19th, 20th and 21st Century VOLUME 5 NUMBER 6 - 7 PUBLISHED by J. RUSSELL JINISHIAN © FALL/WINTER 2005-2006 / $12.00 Special Double Issue

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What’s Inside: • Latest News from Today’s Premier Marine Artists, Learn What they’re Working on in their Studios right now • Latest Marine Art Sales & Prices • Marine Art Exhibitions Across the Country Michael Keane J-class Yachts SHAMROCK V and ENDEAVOUR Oil on Canvas 24” x 40” $135,000 • Upcoming Wick Ahrens R.B. Dance Cooper Hart John Mecray Keith Reynolds Auctions Dimetrious Athas William R. Davis André Harvey Jerry Melton Marek Sarba John Atwater Don Demers Geoff Hunt Stanley Meltzoff Arthur Shilstone • Book Anthony Blake Louis Dodd James Iams Leonard Mizerek Kathy Spalding Reviews Robert Blazek William P. Duffy Michael Keane William G. Muller Robert Sticker Christopher Blossom Willem Eerland Loretta Krupinski Rob Napier John Stobart Lou Bonamarte William Ewen Richard Dana Kuchta William Oakley Jr. David Thimgan Peter Bowe James Flood Robert LaGasse Julia O’Malley Keyes Tim Thompson Bernd Braatz Flick Ford Gerry Levey Roberto Osti Kent Ullberg James Buttersworth Paul Garnett Patrick Livingstone Yves Parent Peter Vincent Marc Castelli William Gilkerson Ian Marshall Ed Parker William Walsh Scott Chambers James Griffiths Victor Mays Charles Peterson Patricia Warfield Terry Culpan Glen Hacker Lloyd McCaffery James Prosek Robert Weiss Steve Cryan James Harrington Joseph McGurl Randy Puckett Bert Wright J. Russell Jinishian Gallery, Inc. 1657 POST ROAD, FAIRFIELD, CT 06824 2159 RT. 129 SOUTH BRISTOL, ME Just up the hill from the Swing Bridge towards Christmas Cove. (203) 259-8753 Look for the leaping fish. Summer only. 207-644-1102 Specializing in 19th, 20th, and 21st Century Marine and Fishing Art from Europe and America. Accepting artwork on consignment from collectors throughout the year.

HOURS: Tuesday - Saturday 10-5 p.m. and by appointment. We invite you to stop by and visit the gallery located just 1 hour from NYC just off I-95 at Exit 21. Visit our website: www.jrusselljinishiangallery.com E-mail: [email protected] Just Off The Artists’ Easels...Still Wet... News From the Artists

s usual, there have been a great many the Society is actively looking to partner on a Sticker, A.D. Blake, Tim Thompson and John marine art events, exhibitions and projects regular basis with fine art and maritime museums Stobart, Antonio Jacobsen, Roy Cross, William A undertaken by individual artists across the across the country to further the opportunities to Stubbs and others. On hand will also be artist-in- country and around the globe this past quarter. So experience world class contemporary marine art at residence Anthony Blackman and painters let’s get right to the news. local cultural institutions like the Cape Museum Richard Loud and Ed Parker, who’ll be signing Let’s begin with the American Society of Marine of Fine Art in Dennis, Massachusetts or the prints of his new painting of Galveston Bay. The Vero Beach Museum of Art exhibition was spearheaded by Galveston Foundation Artists, who in October held its annual meeting in in Florida, and the Board of Trustee members Bill and Pat Broussard. Charleston, S.C. where 35 artist-members Portland Art Museum in Portland, Oregon. We Local supporter George Mitchell has donated assembled for a chance to break the solitude of applaud these efforts by the artists to carry the adjacent space to serve as a print gallery for the their normal routines and paint together, discuss marine art flag as far afield as possible. museum, making available for purchase prints of a aesthetic concerns and generally talk shop. Among If you’re in Galveston, Texas this February you’ll number of the historic Galveston paintings. For the artists in attendance were David Bareford, have the opportunity to share in a great marine more information on attending the event or sup Christine Diehlmann, Peter Egeli, Michael art program to benefit the Galveston Historical - porting this great regional museum please call 409- Karas, Bob Lagasse, John Roach, Bob Semler, Foundation which currently maintains and oper- 765-7834 or email [email protected] Don Stone, Society Vice President Ian Marshall, ates the tallship Elissa, an active sail training or visit tsm-elissa.org. and President Kim Weiland. The featured speaker vessel, and whose future plan includes the recon- for the weekend was not an artist, If you are in Minnesota, Winona, rather the former curator at the Minnesota to be exact, along the Maine Maritime Museum, banks of the Mississippi in June Robert Webb, who spoke about of this year you will be able to the subject of his brand new attend the grand opening of the book, the sailor turned painter, brand new Minnesota Marine Charles Robert Patterson Art Museum which, as noted (1878-1958), and his remark- in our last issue, will feature the able life and career. (See our Burrichter-Kierlin Collection book page for more detail) The of outstanding marine paintings Society also reaffirmed its com- which includes those by Thomas mitment to furthering its edu- Hoyne, James Buttersworth, cational mission by formalizing Tim Thompson, John Stobart, its commitment to the Lyme William Muller, Jack Gray, Academy in Old Lyme, Keith Reynolds and others, Connecticut where it is spon- the 19th and 20th century pho- William Duffy Alierons at Anchor in Nantucket Harbor Oil on Canvas 16” x 26” $7,000 soring workshops for aspiring tographs and maps of the Upper marine artists led by Society Mississippi by Henry Bosse, members, the first being held 400 works of art from the Leo June 10-11 with instructor Len Smith Folk Art Collection, Tantillo. They’ve made a similar William R. Davis Cutter off Nantucket Oil on Panel 10” x 16” $9,000 an actual 1937 Army Corps of arrangement over the next three Engineer’s river dredge, the struction of the adjoining building to become the years with the Maine College of Art in Portland, William A. Thompson, and a one thousand volume new Texas Seaport Museum. It will house a per- Maine, where workshops will be held on the weekend reference library. Outstanding! What a great addi- manent display of terrific paintings relating to the of June 9th and 10th with instructor Don Stone, tion to America’s maritime museums. To learn more history of Galveston Bay from 1895 to present by and October 6th and 7th with instructor Ian visit minnesotamarineart.org. Who knew that the artists like Boyer Gonzalez, Paul Schumann and Marshall. To sign up for the workshops, call the New Year would feature the opening of two brand Julius Stockfleth, donated by local benefactors Maine College of Art at 207-775-5157 ext. 232 or new museums devoted exclusively to marine art! such as the Mary Moody Northern Foundation. the Lyme Academy at 860-434-5232 ext. 120. They are kicking off the events the weekend of The Gallery at Mystic Seaport Museum held its For practical reasons the Society divides itself into January 28th with Il Concorso di Macchie which 26th International Marine Art Exhibition in the geographic regions so it can put together outreach is an Italian term for what they call in the West a fall where awards were selected from among the exhibitions like the one held recently for the 12th “quick draw” competition. This one is geared to entries by Reese Palley, author of Wooden Ships year at the Coos Art Museum in Coos Bay, young artists ages grouped 8-12, 13-20 and 21 and and Iron Men, the Maritime Art of Thomas Oregon. Originally the brainchild of West Coast over, who are given a set period of time (9 a.m. to Hoyne and Thomas Wilcox, the director of the artists Dutch Mostert, Mary Holbert and Don 2 p.m.) in which to make a painting or drawing Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, Maine. McMichael, the show has really taken on a life of based on the site. And at the end prizewinners will This year’s recipients included The Rudolph its own. This year the featured artist was Austin walk away with prizes worth $500 and $1,000. Who J. Schaefer Award for Preserving Maritime Dwyer, president of the Puget Sound Group says art doesn’t pay? History to Geoff Hunt’s painting of “John Paul of Northwest Painters, who presented Diana Jones’ Ranger.” The Stobart Award for painting The next weekend the Foundation will sponsor a Smith with the Best in Show award. Although the from life to Robert Blazek. Yachting Award to black tie marine art exhibition and sale to benefit exhibition is now closed, you can still view it on Neal Hughes. Marine Environmental Wildlife the Foundation and Museum hosted by outstand- the Web at coosbay.com. Award to Jack Garver. Museum Purchase Award ing Houston Astros pitcher and Galveston native to Douglas Purdon’s “Tugboat Alley.” David Brandon Backe, featuring a collection of over 50 Residents and visitors to the Northeast will have Thimgan Award to Louis Dodd. Five Awards of paintings of Galveston and marine paintings for an opportunity to see members of the Society’s Excellence went to Australian Ian Hansen, Jeff sale from the J. Russell Jinishian Gallery, work at an exhibition sponsored by the Cold Weaver, H. Gray Park, Canadian Dusan Kadlec Fairfield, Connecticut, Marine Arts of Salem, Joseph McGurl Drifting, Buzzards Bay Oil on Canvas 18” x 36” $18,000 Spring Harbor Museum, and hosted by and Austin Dwyer. Thomas M. Hoyne Award for Salem, Massachusetts and the J. Bangle the Art League of Long Island at their Dix Hills Gloucester Fishing Art went to Don Demers—his Gallery, Galveston. Artists represented will facility from April 1 to May 14. More information third Hoyne Award and 12th award overall at Mystic include Dimetrious Athas, Chris Blossom, Don Information on purchasing the Artwork pictured in the MARINE ART QUARTERLY may be obtained on that can be found at cshwhalingmuseum.org. International Exhibitions. by contacting the Publisher, J. Russell Jinishian at (203) 259-8753 or [email protected] In addition to these periodic regional exhibitions, Demers, James Flood, Mark Myers, Robert Continued on page 4 3 McCaffery models include HMS Bounty, Colonial name. When he is not riding tugs or painting, he what was to be her maiden voyage was set aflame Schooner Sultana, Boston, Captain ’s creates elaborate custom train layouts for individ- by a fire in an adjacent bakery and burned beyond Endeavour and Coronet. McNarry models feature uals on commission. Nice work if you can get it. repair right at the dock. A smaller cut-down ver- Mary Rose, Royal George, HMS Atalanta, Young Readers of the November-December 2005 issue of sion of the ship was then built which was itself a and the Royal Brig . The models record breaker. But as Lloyd mused, one can only America Pilgrim Wooden Boat will have seen on page 18 a photo- speculate on what great things the original come with an incredible amount of complimentary graph and write up of master modeler Lloyd Great printed material, including a leather bound first would have accomplished. McCaffery’s cut away hull model of yacht America. Republic edition of Richard Henry Dana’s classic voyage This incredible model measuring 46” is framed in In addition to the poignancy of her history, what aboard the Pilgrim . How Two Years Before the Mast poplar with apple timber and deck fittings and is makes this project appealing is that her construc- big a gift is this? Well, it will make IYRS the home based on the lines taken by the British Admiralty in tion was so well documented and her lines, plans, of the largest collection of these modelers work 1851. Lloyd’s interior view shows the intricacies of construction drawings, builders half model, even anywhere. In monetary terms, models by these its’ unique construction, including the diagonal McKay’s notes are all preserved at the Hart artists, sell when you can get them, for $40-60,000. iron strapping that most people don’t realize was Nautical Collection at M.I.T. so that unlike other So, you do the math. Bill has really set a new stan - used to give the hull its strength. This model of historic re-creations, which often involve specula- dard for marine art donations. More information Lloyd’s most recently sold for $60,000. His latest tion, the Great Republic could be brought back to on IYRS and its ongoing projects can be found on project is a 1/8”=1 scale model of the U.S.S. life in all her glory. Lloyd observed that she was so their Web site iyrs.org. Constitution measuring 11” long. Look for photo- large that at even a relatively small scale, say John is also a long way through preparation for a graphs and articles on Lloyd’s Constitution model in 1/8”=1’, the model would measure 44” long. The book on his work entitled The Art of John Mecray, future issues of Miniature Collector and the Nautical price tag is in the neighborhood of $120,000. which will include 68 paintings from throughout Research Guild Journal. Lloyd’s been invited to be Massachusetts modeler and former editor of the his career along with a myriad of sketches. Look keynote speaker at the Nautical Research Guild Nautical Research Guild Journal Rob Napier for that perhaps towards the end of this year or annual convention in October of this year, which reports that he’s working on a 1/64 scale of a early next year. John is doing all the design work will be held at the Maritime Museum of San Downeaster and has made his own discoveries on it, and says, “I’m not going to hurry it.” If you’re Diego. (see our events page for details) during his research like any good modeler or in Essex, Connecticut on February 12 you’ll have a An artist with Lloyd’s skills has a ready list of proj- painter. Where he assumed that the catheads chance to see a terrific slide presentation by John ects that present unique artistic and aesthetic aboard her were constructed with two or three Mecray on his painting, philosophy and methods, Christopher Blossom East Wind off Seguin Oil on Canvas 22” x 44” $35,000 challenges for him. He’s just waiting for the right sheaves and a big block to help hoist the anchor, in to be sponsored by the Connecticut River collector to come along with interest matching his fact, he found there were no blocks and no Continued from page 3 Museum. They’re expecting such crowds that project list. When I asked him recently what he has sheaves. This information he will incorporate into Don had a busy year which included guest stints 1980s of sloop Providence and fishing schooner print to decorate your walls as a result. they’ve scheduled the meeting to be held at the in mind next, he responded with a model of the his 32” model. A model with this kind of detail of Essex Town Hall. For more information call 860- as an instructor at the Plein Air Painters of L.A. Dunton. While those prints were released at John is just formulating his next painting (which clipper ship the Great Republic which at 335 ft. on Rob sells for $60,000. 767-8269 or ctrivermuseum.org. America in Laguna Beach, California, lead- $395 and $80 respectively, they are now trading on will be released next year as a print, as I write). It deck was the largest clipper ship by far (most clip- ing a week-long workshop on the west coast the open market for $3,000 and $2,000. Not bad. is interesting how he’s approached it. He says he’s Visitors to the third floor of that Museum will see pers measure 200-220 ft.) ever built. She was built In addition to building models, Rob, like other of Ireland and participating in the Plein Air John has really embraced the new printing giclée not sure what vessel it will be but he woke up at a scale train layout of marine artist and tugboat by legendary builder Donald McKay in East professional modelers, is involved in repair and Masters Program at the Chateau Des Artistes technology, which is a fancy French word for a 2:00 a.m. with an idea for particular angle and buff Steve Cryan. He’s ridden tugboats so often in Boston, and towed to New York to be rigged. She collection maintenance. In his case for the collec- in the Burgundy region of France. computer-generated print either on canvas or on view of the vessel, and a particular style of light- New York that captains all know him by his first was fitted out, loaded with cargo and on the eve of tions of the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Workshop also released a new large giclée on paper. John has chosen to follow the canvas route. ing. That’s where is starting point is. Then he’ll canvas of Don’s painting “The Windswept Coast” And heck, the whole idea of prints from the very Continued on page 16 find a vessel he finds visually interesting. The (see an image in our Fall/Winter 2004 Quarterly), beginning was to make it look as much like the original paintings will sell for over $100,000. which is in an edition of only 50 and measures painting as possible, so that the natural evolution 28” x 42” and sells for $950. They also released for many artists is to use canvas. John has been John is one artist who’s artistic passion is carried Christopher Blossom’s first giclée canvas— releasing about one new print a year for the last over to other areas of his life. He’s one of the his first new print in years, “Afternoon Arrival, few years, corresponding to the completion of his founding members of the Museum of Yachting Gloucester,” showing a fishing schooner arriving meticulous paintings. Earlier this year it was the in Newport, Rhode Island. He’s also one of the under sail in the late afternoon with the city of print of a J-boat Ranger taken from a painting John founders of the International Restoration Gloucester aglow in the background. It measures had done on commission for a Texas collector. The School, which is now under the new direction of 20” x 26”, is another small edition of 75 and sells beauty of the computer generated print is that Terry Nathan. It is really taking off in the midst for $595. (To order either print call 800-243-4260 once the image is scanned in and the color is cor- of a large fundraising campaign spearheaded by or visit greenwichfinearts.com) rect, a print can be made into to virtually any size John to complete the restoration of the country’s that the printer can handle. So we’re seeing pub oldest surviving yacht Coronet. John said they’ve Don’s winter projects include a commission paint- - lishers releasing the same image in a number of just completed phase two, getting the boat out of ing of John Nicholas Brown’s yacht Bolero cur- different sizes. In John’s case his Ranger was the water, secured and documented. They are now rently owned by Ed Kane to be placed in Brown’s turning their attention to a $7 million project to own house, the New York Yacht Club’s Newport made available by his distributor Mystic Seaport in two sizes: one 17” x 35” on stretch canvas, raise funds to restore the 1831 Aquidnick Mill Station Harbour Court, and preparing a new collec- which is selling for $1,500 in an edition of 250; and Building on their property to begin to use it to its tion of paintings, large and small, of his 7th one- in a smaller edition of only 25, the exact size of the full potential. The 30,000 sq. ft. building, which is man show at the J. Russell Jinishian Gallery in original painting 22” x 40” which sold out rapidly on the National Register of Historic Buildings, will May. (See our exhibition pages for details) at $2,000 each. As you can see, not only is the be fitted out to expand their workshop and class- Mystic Seaport Museum also has plans for two giclée printing method giving a publisher more room space (their enrollment for their programs exhibitions of special interest to fans of contempo- freedom in terms of size, it’s also elevated the training future traditional shipwrights rose a rary marine art next year. One is tentatively sched- initial release price to a whole new bracket. whopping 50% last year!), house an auditorium for uled to open in the fall of 2006 on the maritime lectures and continuing education, and a refer- paintings of the Gloucester fishing fleet by From the point of view of the collector, the ence library and display gallery. They’ve just been Thomas Hoyne. The other is set to open in May beauty of the next step is that when the print awarded a $100,000 grant from the State of Rhode 2007. It’s a retrospective of the paintings of John needs to be framed, it can be framed just like an Island. They’ve also just received a tremendous Mecray, spanning his career from the late 1970s oil painting, no glass or matting and with much donation from collector Bill Combs of 18, count right through to the present. John, as many people less labor, which cuts down on the final framing ‘em, 18 scale ship models by the two undisputable know has a personal passion for the great racing costs. In addition, the inks which have been kings of miniature making American yachts of yesterday and today, which he has trans- developed recently are light-fast inks, which the Lloyd McCaffery and Englishman Donald lated into his remarkable paintings. He’s also been same could not always be said of the traditional McNarry. The opportunity to view one or two very active in the limited edition print market lithograph on paper. So if all the research holds models by the masters is rare, so future visitors to since the release of his first two prints in the early out, you’ve got a fairly stable, permanent art IYRS will really have a unique experience in store. 4 John Stobart Detroit, A View of the City in 1838 Oil on Canvas 23” x 40” $250,000 resources to give them a stronger position in the anniversary of the INTERESTING NEWS FROM THE marketplace. They are Dorotheum in , birth of Brokowski in Stockholm, Poro & Company in 2006. The painting UPCOMING AUCTIONS ing in Milan, GMAI in Madrid, Gallerie Koller in will first be exhibited February 1 April 13 ART WORLD AT LARGE Zurich, Kunsthaus Lempertz in Cologne and in the auction houses Maritime Art Travel & Natural History Swann Galleries in New York. in Amsterdam, Christies Christies London, Boston and Rockefeller Center, NY i n South Kensington s always, the world art market is a dynamic “Evening Light on the Swannee River” which sold this current transaction have on Sotheby’s stock? But like every other industry in the world all the Los Angeles head- 212-636-2000 t h e place with all sorts of things going on at Christies for $144,000, more than quadruple its Well, shares closed at $17.43 the day prior to the auction houses are looking to China as the next christies.com April 26 quarters before it is California & Western American throughout the year. Some of these have highest estimate. announcement of this realignment. they spiked to emerging market. While Sotheby’s has already had A sold in New York on February 25-26 Paintings, Drawings direct impact on collectors of marine art, while $18.30 after, and the day after that backed down an informal partnership with the Chinese auction January 26. “Portrait house, Forever, on December 11, China has offi- Collection of Kathleen & Peter Wick & Sculpture some developments just shed light on aspects of Sotheby’s also announced a realignment of its’ to $17.85. The stock had been as high as $45 per of an Elderly Woman Paintings including Christies the art market at large. We are often asked for stock ownership structure that its’ Chairman of share early in 1999. So who knows? cially opened its doors to foreign auction houses in a White Bonnet,” Fitz Hugh Lane & Los Angeles an assessment of how the market is performing, the Board, Michael Sovern, said was designed as part of its membership in the World Trade American Furniture 310-385-2600 Not to be outdone, the third major player in the has been in the pri- and while some of the biggest and most important to make its stock more attractive to investors, Organization. They must still operate under the Northeast Auctions auction business, which has been coming on vate collection of the May 11-12 sales take place privately and quietly, and are improve the corporate governance and increase country’s cultural protection laws, which for exam- Manchester, NH strong in recent years, the newly named Bonhams Walsh family of Fort Civil War & Historic Americana therefore hard to document, the state of the major future earnings. It involved Albert Taubman, ple empower the Minister of Culture to restrict 603-433-8400 1793 (Bonhams was founded in London in 1793, Worth, Texas. After two Cowanʼs auction houses in the art market is a good way who had bought Sotheby’s as a wedding present dealings in works of art, books, etc. dating before northeastauctions.com making it one of the world’s oldest auction houses) years of restoration and Cincinnati, OH to gauge the overall health of the market. Based for his wife in 1983. He sold 14 million class-B 1949, the year of the Communist Revolution. It made its own moves. It has aggressively been pigment X-rays, and February 28 on sales this year and realignments among the shares, each share having ten votes, back to remains to be seen how this plays out. But there’s Marine Paintings May 17 increasing its market share through purchasing its yes, as we discussed auction houses, by everyone’s account this is Sotheby’s for $168 million in cash and $7.1 million no question that the auction houses see this is a Bonhams Marine & Nautical Works of Art smaller competitors. In the past three years they in the last issue, Sothebyʼs one of the best years in a long, long time. The class-A shares, which carry only one vote each. huge untapped market. New Bond St., London have acquired Brooks, Phillips and Butterfield “dendochronology,” Olympia privately held Christies and the public company, It essentially eliminated the class-B category of 44 (0) 20-7468-8211 and Butterfield in San Francisco, and opened a Of course, the key to success in the art business (the science of study- 44-20-72935555 Sotheby’s generally tend to point to their major shares, and also eliminated the Taubman control bonhams.com new New York headquarters. This year they repur- is not just where you offer something, and under ing growth rings of sothebys.com sales of impressionist and modern art in the fall of the voting stock in the company. This current chased 49.9% of their stock from Louis Vuitton, what circumstances, but it’s really the quality of trees) which revealed March 3 and the spring as a gauge as to where the art move reduces the Taubmann voting shares from American & European May 19 Moet, Hennessey. This investment had carried your offerings. And while the art business looks that the old panel that market is at that particular point. Christies had 60% of the total to about 12½%. When William Paintings & Prints Sporting Art them through this consolidation period. They also from the outside like a genteel place that operates the painting had been Christies started the year with six-month sales of $1.7 Ruprecht, Sotheby’s Chief Executive, was asked Skinners announced their merger with Theodore Brewster under gentlemen’s agreements and a high level of painted on had been King Street billion and really ran the table in their fall sales whether the company would be put up for sale taken from the same Boston of Adelaide, Australia, Australia’s oldest auction civility, you don’t have to peel back the layers very 617-350-5400 which brought another $400 million plus. Not bad now, he replied, “The answer is no. But every May 25 house, dating from 1878, and the establishment far to find out that it can be as rough and tumble tree as three other skinnerinc.com for a couple of days work. Sotheby’s one day total company on the New York Stock Exchange can Maritime Painting & Models of a working relationship with Sydney auction as any other free market business. In fact, it’s authentic Rembrandt of their contemporary art sale in London this year be acquired.” In order to deal with the huge March 7 Christies house Stanley & Company. Bonhams held its amazing the lengths that the auction houses will paintings panels), the was $83.7 million, their second strongest single settlement fee for the price fixing scandal of 2002, Asian Decorative Export Art South Kensington first auction in New York on November 29 at its go to in order to acquire a major estate to sell— painting was given auction in the last decade. World records were Sotheby’s had already been forced to sell its’ York Bonhams new Fuller building headquarters, 595 Madison from literally reading the obituaries and sending a stamp of approval June 1 set in both houses for a number of modern artists Avenue headquarters building (they now lease New Bond St. Avenue at 57th Street. priests to a bereaved household to elaborate win- by Ernst von de Oceanliner Furnishings & Art (see our sales page for some of the actual results), it) and its international realty division, which is Wetering, head March 30 Christies now operated under a license agreement by its’ ing and dining, travel perks, and the publication including a record price for a marine painting In Europe several of the smaller auction houses of extravagant catalogues of an owner’s collection. of the Rembrandt Scientific & Engineering Works Rockefeller Center, NY new owners Cendant. What kind of affect will 212-636-2000 by Rockport artist Anthony Thieme, entitled have pledged to work together and pool their Spending several hundred thousand dollars to land Research Project, Christies which was founded South Kensington christies.com a collection that can net tens of millions of dollars 44 (0) 20-7930-6074 is just good business. in 1968 to determine July 27 the authenticity of April 6 Maritime Art Ah! But there’s more. The latest trend has been paintings in various Antique Arms & Armour Christies to offer guaranteed monies to prospective con- museums and collec- Bonhams Rockefeller Center, NY signors, often well into the millions of dollars. tions reported to be Knightsbridge 212-636-2000 In the first quarter of this year, for example, by Rembrandt. What Sotheby’s had already awarded $112 million in they basically discov- guarantees. It’s obviously a risky double-edged ered was that even with all the technology avail- Gallerie Borghese in had long attributed sword. It’s almost the tale of the two gas stations able determining authenticity is still not a science, it to Fra Bartolomeo have said that they have across the street from each other, lower and rais- but an art. Even the experts can’t agree. Of the uncovered a finger print imbedded in the layers ing their prices as they watch their competitor to 611 supposed Rembrandt paintings listed in the of varnish which they likened to a kind of “digital make their first move. It’s now become an estab- first catalogue raisonné in 1935, most experts signature” and something apparently De Vinci lished and expected part of the business. There believe that about half of them may be forgeries. In used in other paintings as well, understanding seems to be hardly anything auction houses won’t fact, the Rembrandt Project even changes its own that at some point in time the technology would do, including employing the children of prospec- mind on occasion. Of 22 Rembrandt self-portraits be there to read it. Wow! tive consignors. Sotheby’s financial services for supposed painted between 1625 and 1652, four example, will even lend collectors money up to originally thought not to have been by Rembrandt Of course, in the contemporary, particularly abstract, 50% of the low estimate of an item based on the have now been determined to have been by him, world determining authenticity can really be a chal- guarantee they (Sotheby’s) would have the right to and two others supposed by Rembrandt were now lenge. Recently 32 “drip paintings” by Jackson auction it in the future. rejected. Check in another five or six years and Pollock supposedly were discovered in a storage that could be reversed. facility owned by an artist friend of Jackson Pollock. By and large marine art is not the central focus of The fury that that has created as to whether these the kinds of collections that are getting multi-mil- How do you determine what is real and what is are the real paintings by Pollock or not, has really got lion dollar guarantees. It’s more often the Picassos not? Well these days some artists are actually put- the modern art world in a tizzy. What you have here and impressionist paintings that are selling in ting a little of their own DNA in the painting in a is one Pollock expert determining that they are actu- the tens of millions of dollars apiece. Although a specific spot so that way, regardless of whether ally Pollocks, and the Pollock/Krasner Foundation world record which was set recently for a the signature remains (often over the years paint- saying that they’re not. We’ll let them sort that one (1697-1768) painting “The Bucintoro at the Molo ings are cut down and signatures removed), the out. What is at stake is literally hundreds of millions on Ascension Day” for $20,086,024, the big money painting can be authenticated in the future. This of dollars. Last year, for example, a small drip paint- tends to be in either contemporary art or old mas- DNA thing sounds like the new idea, but leave it ing that had been formerly owned by the Museum ter paintings and artifacts. For example, Sotheby’s to old Leonardo De Vinci to be way ahead of his of Modern Art sold for $11.65 million at Christies. will offer a newly discovered work by Rembrandt time. The art restorers responsible for the restora- Obviously the owners of the paintings are going to Fitz Henry (Hugh) Lane View off Thatchers Island, Gloucester with Bark EASTERN STAR c.1853 Oil on Canvas 24” x 36” dating from about 1640 to coincide with the 400th tion of the “Adoration of the Christ Child” hang- “go to the mat” and try to prove their authenticity. 1806-1866 Sold at auction for $825,000 Continued on page 22 6 7