Contacted a local auction house about their offering two fake artworks online. Thought they would be interested to ask why I was sure about their illegitimacy. Instead the response was canned “We appreciate your bringing this to our attention”, whereas the voice inflection conveyed “Mind your own business”. Currently one has achieved over $1,000 in bids, the other just over $600. It has been nearly a week and each continues to attract more bidding.
Contacted a second auction house about their having misidentified the artist’s first name, which is easy to do. Not everyone is fluent in American Indian art. Also, signatures everywhere can be difficult to read. The person answering the phone asked me for the lot number and for the proper first name. Subsequently the listing was changed.
Eventually the proud purchasers of the fakes will discover their true identity. They may contact the auction house or the attorney general’s office or a local news station’s program called 3 on your Side.
If I am unsure about an artwork, SavvyCollector does not handle it. It is our job to protect the public from making art mistakes. Corinne for SavvyCollector.com