Morning journal and courier., 1884-01-30
Copies of Pictures.
Extensive COunterfetting of Oil Paints fnSs-ReveIattons by Dealer.
 From the New York Sun.l

Extensive COunterfetttDg of OiI Paints
 tngs-ReveIattOns by a Dealer.
 From the New York Sum-
 ''The statement has recently been made." dealer, "that there are now in existence more than 10000 paintings purporting to have been executed by Daubieny. Do you think there is any truth in it ?"
 "I would like to know how the figures were obtained said the dealer, thoughtfully.
 1t is an estimate based upon the number annually sold at the Hotel Drouot, Paris. :"
 "The figure appears to me somewhat large" said the old gentleman, dancing by some irresistible impulse at pair of prime Daubignys which adorned the walls of his establishment; 'tyet in the light of my re- cent experiences in buying and selling the works of distinguished modern artists of the French school, do not dare to say that the fact is impossible or even improbable. A mana perfect stranger to me-drove wagon up to my door month or two ago and wanted to sell me seven pictures-two Co., rots, Rousseau, couple of Troyons and pair of Girardets. The price at which tho man offered them told the story of their ille- g1tlmate origin much better than any evil dence presented by the pictures themselves The fact is that the copyists exceedingly sklllful. Many excellent artists among them, but it so happens that the copies of Diaz or a Delacroix are worth more than the original pictures of many good artists. The skill of the modern copyists is wonderful l have known several cases here and abroad where an artist could not decide positively that picture WAS painted by himself One result of the very fine counterfeitipg is to make artists dis'rust their confidence in their own work, particularly in work done some years before. An artist came here only few days since to authenticate picture for would-be purchaser. He would not say posi- lively that he painted it, though he believed he had painted a similar one As happened to turn the picture toward him while setting it against the wall he noticed the back of 1t. 'Ah!' said he, I fear you have bought counterfeit. Do you see that brand on the back of the canvas? We'll, I never pur- chased dollars worth of artists materials from that firm ? In this case do not hesi- tate to own that sold the picture as genuine, on the ground that if the artists memory as to painting it was poor, the chances were even that it would be equally unreliable as to whose canvas he used tor it, I deferred to his opinion, however, in the matter of the brand and washed it of with turpentine
 ''I once had on sale picture of some i'm portance, painted by New York artist, and worth about $1 ,5CO. I easily found a gen tleman who was willing to purchase it, but he insisted upon having the artist pronounce it genuine. He brought the artist and that parsonage repudiated ths work. I do not say that it is not good picture, said he, but it is not mine, though certain parts of 1t resemble my style somewhat l took my customers address and went to an expert whom often employ in such cases. What I wanted him to do was to examine the paint ing thoroughly and see if he could discover anything peculiar about it, some fact that would be certain to remind the artist that he had painted it. The expert took up his mag nif1er and went over the picture inch by inch; lie was looking for over painting--try yfanrsa khGa kTEth hO6 painted something and afterward painted it out. The idea was to find sors of 'remin- der' for the artist. After some hours of pa tient examination the expert had the picture placed between him and the light, when he discovered under the painted surface the out line of an old tree. upon whose bark was cut the legend Clara Nj, or Dear M The ar tist was brought down once more. You were right, he said with slight flush the pie ture is one of my early attempts I had for gotten it. He had painted it while on summer tour. and after putting in the initial of his sweetheart, had brushed it over and turned the tree into rock. Of course, my customer now wanted the picture more than ever, and let him have it for g., ,000 instead of $1, 300. The expert pocketed $1OO.
 ''It is @ mistake to suppose that all the first class copies come from abroad. There are many artists of good standing in New York who do just enough original work to Keep IQ6lE EopuGatiOu dS dEIlSl6, Dub huOS0 chief support is drawn from copies. Their copies bring more than their originals yet the latter are always better painted. It Is rather hard on American art, but I, for in- stance, as dealer, must give 8 purchaser what he wants or go out of business We do not often sell copies, as such unless they are after the old masters. When we sell to dealers it is different, of course A copy Of 8 Rousseau, Delacroix or Corot is worth $3U0 to $7OO, if it is really frst-class hit. 1 saw 8 dealer give $1 ,OOO a few days ago for Bonnat, and he will easily dispose of 1t for $5, ,O0O Yet learned on the day of its sale that it was what is called, both here aud abroad, an American oopy'-that is, a copy of a copy-for our copyists. not having the originals to go to, must needs copy from any copy 8 dealer may give him. So I do not hesitate to say that many supposed original paintings in city drawing rooms are copies of oopies-many of them having, perhaps, reached third generation.
 '"Phe reason why there are so mauY coun- terfeits in the market is that there is a de- mand for them. It is ali caused by the spigit of emulation the worship of what ever happens to be in vogue. If MT. A, who is worth SIC, ,O00, 900, has e Lefeyre or 8 Henner worth $1O,000, MT. B, who is per haps worth only $2O0, 900, wants pictures of the same class, and is uneasy until he gets them As his funds will not permit him to buy the genuine he buys, at tenth of the price, pictures which certain dealers are will ling to assure him are authentic. but were purchased before the artist had achieved his present reputation. Sometimes the pur- chasers are deceived in the matter, but think they generally know pretty well what they are buying, though they never make confdant uf the dealer in the matter. The men who have no limit as to price are seldom deceived as far as strictly modern pictures are concerned. They are, in the main. busi- ness men, and buy to large extent directly from the artists''