Page 22 - LIN-December 2024-web-file

Don’t Be Fooled
ASK THE

artsperts

www.HarmonMeek.com

599 NINTH STREET, NORTH, SUITE 309, NAPLES, FL 34102 | 239.261.2637
by Kristine Meek and Juliana Meek
Dear Artsperts,
A couple years ago, a Hunt Slonem was seen in a local
How common is it for an artist's work to be faked? Is it just
consignment shop. When I was shown a photo, I knew the work
major, historic artists who are faked?
was a fake because the owner had tried to get my gallery to
Signed,
Fooled authenticate it based on a photo. I didn’t think it looked real and
her story changed a bit on how she got it. Nonetheless, I did not
Dear Fooled, need to authenticate it since Hunt Slonem is alive and can tell me
himself if he had painted it. I emailed the photo to Slonem who
It isn’t just the major, historic artists who are commonly known
confirmed it was indeed a fake. I told the owner that it was a fake.
falling victim to replication with fake works circulating in the art
I called the owner of the consignment store who listened to me and
market. It may even be more common for the lesser known artists
thanked me for letting her know, because stores are liable for selling
to be faked because those in the industry won’t be as on-guard
fakes.
about taking the work on consignment and trusting the story of
the owner without proof of provenance. Unfortunately, these fakes
will then be placed for sale. Art collectors trust the expertise of
galleries and auction houses to verify works are genuine. However,
fake works can fool the experts and unwary collectors will fall for
purchasing a work that is a fake.
When we see fake works of artists we represent and have
knowledge on come up at auction, we do our best to notify the
auction houses that the work is fake. Increasingly and surprisingly,
auction houses are less inclined lately to take our direct knowledge
of an artist and their body of work to remove a fake from an
upcoming auction. This is risky behavior on the auction house
because they could be held liable for selling fake works of art. If an
appraiser calls our gallery to ask about a work and we know it is a
fake, the fake work will have no value and the auction house will
be liable to the purchaser. This means that buyers really need to be
aware that sources of art cannot always be trusted. An example of a real Adolf Dehn painting, though the artist is often faked.
“Central Park” by Adolf Dehn, Watercolor, 21” x 29”, 1942 (in private collection)

Recently two separate auctions had fake paintings by
Adolf Dehn (1895-1968), whose estate has been represented by
our Gallery since 1980. We contacted both auction houses to notify
them the works they were claiming to be Adolf Dehn’s were not
part of his body of work and in both cases, unfortunately for the
buyers, the auction houses chose to ignore our warning.
Auctions continue to be a buyer beware situation.
Sincerely,
The Artsperts

An example of a real Hunt Slonem painting, though this artist is often faked, especially
the bunnies. “Light Blue Bunny” by Hunt Slonem, oil on wood, 10” x 8”, 2024

22 www.LifeInNaples.net
22