Global Fine Art registry

About me:

Park West Gallery/Park West at Sea Cruise Ship Art Auction Rip-off and Customer Services Nightmare Richard and Tracey English (This is another in the series of case studies of reported fraudulent misrepresentation and deceptive trade practices at art auctions conducted at sea on cruise ships and the refusal to provide customer services support for their customers.) Passengers Richard and Tracey English of Forest Hill, Maryland. Cruise line and ship and details of the cruise Carnival ship Miracle in July 2006, on a cruise with family from New York, Maryland and New Mexico for a small family reunion. (See also the recent case study involving Richard's brother, Robert, on the same ship at the same time Peter Max - Another Report of Park West Gallery Park West at Sea Cruise Ship Art Auction Rip-off). Park West Auctioneer Maverick Commins was Park West’s art director on the cruise. What was bought? Salvador Dali Paradise 11, hand signed by artist (according to the Park West certificate of authenticity, but contrary to the Official Catalog of Dali's graphic works). PW appraisal $13,500. Alfred Gockel Starlit, signed and numbered giclée. PW appraisal $1,195. Anatole Krasnyanski Gdansk Poland Near Harbor, serigraph signed and numbered. PW appraisal $495. Anatole Krasnyansky Musical Sphere, seriolithograph* signed in the plate. PW appraisal $650. [*Definition of "seriolithograph" from the art-newsletter website: "Serioligraph is a term that park west made up. It is basically a lithograph or offset lithograph with a couple of colors of silkscreens. The way they do it is very cheap to produce."] Anatole Krasnyansky Cello Recital, serigraph with hand embellishment on canvas signed and numbered. PW appraisal $1,390. Anatole Krasnyansky Crowd, serigraph on canvas with hand embellishment signed and numbered. PW appraisal $3,700. Anatole Krasnyanski Gdansk Old Street, serigraph signed. PW appraisal $495. Gary Benfield Springtime IV, seriolithograph on canvas with hand embellishment, signed and numbered. Park West appraisal $3,100. Marko Mavrovich Midnight, hand-embellished giclée, signed. PW appraisal $1,950. Marko Mavrovich Dreams of You, hand-embellished giclée, signed. PW appraisal $1,950. Alexander Chen New York Gateway-Winter seriolighograph hand-embellished on canvas, signed and numbered. PW appraisal $930. We spent a large amount of money on various overpriced, and now also forged art, with worthless appraisals. Read the Entire Story at: http://www.fineartadvocacy.com/articles/dali-parkwest-ripoff.php Report of Another Park West Gallery Park West at Sea Cruise Ship Art Auction Rip-off Stephen and Kimberly Wood tell how they were sold art which was fraudulently overpriced by Park West at Sea on their honeymoon aboard the Royal Caribbean International cruise ship Mariner of the Seas in May 2007 (This continues the series of case studies of reported fraudulent misrepresentation and deceptive trade practices at art auctions conducted at sea on cruise ships.) The following is a report of a rip-off by Park West of a couple who were on their honeymoon cruise aboard the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Mariner of the Seas. Passengers Stephen Wood, Kimberly Kenaston-Wood of Salem, Oregon. Cruise line and ship and details of the cruise We were on the Royal Caribbean, Mariner of the Seas, May 20 - May 26, 2007 for our honeymoon. Park West Auctioneer Arthur Scheepers - arthurscheepers@yahoo.com What was bought? Millennium Edition restrike of Rembrandt Van Rijn etching The Golf Player. This is a modern restrike made in the late 20th century, long after Rembrandt's death. Note: Rembrandt had no part in the production of the print that was sold to the Woods. He had been dead for centuries before it was made. According to Park West's own certificate of authenticity 2,500 examples of this etching were made. In fact, according to sources who have contacted Fine Art Registry®, Park West bought the copper plates from which these etchings were made and have the capability of producing as many of these etchings as they want to. Thumbs Down for Bernie Ewell - Sotheby's Says Decharnes Rules AUCTION GIANT SOTHEBY'S WEIGHS IN... on the subject of authentication of "ORIGINAL" Salvador Dali works of art*. [*Note: For Authentication expertise on Dali Prints and Graphics - individuals are directed to the world's recognized authority - The Dali Archives, New York — Frank Hunter, Director.] On September 3, 2008, Sotheby's Vice President of Impressionist and Modern Art issued a formal written letter to Bruce Hochman of the Salvador Dali Gallery in San Juan Capistrano, California. View the PDF Sotheby's Letter Dali Experts, view PDF For easy reading, the letter is quoted below in its entirety with emphasis (bolding) added by the editor: Quote: September 3, 2008 Dear Mr. Hochman: This letter is to confirm that the only internationally-recognized experts who can authenticate the paintings, drawings and sculpture of Salvador Dali are Robert and Nicolas Descharnes. Sotheby's will only accept expertise certificates from these experts before being able to proceed with the sale of art by that artist. Sincerely, /s/ August O. Uribe It is important to note that well in advance of the completion of the Salvador Dali Fakes documentary video, Theresa Franks, CEO of Fine Art Registry made contact with Bernard Ewell requesting an interview (after arranging a mutually agreeable time with his office staff). After all, Fine Art Registry is always interested in presenting a fair and balanced view of our investigation and we were hoping to hear Ewell's side of the story - how he factored in to the whole Park West Gallery/Albaretto Dali equation. For example, we wanted to know whether he [Ewell] was really an 'independent third-party' as he and Park West Gallery maintain? We also wanted to know how is it that he believes he is qualified to render opinions/expertise/authentications on "original" works of art by Salvador Dali when he is simply an appraiser? It is crystal clear from Mr. Uribe's letter that at least as far as Sotheby's is concerned; Bernard Ewell is a complete non-entity as it relates to the authentication of original paintings, drawings, and sculpture of Salvador Dali. Period. FAR expects that Christie's would agree with Sotheby's statement if contacted. Having been presented with unequivocal evidence that Bernard Ewell is NOT a recognized authority on Salvador Dali, how is it that Park West Gallery and the cruise lines (who jointly venture with Park West Gallery and profit heavily from Park West Gallery sales, and who are indeed complicit in this whole mess) are permitted to continue to sell these spurious works of art to the public on land and at sea? It is becoming increasingly clear that Bernard Ewell is not and never was a disinterested party when it came to the "authentication" of the Park West Gallery/Albaretto collection. Needless to state, Bernard Ewell refused to grant Fine Art Registry an interview, claiming that Fine Art Registry/Theresa Franks had "not earned his [Ewell's] trust". What say you now Park West Gallery? Bernard Ewell? There is much, much more to come in our investigation. Stay tuned to www.FineArtRegistry.com, www.FineArtAdvocacy.com and www.SalvadorDaliFakes.com. Tuesday, September 02, 2008 Confessions of a Park West Cruise Line Art Auctioneer Category: Art and Photography by Fine Art Registry The following description of the various ways that cruise ship art auctioneers and associates trick the auction attendees and clients and rip them off for their own profit and the profit of the art gallery they work for, was sent to us by an auctioneer who has worked for three years with Park West at Sea. The auctioneer read other material on our website and wanted to contribute information. For fear of retribution, the auctioneer has asked to remain anonymous. We felt the cruise going public should be aware of this information so that they can avoid being scammed and ripped off at cruise line art auctions - Editor. "I have been an art auctioneer with Park West for more than three years, and everything you guys are talking about is on the money. I have a lot of rip-off stories about this company. Couple of bits of info: * Park West Gallery pay anywhere from 30-40% of gross sales, depends on cruise line. They pay a royalty rate of 30-40% on the ship's weekly sail, or however long the cruise was for, including buyer's premium, just not shipping. * Auctioneers that get caught in lies and problems just get moved to another cruise line * Park West Gallery tell auctioneers on record to not sell on investment, but encourage it off the record... ALL TOP AUCTIONEERS sell on investment, you just word it properly and its easy * We prey on the weak! The guest will be told whatever they want to hear to buy the art; we will get you on the Park West Collectors card, and milk it for every cent it has * ***NONE of the art is a good deal, the sales teams on these ships are good. They know how to suck you in and get you to buy on emotion. * Auctioneers and associates are paid purely on commission; I've had weeks where I lost money... and weeks where I've made $20,000+. * It says right on the invoice, YOU CANNOT TRUST ANYTHING THE AUCTIONEER (ART DIRECTOR) has said to you... in all my years doing checkout, THIS NEVER came up once... guests were either afraid to bring it up or just played it off..... or too stupid to figure it out. * And lastly.... ALBERT SCAGLIONE is a bible freak, he doesn't talk about art once when you meet him, it's all about GOD. He sends every new associate a bible with their name on it. If you heard him speak during the training class you would be freaked out. We all get a good laugh from it. I'm not proud of this, but I've had clients who didn't come to sign for their purchase so we would just apply it to the card, forge their signature and take the sale. They wouldn't even know what happened until the art was sent or they received the bill in the mail...good luck getting a refund. Every auctioneer I know does this: you bid on something and don't come to pay...we just apply it to your PWCC card. If you don't have a PWCC card, we hound you on the ship till you do come and pay with another method. (Some comments on individual artists.) Read the Entire Story at: http://fineartregistry.com/articles/far_investigates/cruise-auctioneer-confession.php Open Letter from Frank Hunter, Director, The Salvador Dali Archives, LTD. (A response to the recent outbreak of lies and slander about Albert Field, The Official Catalog of the Graphic Works of Salvador Dali, and related matters.) This is in response to the postings by "ethelw" on 21 and 22 July 2008, and Louis Postel, aka "Gaby", on 5 Aug. 2008 First, it should be pointed out that I am currently the Director of the Salvador Dali Archives Ltd., an organization founded more than 50 years ago by Albert Field with both the approval and cooperation of Salvador Dali. We are the publishers of the Official Catalog of the Graphic Works of Salvador Dali (Dali Archives, New York, 1996). READ THE ENTIRE STORY AT: http://www.salvadordalifakes.com/articles/dali-archives-letter1.php *****UPDATE*****THIS JUST IN...SLAPP!!! Fine Art Registry Will Not be Silenced "Short of a gun to the head, a greater threat to First Amendment expression can scarcely be imagined." Judge J. Nicholas Colabella Park West Gallery served Fine Art Registry and its CEO with a second lawsuit today—this time in the state of Florida—the same exact allegations of defamation and slander mind you—but a second lawsuit nonetheless. Why? Solely to harass, intimidate, and attempt to stop Fine Art Registry from continuing to investigate and report the truth. Fine Art Registry will not be silenced. Read the Entire Story at:http://www.fineartadvocacy.com/articles/parkwest-sues-fineartregistry.php Cruise Passengers Claim Gallery Short-Changed Them During Voyage Sarasota, Fla., real estate agent David Bouverat resisted buying art for most of his cruise. But he ventured out after dinner toward the end of his Baltic Sea voyage with a few drinks in him and viewed art for sale by surrealists Joan Miro and Salvador Dali. He ended up buying two works on a two-week cruise aboard Celebrity Cruise Lines' Constellation in June 2007. Bouverat said he was told the print and painting he purchased from Park West Gallery were worth about $15,000 apiece. He paid a total of $20,520. Read the Entire Article At: http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202423289280 Is Park West Above the Law? Michigan Art Multiples Sales Act? All buyers of art prints or multiples from Park West Gallery have a legal right under the Michigan Art Multiples Sales Act to demand from Park West Gallery/Park West at Sea IN WRITING certain detailed disclosures of key information concerning their purchases and most importantly, PRIOR TO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OR DELIVERY of the artwork so that an informed decision can be made. Park West Gallery/Park West at Sea and the cruise lines have failed and continue to fail to disclose critical information required by law that consumers or collectors have a legal right to know PRIOR to the sale (or payment) or auctioning of the artwork aboard cruise ships and at land auctions. Park West Gallery or Park West at Sea and the cruise lines MUST address authenticity and be required to disclose whether, where, and how the artist's signature appears on the print, if the artist approved its creation, especially if the artist did not sign it, and whether the artist was alive when the ‘master’ was created. For example, the Michigan Act requires Albert Scaglione [Park West Gallery] to disclose to all buyers of claimed signed Dali prints the exact particulars under which the signature was applied and much, much more, including whether the multiple or image on or in the master is a mechanical, photomechanical, or photographic copy or reproduction of an image previously created or produced by the artist in a different stated medium, or on or in a different master, for the purpose other than the creation of the multiple being described... If you have purchased an art print or multiple from Park West Gallery/Park West at Sea and feel you have not received a proper disclosure in accordance with Michigan law, contact FAR® On Your Side for free information on how we can help. Read the Entire Article At: http://www.fineartadvocacy.com/articles/parkwest-michigan-law.php **** UPDATE***THE NEW YORK TIMES*** PARK WEST GALLERY** Art Auctions on Cruise Ships Lead to Anger, Accusations and Lawsuits. Read the Entire Article at:(copy& paste to your browser)(/b) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/16/arts/design/16crui.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&sq=Park%20West%20Gallery&st=cse&scp=1 *****UPDATE******Dali Fakes Part 2 Where do the Park West Dali Prints Come From? In the last article in this series, we covered the fact that two prints sold by Park West, one for around $18,000 and one for over $7,000 were both found by experts to be fakes. This brings up the question: Where do the Dali prints sold by Park West come from? Read the Entire Update at:(copy&paste to your browser) http://www.salvadordalifakes.com/articles/parkwest-dali-prints.php **Update** Park West Gallery & Park West at Sea: FAKE PRINTS!!!! Fake originals and prints are a huge industry, and a scourge on the art market today. This is a study of forgery and fraud concerning two Salvador Dalí limited edition prints. by David Phillips READ THE ENTIRE JAW DROPPING STORY AT:(copy&paste to browser) http://salvadordalifakes.com/articles/dali-prints-forgery.php