Art dealers accused of selling fake Motherwells
- July 11, 2011 15:41
Two Manhattan art dealers---formerly with Knoedler Gallery---have been accused of selling fake paintings by abstract expressionist Robert Motherwell, according to the Dedalus Foundation, a group in charge of authenticating the artist's work.
Court papers allege that Ann Freedman, who was a longtime president of Knoedler, and former Knoedler salesman Julian Weissman, received 7 forged Motherwells from a Long Island woman. They then allegedly created provenances for the works.
Weissman is being cross-sued by the foundation for $9 million-plus for "negligent misrepresentation" of one of the works that he sold to Killala Fine Arts, for $650,000 in 2007. Killala has sued the foundation for failing to include the work in the forthcoming Motherwell catalogue raisonne.
100x100_c.jpg "Boba Fett L-slot rocket-firing prototype action figure, predecessor to the Boba Fett figure in Kenner’s popular 1979 Star Wars toy line, 3.75in tall, AFA-graded 80+ NM (archival case). Encapsulated with notarized CIB COA. Sold for a world-record price of $236,000 against an estimate of $100,000-$200,000")
![Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640), After Titian (Tiziano Vecelli) (Italian [Venetian], c. 1488–1576), Rape of Europa, 1628–29. Oil on canvas, 71 7/8 x 79 3/8 in.](/images/c/e2/2e/Jan20_Rape_of_Europa100x100_c.jpg "Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640), After Titian (Tiziano Vecelli) (Italian [Venetian], c. 1488–1576), Rape of Europa, 1628–29. Oil on canvas, 71 7/8 x 79 3/8 in.")
