The sun., 1903-12-23
PICTURE SIGNATURES FORGED,
"MARIAN" BLAkELOCk CHANGED
TO "R. A." BLAKELOCk.

The Daughters Work Thus Made 10 Sell
as That OF Her Celebrated Father
MIR. P0lhemus Says the Change Was
Made After the Pictures Left His Place.
From a case of small financial impor-
lance that came up in the Second District
Municipal Court in Brooklyn on Monday
there has developed story OF forged sig
natures to paintings that has for some time
been known in part. at least, to artists and
art collectors in New York and vicinity.
The paintings are the work Of Marian
Blakeloox, the daughter of Ralph Albert
Blakelock, whose paintings have a wide
reputation. Evidence was produced in
court that after three Of her pictures had
eft her hands somebody cut out the word
Marian" and substituted for it the initials
'R. A." apparently that any chance pur-
chaser might think that he was getting a
real and valuable Blakelock.
Incidentally, the name Of j. E. Fell Mills,
Who was much sought for last February
hv several artists in this city, was brought
INTO the case.
Ralph Albert Blakelock, whose name
WAS made the subject of the forgery, is an
: INTEREST," ing figure in the history of American
art He was born here and educated for
medicine, the profession of his father.
in time he became convinced that he ought
20 take up art, and he did He made long
rip through the West painting the prairies,
,+Aaons and peaks. He worked in an un-
convent onal way, to some extent, and it
,ook come time for his work to attain recog-
nition. but the recognition came in full
when his genius and skill had become known
Anumber OF critics have in fact pronounced
his color work as second to none and his
landscape painting on a par with that OF
some of the BEST
In 1901 about seventy canvases, the
work of Mr.. Blakelock, were put on ex-
hibition at the Lotos Club. Among his
admirers was the late Frederick s. Gibbs,
who Is said to have aided Mr.. Blakelock
materially.
About three years ago, however, Mr.
Blakelock, whose temperament was OF the
highly nervous Sort became Ill and was
sent to the Homeopathic State Hospital
at Middletown, where he still is. 1t Is
thought that he will never recover the use
Of his mind.
When Mr.. Blakelock left his family for
the hospital he left no means Of support
for his wife and their several children.
Consequently it was regarded as fortu-
nate that at about that time his daughter
Marian, who was then about 20 wears old,
took up painting with great vigor. Having
no one else to teach her, she taught herself
all that she could and simply went ahead.
About the only criticism Of her work that
has been put on record il contained In
the fact that somebody thought her work
good enough to be palmed of as her fathers.
Last winter, according to the testimony
Of al oonoe rned Mrs. s. E. Haskell. who ls
an old acquaintance OF the Blakelocks
and who lives in Hancock street, near Bed
ford avenue. In Brooklyn. called at Mrs.
Blaokelock's g house. at l4ls Atlantic avenue.
and asked II she had any Of Mr.. Blake
locks paintings Mrs. Blakelock said that
she had none.
But my daughter Marian has scme plot
ures she has painted Mrs. Blakelook
added.
The upshot Of the conversation was that
Mrs Haskell bought two Of Marian g paint
i1s.. Pine sIsS snd small ~, snt"nan = q scsns. %
MIS- aver WSos 500 s 70 H.
Fulton street. She contends that Mr..
Polhemus offered her $50 for the smaller
picture and SIS for the larger. that she ac-
cepted his oficrs and that he gave her IN
received from customer but which, she
says. the banks refused to cash.
At this time, according to Miss Blake
lock. her pictures all bore her own name,
that Mr.. Hill. who lives in Pacific street
near Franklin avenue, called upon Mrs.
Blakelock He said that he had on approval
Blakelock picture concerning which he
talk was this;
Il took the picture from an art dealer for
inspection. 1t bears the name OF r. A.
Blakeock, but connoisseurs in New York
have told me that it is not Mr. Blake
What is the subject of the picture?'
Nj Hi! said that i was ; an 4 autumn Y.;' scene @
Blakeock at once told him that the picture
was her daughters work; and Marian. after
going to Mr.. Hills house and seeing the
picture, made the same assertion. The
picture bore the signature OF r. A. Blake
lock.
Miss Marian Blakelock thereupon went
10 Mr.. Polhemus and asked him why and
how the signature had been changed from
hers to her fathers. She told Mr.. Polhemus
under false colors. Mr.. Polhemus said
that her signatures we're on the paintings
while they were in his store. The change
had been made after young man had
dunn
Mr., Polhemuss possession. Mrs. Haskell
however, says that he never made the
amount Of that SIS check good although she
has absolutely no suspicion that Mr.. Pol
hemus knew that there was anything wrong
about the check when he passed it over.
When Mrs. Haskells case against Polhe-
mus came up before Justice Van Wart, the
matter Of the forgery was not brought up
at first. Later, however, It was, Mr..
Polhemus said that he would be mighty
glad to know who had perpetrated the
fraud
1T must have been done in New York.
he said.
Then Mr.. Polhemus produced three Of
Miss Marian Blakelock's pictures. To
SUN reporter Miss Blakelock said yesterday
One of these paintings, a sunset scene,
looked as if somebody had scratched out
Marian and put r. A. before the last
name and had then tried to put Marian.
back in a hurry. 1t looked to me very
much like Marion instead Of Marian
though"
All of the signatures were examined in
rourt with strong glass to aid the inspec-
lion. Mr.. Polhemus said yesterday that
lhese Blakeock pictures were for time