.

The story contains a link to the Roscoe Antiques Mall, a huge with good quality dealers and owners, where they've posted video of the thieves. It's pretty brazen, and definitely calculated. There's tremendous value to be had, and as far as priority, it's not exactly high on the lost of most law enforcement agencies.

The owners at Roscoe took it upon themselves to alert mall owners in the area and were alarmed to learn how many others have been hit and robbed.

It makes me sick, to tell you the truth.

Be on the lookout for a trio of folks with large amounts of antiques to sell, or people who are scoping malls in the area. They knew what they wanted and knew where they were going. I hope mall owners invest in German Sheppards, or Pit Bulls, with loud barks and mean bites to dissuade the ~~jerks~~ poor misguided souls about their current foibles.

This wood's no good! Dealer in fake antique wood busted in MO

Noah — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:11:22 GMT

Interesting, but probably not as rare as we'd like to think.

This St. Louis dealer in supposedly antique wood is going to be paying a hefty fine and maybe seeing the inside of Club Fed for a while. It just goes to show that you have to be wary of who you buy from, and alays do you research, even if your next antique is going to be your floor.

This story comes via the St. Louis Business Journal.

Seven charged with selling fake fine art prints internationally

Noah — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:35:32 GMT

Good for the authorities that busted this ring, and good for fine art lovers!

Just goes to show that you should always know your source, and know their reputation! Nowhere is a dealer's rep more important than in antiques and art.

Beware fake antique whiskey in Scotland... and online!

Noah — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:14:09 GMT

This doesn't say anything about whether the whiskey's any good, but the bottles most certainly aren't.

This comes via a Chicago Web site called The Chicago Syndicate. It's a fun Web site, but the story is real, and serious.

There are a lot of folks out there that take their antique whiskey bottles - and their whiskey - seriously. If you are buying bottles online, and it's coming from Europe, especially Scotland, caveat emptor!

An unfortunate career choice - Mummy smuggler

Noah — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:44:06 GMT

How, exactly, does one decide that this is the course they are going to take in life?

Me, I became an editor and journalist because I had spend years laboring - unhappily - to be a playwright in NYC. I had some small success, but was miserable. I then became an advertising creative, which made being an unsuccessful NYC playwright look like a day at the beach. Woof.

But the guys mentioned in this story from the AP, a couple of Mummy Smugglers, must've had to dig really deep to decide on this career path, but... I know smuggling antiquities is an old profession, but I'm just assuming that selling ancient bodies, wrapped in linen, dessicated, and decorated with heiroglyphics has got to be a rough way to make a buck... Not to mention the bad karma that must come with it...

This would make me sick, too: Man says he was cheated on Arbus photos

Noah — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:33:46 GMT

Interesting little twist out of NYC, courtesy of Here Be Old Things.

A guy bought a box of photos, with a bunch of Diana Arbus photos in there. A dealer paid him $3500 for them. They're expected to auction for multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Name of the game? Dishonest dealer? You decide.

Question of the week: Should the antiques business be federally regulated?

Noah — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:23:57 GMT

There's always been debate in the pursuit of antiques as to whether or not the business should be federally regulated, i.e., official government oversight provided by a dedicated federal agency.

This is obviously too big a discussion to have in this small space. Suffice it to say, there are plenty of people who have plenty top say on both sides of the issue. Antiques is a huge business, all told, at all levels, and there are a lot of bucks changing hands.

In my experience, it has come down to what, exactly, someone deals or collects in. If your business or hobby is dependent upon small items, sold at relatively low prices, at large volumes, then regulation could be a problem.

If you deal, however, in rare and one-of-a-kind pieces of art, furniture and accessories, etc., then some oversight might be good thing for safety back-up and to make sure no false merchandise would get peddled.

Either way, it would probably, hopefully, stop scammers from passing off fake goods - at least that's my take. I know there is a movement to get some help - see the good work of show promoter Dordy Fontinel, et al. - but I wonder what Trader readers think.

Should the business and/or hobby of antiques be federally regulated? Let me know at noah.fleisher@fwpubs.com, or post a comment here.

ART POTTERY THEFT IN OHIO - Be on the lookout

Noah — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:00:41 GMT

APPROXIMATELY 175 PIECES OF AMERICAN ART POTTERY STOLEN

HILLARD, OH - Between 3:15 P.M. on Monday, February 25, 2008, and 8:30 A.M. on Tuesday, February 26, 2008, approximately 175 pieces of American Art Pottery were stolen from Belhorn Auction Services, LLC in the Columbus suburb of Hilliard, Ohio. Also stolen was a cargo trailer in which the pottery was loaded, which was secured and locked at Belhorn Auctions’ office.

Pottery stolen includes various examples of Weller, Roseville, Rookwood, Owens, Van Briggle, Hampshire, Pillin, Fulper as well as others. Also stolen was an exhibit of fake and reproduction pottery assembled by the American Art Pottery Association for educational and presentation purposes. The trailer is an unmarked, white American Hauler cargo trailer with fold-down rear ramp and a system of shelving on the inside.

“We are working closely with law enforcement and our property management company to review security tapes covering the area during the time of the theft,” said Belhorn Auction Services, LLC President Greg Belhorn. “All consignors affected by this incident are fully covered and will be reimbursed for any financial loss. However, I do remain hopeful that the items will be recovered.”

Nearly all of the stolen pieces were slated for the American Art Pottery Association’s 2008 Auction to be held in conjunction with the organization’s Annual Convention on April 23-27, 2008, in the Greater Philadelphia area. Belhorn Auction Services, LLC donates its time and resources to conduct this auction, which benefits the Association and its endeavors. The full commission and buyer’s premium generated from the auction serve as an important revenue source from the American Art Pottery Association.

A general list and photos of the stolen pottery will be made available at Belhorn Auction Services, LLC’s website at www.belhorn.com. Anyone with information regarding this incident or who is approached by an individual with pottery for sale matching the description of stolen items should contact the Hilliard (Ohio) Police Department at (614) 876-7321 or Belhorn Auction Services, LLC at (614) 921-9441. A reward is being offered for any information leading to the recovery of the stolen property.

Things aren't going to get any easier for Russ Pritchard

Noah — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:05:41 GMT

Disgraced former Antiques Roadshow appraiser Russ Pritchard entered a guilty plea in a Bucks County, PA court yesterday, and is now on the hook for $6,800 to a woman he bilked when he sold her heirlooms and never paid up.

The sad thing - besides Pritchard's agonizing fall from grace - is that the amount he owes Sandra Udinson of Plumstead, is just a drop in the bucket of the hundreds of thousands of dollars he owes in civil damages already and which will probably be leveled at him when he faces similar charges to those in Bucks County in Montgomery County next month.

The article linked to above tells the story of his sentencing, the juiciest bit being the judge telling pritchard, "The most important thing is that the victim be made whole,” Heckler told Pritchard. “You will pay her, or you will end up in jail.”

I don't know Russ Pritchard, and he brought this on himself - for sure - but I can't help but find this whole thing a bit sad as it drags on and on...

Pictured below is Pritchard from his Roadshow days. The pic is from WGBH, so I'm not sure if it's one of his fake Civil War appraisals.

Carnival glass stolen from Stillwater, MN Mall

Noah — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:37:54 GMT

Large glass theft from an antique mall in Stillwater, MN.

I hope they catch the person who did this. If you're in the MN region, meaning the upper Midwest, beware someone peddling several thousand dollars worth of Carnival glass.

Stories like this, and there are plenty, do indeed make me wonder how often this happens and how often it's not reported. I can't help but think that some dealers and malls might think of it as the cost of doing business.

This is wrong and I hope that the security cameras got the people. Again, be on the lookout for stolen glass...

$3M record collection buyer a fraud - eBay bumming again

Noah — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:03:58 GMT

That record collection - easily the best record collection in one single place - was being sold by Paul Mahwinney out of Record Rama in Pittsburgh, PA (is there ay other?), which sold for $3M to an a buyer in Ireland on eBay last week?

Fraud.

I can't imagine that eBay, who has suffered so much bad press lately, can be terribly happy about this.

The "buyer" said that he was the victim of identity theft and that he got the invoice and couldn't believe it. I reckon that's possible, and a terrible email to get from PayPal, which is already such an unpleasant system.

Furthermore, it's reported that a rare Stones album, that Mahwinney has valued at $10,000, can be bought elsewhere on eBay for $599. Ouch.

Buying stolen antiques online - a cautionary tale

Noah — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:01:18 GMT

Bad things do happen, even to antiques people and even in the South.

This is a story from a Nashville TV station - Newschannel 5 - about a guy whose rental was broken into, in Nashville, and who had $3,000 worth of antiques stolen from his house. A few months later he finds a listing for his property - as someone else's property, of course - on Craigslist.

The address associated with the sale ended up being on the same street!

The police, however, do not think the seller knew he was selling stolen goods, let alone stolen goods from a house on the same street he lived on. I guess the thief, or thieves, took off that piece of yellowed and peeling masking tape with "In case this valuable antique is stolen please return to..." written in Sharpie on it.

"What? This stuff is stolen? And it belongs to you? And you live next door? Man, do I feel stupid..."

Chances are that stuff like this happens quit a bit, really.

The report does contain the rather ambiguous statement from the police that: "We're hopeful this incident will get us to a major player in antique business in the area."

For what, exactly?

Maybe the police are simply looking for some vintage posters to decorate the precinct...

Save the suburban ranch house!

Noah — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:14:09 GMT

Growing up in the Dallas suburbs, the ranch house was ubiquitous. It's what the word "suburb" means to me. I see a ranch house and I see yellowed summer days, neat little lawns, abutting fences and paved driveways with little pieces of broken glass just waiting to lodge in the unsuspecting foot of a kid running to the front door for lunch - baloney sandwiches on Wonder with yellow mustard. (Forgive me, but there has been steady snow, more than a foot, over the last 24 hours and I am a bit snow-blind, desperate for a warm day, if only in memory.)

This is an article from the Arizona Star Net about Tucson's vast tracts of ranch houses, and whether some - or all - of them could be considered historic and worth of preservation.

For the record, seeing the proliferation of McMansions that have sprouted like weeds across the nation, I do believe these houses are worthy of preservation and historical designation.

I've been to Tucson a few times, and find it to be a pretty groovy - if funky - little town. It rambles and has a certain endearing shabbiness to it. It also has some of the coolest looking post-war neighborhoods you'll ever come across, with bright colors and - believe it or not - totally pleasing ranch architecture.

I've always found that the ranch house spoke to the American boom of the the 1950s, when millions of Americans were able to buy houses and settle areas that were pretty inhospitable, at least by today's suburban standards. The best of ranch house architecture embodies the Usonian ideas of Frank Lloyd Wright, and speaks to the master's philosophy. They have open living spaces, open fire places and large windows onto the backyard, even if it's just scrub or hardpan with a rusting swingset. The worst have that horrible peeling green carpet that everything in the 1970s seemed to have.

Take a look and decide for yourself.

Auction Dupe? Or the name of the game?

Noah — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:24:18 GMT

A story like this one, out of Oregon - where auctioneers aren't required to be licensed - makes me believe wholeheartedly in the work of The Antiques Council and the National Show Management Assocaition to get some national oversite of the antiques business.

I know that this is an auction story, in the rural Northwest no less, but people should have a reasonable expectation of getting a certain value for merch at auction. The folks in this story - one of whom is terminally ill - got all of $200 or so for their stuff after being told - granted, there was no contract - they would get significantly more.

Come on, though... What about human decency?

More stolen Art in Europe - $160M worth

Noah — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:41:14 GMT

Just what exactly will it take for owner's of private, important collections of art - especially those on public display - to add security?

This is an unbelivable story, reported widely across the world this morning, about more than $160M in art stolen from the Beuhrle Collection in Zurich. I like the New York Times coverage best, so I linked to it here.

Chances are the artwork will go underground and decorate the home of some one who doesn't care that it's stolen goods. The market in art theft if huge, and the paintings are re-sold at hugely below actualy value. You could pick up one of these paintings, the Cezanne for instance, for a song... Say $15 million...

Let me just go check that shoebox in my closet. Maybe I'll cash in those bonds I got for my bar mitzvah so long ago.

Hey Beuhrle Collection! Get a lock on those doors and a connection to the police. Then maybe those priceless paintings will remain where they are and you'll be proven worthy to own such cultural treasures!

Is calling someone a stupid thief an oxymoron?

Noah — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:49:33 GMT

This story came across the AP wire last night, and is being reported as an odd news story in various media outlets across the country, of which we are now one.

What an idiot this guy had to be...

Honey, are we insured for this? Wife's vandalism complaint leads to husband's burglary arrest

SUTHERLIN, Ore. (AP) _ They say problem gamblers never quit while they're ahead, and one properly insured Oregon man apparently didn't, either.

Authorities recovered a stolen antique slot machine worth $4,000 and arrested the 30-year-old, who they said asked his wife to help file an insurance claim to cover damage done to his van during the heist.

The slot machine was reported stolen in a burglary Monday night at a home in Sutherlin, 170 miles south of Portland, Douglas County sheriff's deputies said. Investigators learned that the victim's housekeeper filed a police report a day earlier claiming someone had thrown a piece of sheet metal through the window of her parked van.

The sheet metal turned out to be from the back of the stolen slot machine, with the serial number attached.

Deputies said the housekeeper's husband stole the machine, which tipped over as he drove away, breaking the van window. He told his wife the van had been vandalized and asked her to report the damage so insurance would cover it, deputies said.

The husband and a 25-year-old man were charged with burglary and theft, but the wife wasn't charged.

The case was still being investigated.

Wow.

Antiques Scammer nabbed in Miami

Noah — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:46:00 GMT

Eric Bradley, the Show Manager of Atlantique City - which is owned by Trader's parent company, F+W Publications - was in Miami Beach over the weekend at the big show there - lucky man to be away from Midwest cold and snow. Evidently there was a scammer passing bad checks on the floor, and thanks to the actions of some dealers, the guy was picked up and a most- if not all - of the merch found.

Here's what Eric wrote from the floor:

Miami police arrested a man on Sunday suspected of passing bogus checks proportedly worth at least $10,000 at the Miami Beach Antiques Show. The man is suspected to have been working with an accomplice.

The cops nabbed him after our good friend Howard Roberts spotted a guy who fit the description of a man who passed a phony $4,400 check to one of his friends the day before. The man - who claimed to be from Philadelphia but spoke with a Russian accent - was identified while he was browsing some jewelry in the booth of dealer Michael Weinstein (who also does Atlantique City). After interrogating the man, police sought search warrants for three Miami-area hotel rooms. Not sure if any were in Miami Beach proper.

Police were able to recover items stolen with the bad checks on Sunday. It's not clear if they were unable to secure some, or all, of the merch purchased on Saturday.

The Miami police should have a report shortly. It will be in the local press soon!

Eric

Trader will keep an eye on this in the next few days, but thanks Eric!

English Art Scammer gets suspended sentence

Noah — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:59:12 GMT

It's being widely reported across international media today that the English family who passed of sophisticated forgeries as real - and fooled some of the best in the world in the process - is getting off relatively lightly. The link above is to the Yahoo News coverage. Here's the begining of the AP story:

LONDON – An elderly art scammer who fooled museums, auction houses and galleries on both sides of the Atlantic avoided jail Monday after a judge in the north England city of Bolton handed him a two-year suspended sentence.

Police say George Greenhalgh, 84, his 83-year-old wife, Olive, and his 46-year-old son Shaun spent the better part of two decades cranking out statues, paintings and other objects and passing the sophisticated fakes off as priceless pieces of art.

All three pleaded guilty in 2002 to charges of laundering money from the sale of forged artworks. Shaun, who created the fakes, was sentenced to more than four years in jail in November. His mother received a 12-month sentence.

The family manufactured a wide range of objects, including sculptures attributed to Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, paintings purportedly by American artist Thomas Moran, and gold and silver items dated to Roman and Anglo-Saxon times.

The family's assets are being split up between those they duped. Part of me is intrigued at their skill - they were boviously quite good. The other part of me is a little taken aback at how easy they got off. Seems to me that plenty of people have done much more, and much harder, time for much less.