The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-05-10
SOLD HIS PICTURE TWELVE TIMES.
An Artists story of the Possibilities
In Forging Paintings.

I'VE sometimes come across queer de-
velopmcnts concerning the forgery of
paintings" said landscape artist in the
course Of conversation with a party of
friends. by forgery of course l mean
the painting of a picture over some other
artists name.
Ill tell you a true story which shows
how safe the business is considered when
carried on in the right way. The dealer
who worked this scheme had a genuine
work by a great French landscape paint
er exhibited in his store. One day
westerner bought it for a good round
sum.
The art man closed the deal with rel
ish. but began to feel opposed to parting
with his treasure as soon as the customer
was outside the door. The painting was
not to be delivered until three or four
days later. He quickly had it taken out
Of its frame and sent To clever pothoilcr
who had served him before. In three
days the pothoiler had a copy which, con
sidcring time and circumstances, was a
marvel. This copy went west, and the
dealer kept his treasure.
The trick came off SO prettily that the
dealer decided to try it over again. 1t
sounds like a fairy tale. and yet it is true
that he sold that same landscape to II
different persons and delivered it to all Of
them, and Yet he has the original in his
own private collection. He decided that
the latter plan would prove safer in the
long run than the store, as one of the -
customers might return for another bar
gain"
"Wha; did the potboilcr make out OF
that:" asked one of his hearers
Not much" the artist said. "IIc
struck for a raise each time the original
camc back to him, but don't suppose he
got more than SIP or SO for the first
copy"
Ever hoard Of Snakes?" inquired an,
other artist in the party.
THE King Of rotboilers?" asked the
first.
That's the enc. He wound up in a
lunatjc asylum. It's a queer story. Tie
man began to think that he was some
hedy His fakes were so clever that he
lost his equilibrium and stffoncd the
prices more than the dealer fancicd. The
latter said nit and quit giving orders, al
though the step caused him regret.
Snakes threatened and actually went
SO far as to tell his story to several inter-
cStcd persons. Evidence was the one
thing they MI demanded Had they only
been able 10 get that, the dealer would
have had hot time of it, But there was
only the word of Snakes to 20 by, and he
wasn't always quite sober when he told
his discriminating tale. Besides, he had
never signed any of the copies he made
THE art dealer had been cunning
enough to let another man put in that fin
iShing touch. Why. there are men who
do nothing else but pvt signatures to
spurious masterpieces. either imported or
! homemade. and who got from 81 to 500
for each Job. That's m art, too. and
some Of them are very good at it. and
to have the right twist to the signature is
considered so important by the dealers
that those who are clever in that way get
more than the potboilers who make the
pictures"
"And how about Snakcs?'
"Oh, nothing came out of his squcal
but hard times to himself Other dealers
heard of the story and turned him down
He had shirEcd too long to be able to
make a living by legitimate work, and
he was too proud to try. strange to say
even when in his cups; results, slow star
walton, wandering mind, still less money,
| whisky and cigarettes substituted for
/ food, complete bughouse, arrest and
! transportation to Wards island'-Ncw
| York SIM