The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-08-02

WHICH SnoWS IcnoenCy TO CanQuISt
definiteIy-Americans Know Nor.
About Art Than They Used to, ans
Therefore No Longer Rely Upor
Their Own Judoment-Even tn.
Newly Rich Are Not cauohs by Fakes
Most of Europes industries are rap
idly regaining their pre-war strength
but there is one which shows d ten
dency to languish indefinitely. That
is The business of manufacturing OLD
masters to sell to American collectors
1t isn't being successfully done this
season.
Since the war so many genuine mas
terpieces have been placed on the mar
ket by the impoverished nobility OF
Europe that Americans have learned
to be fastidious. A painting has to
have exceptional merit before they
will show any interest in it. At the
same time, such tremendous flood of
fake paintings and other art objects
has been let loose in Europe that they
have learned to be cautious. They are
extremely loath to buy unless the
goods have been guaranteed by jury
of experts.
Thus, the reports recently circulated
about Paris that Americans were buy
ing fake Boticellis by the dozen is
characterized as absurd by New
York art dealer
IF this were so,'' he declared, "our
firm would have heard of it, and not
one such instance has been brought to
our attention. No freshly painted
BOticellis are being sold anywhere. The
appearance of age cannot be copied,
and fakes of such description could
hardly be palmed off on the sheerest
novice. Until recently many copies
and fakes have been offered here as
genuine old masters, but they were
nearly all ancient copies, or old pic
lures wrongly attributed to famous
painters. Most of them were offered
In GOOD faith. There is no market for
tnem Corots nave been faxed by the
nundred, but purchasers are very rare
in this country roday, for art works Of
dubious value
Victims Mostly Europeans.
This is partly because Americans
know more about art than they used
70 and therefore no longer rely upon
their own Judgment. Even our newly
rich have heard so much about their
,wn gullibility that they will not make
| purchase without being assured by
he best possible evidence that a pic
.ure is genuine. The new millionaire
lass of Europe, on the other hand, is
lot SO lacking in confidence, and it is
rom this domestic source that the
European dealers in fake objects OF
,rt are now reaping their best profits. |
During the war this was especially
noticeable Everybody who made
DOL million or two out OF war con-
ract Immediately went in for art. But |
Who had spent their money as fast |
S they made it, were anxious to real !
re on what they believed to be their |
rt treasures. They sent them over |
O this country. Upon expert exam |
nation such collections usually turned |
ut to be of little value, so that the |
callers were kept busy lodging spu-
ntire trade was thrown into a panic,
nd it was almost impossible to dis
ose of genuine, as no American col
sctor or art dealer was willing to take
chance.
10 make the situation worse, 1t was
ound that paintings which were sent
yer here by some Of the most dis
nguished families of Europe were L
akes. Most of these had been in the Fl
ossession of single family for gen.
cations and had been assigned by ira
ition to great artists. Their anthem
city was so taken for granted that
ley probably had never been submit
d to experts. But when they came
be examined over here it was dis
,vered than many supposed Rem
.andts, Valasquezes and Titians were
erely early copies of those painters
works by contemporaries which
i'd been incorrectly attributed to the
eat artists.
While this heavy bombardment Of
keS was going Oh, AHcTicdH ueulcIo
ere over in Europe attending auction
les and quietly buying up some Of
@ worlds greatest art treasures.
ney had to pay enormous prices, 1t
true, but they paid them for the
al thing.
Americans Wiser Now.
"Your American collectors have
erned, y remarked q prominent mem
r of British art society recently.
hey are now very aStute collectors, ]