The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-03
Eunco In Picture Selling.

There is no other business perhaps
, which affords so much chance or mis-
- representation and false pretence az PIC
ture dealing, unless II may be morse trau
ing three-card monte. or thimblergging
The obvious moral OF this remark Is ina
| unless a man IS wise in the wares h'
seeks. and knows what ~ Wnu., ne snouI'
have care as to the repute ana respon
| sfbilfty OF a person VINO OFFERS him
| fine painting at DaFRalh' Ihese re-
marks are not meant 10 reflect upon any
| estahltsbei or respectable picture dealer
/ bur merely TO Introduce few instances
of how some Of the private galleries in
tho vest I'm such cities as Cleveland
chicago St Louis. and Detroit. for OK
annie have come TO contain among their
boastei treasures either the shop-worn
and discarded surplus of eastern chops
! or the forged products of domestic manu-
facture.
tie and shiny silk hat for his purpose
and turns conn0fsscur 1t Is time for the
tyro collector Of paintings I'm Pittsburgh
or Milwaukee to be n little cautious. But
the man who would promptly inquire
| into the pedigree and true quality Of n
diamond offered TO him by a plausible
| stranger would, experience teaches. just
| rs promptly repress his natural suspi-
| cions in the presence OF a lauded master
| piece by some Wanted painter whom no
! one ever heard of. IL would appear mat
| pride Of collectorship makes some men
who have had no opportunities OF travel
or study superhumanly eluiible when Il
comes to buying paintings. They appear
to be ashamed TO have doubts or opinions
OF their own in the face Of the SWlndler
confident glorihcation Of this splendid
masterpiece by the celebrated Palettek-
nifesk
In the New York Sun the other day APP
peared n despatch from Pittsburgh CIV
ing particulars Of the arrest Of MarSion
Ream and John n. Lewis. of New YORK
and George Wilson, Of pittsburgh, on
charges Of selling alleged fraudulent and
forged paintings. Mr.. Iteam had con
siderable vogue, at one time as q painter
Of still life and goldfish and Mr.. Lewis
is a well-llnown frame glider. Nothing
is known here as to the merit Of the
charges against ,xem,. which rests
now upon the complaint of certain self
constituted connoisseur and collector Of
Pittsburgh. In this instance he may be
oil wrong in his own judgment. 1t is a
fact, eyertheless. that the western cities
do swarm with picture sharpers, who
swindle cOnhding collectors and greatly |
iniure the reputable dealers because |
when their frauds are detected suspiscion |
takes possession Of the popular mind and |
sale Than did the gold half eagle that the |
wag offered TO sell on the street FOR ten
cents without finding purchaser
There are thousands and perhaps hun
dreds of thousands Of dollars worth Of
bogus pictures. or. If not Who'll
~ fraudulent, nj least Of
paintings that have been sold
for fabulous sums on entirely false
representations. There Is an instance
well known to dealers Of this town OF the
sale for many thousands Of dollars TO
woman in 4 western city OF Corot that
was painted in New York The swind-
ling even goes as low as 10 cross the
words fac-simile from certain imported
prints in colors and palm them off as
a certain lawyer in Chicago. who
thought he had a fancy for paintings
but was still greater under the influence
or such names in art as are cOnjured
Of r.pfr frtrr
from 4. y. Sanchez. of this city, Their
the agent Of a well-known New York
house. Among them were American
paintings and Jacque Of fine quality.
son had not sold readily i'm New York,
and the dealer was willing to part with
It for abou, $3.50. which was its real
value. The lawyer took IT. and few
hours later met Sanchez.
sanchez, old boy" he exclaimed rap
turousiy you We're right that was a
me Jacque you sold me. | hadn't had |
It an hour when l sold It for thousand
Get the cash?"
Wei. no. but J. got its equivalent"
ana then he proceeded to tell how he had
met a SLICK dealer who wore a high hat
ana a short square-cut coat and a big
diamond in his shirt front beneath his !
white evening dress tie The slick stranr-
r. had pictures to sell. and he greatly
,dmred Mr.. Lawyers newly purchased
Iacqre.
NOV II tell YOU what I'll do said
ne oily art sharp. There's that big
'ainting I have by so ana So" (naming
n unheard-Of Spanish painter) you've
,.k ,.5 that. and its a beauty. It's worth
300 # It's worth a dollar. But you want
l. ana a big painting is hard to sell. IN
II you nave II for your Jacque, which
small and $500 to boot"
The lawyer was delighted with the
ropQsition, and gave his good Jacque
ma his good money to boot for q daub
nat mad been made in New York city.
\ similar instance occurred in Pitts
urgh. whore q well-krOwn collector and
.ould-be connoisseur was persuaded 10y
ne OF these bunco steerers to trade T. |
ne Berne- Bellecour worth say 500 for | +
wretched COPY of a Bcrne- Bellecour .
'orth probably $3.50. a Meyer Won Bre-
zen, genuine II Is true, but not repre- ]
thtatlNe or the artist. went begging | !
mong the reputable dealers in New York
yyV. ana was finally sold by a sharper | fl
l Detroit for 5000 /
All OF the bad paintings that are hawk
ABOUT IN the west are not fOrgerire | -
ut many of them are showroom and | :
hsalable canvases which have knocked |
Dout me New York shops. and which | c
" oVefscrupulOuS dealers are willing TO | {;
I'll at any price TO get rid Of Sharpers
u them and. going 10 interior towns
aue upon the name Of the New York
1pofter, whose stamp is upon the hack
the picture. 10 impose upon the cred1- o.
~ o. the rich and undiscriminatirg col 8
ctors' who seem stll TO believe i'm al
icitly in fairy stories. J,
The buncO picture business has w.
Iort reached proportions inconceiVabl.
any ordinarily well-lnfOrmed New York
ana IN smaller way the same fraud
the city.