New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-12-29
FORGERY IN ART.
THE CASE OF THE FRAUDULENT TURNER
MR.. CLARENCE COOK AND THE FORMER owNER-A
TURNER" THAT SOLD FOR FoRTY-oNK DOLLARS


TO the Edftor Of The Trtosne.
SIR: / have received the inclOsed letter,
which the writer you will read. begs to have pub
fshed and as he evidently thinks himself wronged by
me- hope You Will be able to give II room With refer
ence to the statements 1t contains would remark that
they all cofrm what said about the forged Turner
drawing In my letter to THE TRIBUNE of the LIST inst
Everybody in this city who knows anything about such
matters knows that the Thompson Collection
of worthless trash accumulated by very ignorant and
very unrustworhy person. that for picture
its pedigree back to the Thompson Collection II
merchant should have his family tree growing Of
the bosom OF Jeremy D!ddler. Perhaps do the late
Thompson wrong he may not have been as ignorant OF
the true value Of his pictures he seemed The fact
that Mr.. Barlow gave the drawing question to Mr..
Thompson makes the matter dubious still.
rather let US say clears 1t up aud fixes the fate OF the
unhappy daub beyond question But, If were not
enough that 1t should have two such sponsors In bap
tism We told that Mr.. Barlow assured Mr.. Thomp
son the drawing was early work OF Turner'S Now.
Turner's early work unlike anything OF his that
this drawing might be supposed to resemble as can be
imagined. he did not begin to paint No mans land"
or as some one said, to paint nothing very like till
late In life and would think that to person
only moderately acquainted with him. the saying that
such mares nest as this was Z" early work would
have been enough to arouse suspicion. Besides, did 1t
not come from person who had assisted Turner in his
studiop
answered Mr.. Kohn's letter when received IT, and
asked hun to let me know whether was to understand
that he himself bought the drawing from the Thompson
Collection, and what he gave for IT, My reason for
asking this question, harmless enough 1t to me,
was that thought might be able to do him good
TURN In atonement for the fanced wrong / had done
him. 1t was reported that after the sale he had
graduated the gentleman who had just bought 1t tor
$3.50 his bargain, assuring him that he Mr Kohn) had
paid $3.50 for 1t. As those who knew Mr. Kohn for
gentleman and man OF business shrewdness and tact
insisted that this story invention Of the enemy,
thought could, in publishing his letter. set the matter
straight but to surprise. Mr. Kohn buntly refused
to tell me where he bought the drawing or what he
paid for IT, The truth IT, that the drawing was bought
at the Thompson sale by Mr.. Osborn for SAL SAID in
my letter 10 THE TRIBUNE that 1t fetched $40 This
the only my letter contained, that for an
Art Critic which Mr.. Kohn does me the honor to con-
slider me, came of reasonably WELL But It is plain
that If Mt Kohn did really pay $3.50 for the dra wing
and as he said he did. OF course it was SOL he paid
some midde-nan huge per centage and suffered 4
considerable loss in parting with It.
trouble you too much with this matter but will you
let word through THE TRIBUNE to Mr.. L"avitt
All the laws that he or his feow-auctOneers can devise
for the prevention OF swndng the public by the sale Of
forged pictures will be much waste paper 50 long as
the public first allows itself to he swindled and then
holds tongue about it, Since the sale OF the forged
"Salome" was prevented by THE TRIBUNE wall Of
anguish has come up 10 my private ears from
the wounded and thanks innumerable met me at every
for days. for having dared ito speak out IN
meeting" Every fresh conner new parodis ON
Madame Roland Oh, Liberty Street! what crimes have
been committed In thy name!" Here was gentleman
who. hurryng home from business, eager TO catch the
train, pops his head into the shop sees picture on
the easel hears the Of Baron Legs" doesn't see
the picture but that II is going for song knows
that Baron Legs good stock. mods his head as the
hammer grabs the picture pays the money
catches the tran and looking at his purchase by lamp
light after dinner wishes he could catch the auctoneer
Perhaps, If he person of literary turn of mind,
he quoted Browning
eys.-Leys! again-and still. they lie!"
Here's another who writes that he bought a
Tat A" and "Kensett." at sale. and found they
forged and wanted TO collar the auct1Oneer but
didn't aud held his tongue because he ashamed OF
his greennessi Aud another who honestly sends
his and address, and he has picture By Caraud-
Of which Ut having been engraved OF photographedJ
COPY was made signed with the artists aud sold
at Que of for $3.50 These only speci
mems Of the batch Of facts have!coected yet these
facts strange tue other fact that so many
people know them and hold their tongues about them
The first point then s that II there such laws
Mr. speaks Of people would not take advantage
Of Them partly they ndOent and partly be-
cause they don't want to expose their own greenness
But even II we could make the public do Its duty,
We should still have TO reckon with the auctiOnecrs.
Mr. Leavltt thinks that the aucOneer stands excused
with public he sells whatever is put into his hands
to sell and consciously lakes no share in deuding the
buyers Perhaps, in the present condition OF the auc
ton business this may be and perhaps the respecta
BILE ores among auctoneers do not mean 10 be
ties 10 frauds But there those who think that
auctoneer who undertakes the business Of selling pic
lures statues and books ought to know enough about
such wares to II reasonably certain TO those who
buyers that the aucroneer ID not being made
TOOL OF by fraudulent people, II not asking much
require that auctoneer protesting to make the
saie Of pictures special business should know some
thing about pictures Or IL that be thought much
then thai he should ask the opinion OF people |
likely 10 know. But, frst to accept q commits |
sion from Tom Dck Harry to sell his |
nictures; them TO let Tom, Dick Harry make his
catalogue and ascrbe his pictures to body he Deases
and then to stand up and sell them by the catalogue
with personal disclaimer OF all responsibility. though
he may received assurances and proofs enough OF
the absurdty OF their attrtbutions from men enough
who do know a hawk from a handsaw-I can t think
that with such auctiOneer selling to such an audience
laws against Fraud at Picture Auctions will do much
good But keep you far too long from Mr. Kohn'1 |
letter Here 1t s. CLARENCE COOK.
Nep-York, Dec. 81. 1874.
MIR. KoHN TO Mr.. COOK.
NETWORK, Dec. 1. 1874.
SIR: NY attention has been called to your letter in
The TRIBUNE Of the LIST ns where you state under the
ing my collection was. apparently by means or false
sold Original
beg to make the following statement Tue picture re-
ferred to comes stated IN my catalogue, from the
Thompson Collection 1t is marked in the catalogue OF
tins Collection as follows:
No i4I-Tuner ~ W. View on the Rhine Th. an early
rcrrt Of this great bv Turner himself 70 Mr. Barlow,
Ib and bad with this account from
MI barlow The inscription on the back and signed l.
Nv when the auctoneer. Mr.. Leavitt offered the
p,rre he has stated most emphatcaly, ana III very
udiue voice that has been instructed Ivy me TO SAY
mat though believing IL 10 be Turner. Will sell the
nicnre for what IL s merits without any g1aran-
tee 10 authorship. As for the party purchasing II
1though l have authority TO speak In bis 0ehali).
no IN remark that he Is not the fellow 10 whom you
niude bur "a gentleman with very cultivated anu re-