A suggestion was made that we consider posting a tutorial to help collectors authenticate artwork. While we can’t offer a true tutorial, I can offer these pointers:
View other works by the same artist to determine if the style, subject and signature are similar to the work you are considering. Keep in mind that over an artist’s professional lifetime all these things may vary.
Subject and style – Some artists often paint many different subjects while others may only paint one subject. If an artist is known for market scenes and you are shown a landscape you need to do your research. It may be a very old painting or a newer style…or it could be a fake. Older paintings, paintings done before an artist found his style are not necessarily valued differently than the ones that he/she is known for…do your research.
Signature – Some artists have signed every painting in the same way on the same spot on the canvas. Others may have signed in different places on the canvas. Even more confusing, some have changed the way they sign over the years; changing from full name to only last name or abbreviating a part of the name. Sometimes they might date a painting, other times not. Again, do your research.
Much has been made about price and how it implies value. This is always true, but it is coupled with another valuable tool…know your source. Yes, a number of Jonathan Demme paintings went at auction for far below their expected market price. This does not imply that these paintings are not authentic. One can know and trust the source of these paintings, Jonathan Demme, a noted artist and collector with an impeccable reputation. The fact of the matter is that attendance was very low at this auction due to lack of publicity and this resulted in some very good bargains! The same cannot be said for auction sites like ebay where the integrity of the seller is not verified by an outside source. The buyer is left to judge for himself, and only has past performance and limited communication to go by. We advise caution.
Really, short of buying from the artists themselves, the best advice and the surest way to avoid costly mistakes is to:
Do your research!
Know your source!
146 Comments
Why does anyone buy on ebay?? Maybe 5 years ago you could get a great deal or a steal on ebay, but now you pay a price equivalent to what you would pay in a gallery or you get the dregs(poor quality paintings by known artists).
People don’t realize that many of the known Haitian artists are getting quite old. A Bigaud painted in the last few years is not worth the same as a Bigaud painted in the 1960′s. Same for Cedor and many other artists. Just because the name is there doesn’t mean the value is there.
Here we go again!!!!! Check out all the “Ismael” paintings on ebay. And people actually buy these things thinking they’re getting a bargain. Unbelievable!
Quick, hurry. You can buy a Bresil or Ismael on ebay for $9.99.
Bought an HR Brésil in 1988 in an Art Shop in Martinique !! (25X20 cm ). Could it be a fake at that time ???
Just went to a charity Haitian art auction last night. They had a 20×24 Andre Pierre for $5000. This one (ebay #160229400367) is $200 for the same size. Opinion, anyone?
Since $4000 to $5000 is the going price for a 20×24 Andre Pierre, I think the answer is obvious.
The following quote is from ebay. Am I missing something?
“Haitian painting by Bordenave Antoine 12″x16″ acrylic on canvas. . Painting is unstreched and will be shipped rolled. This artist was Sainsilus best pupil. He usually signed Ismael Saincilus on his canvases but recently he is using his own name.”
George, you’re not missing anything. Therein lies the problem…artists signing other artist’s names. Fakes! Happens all over, but more so on ebay.
Ebay has become worthless. I no longer buy anything there due to all the scams and fakes.
Where else but ebay can you buy an Andre Pierre 24×36 for $650 (item #160238054884). I was in Haiti a few years ago and bought a 20×24 for $2200. Deflation or fake?
There are more and more fakes on ebay and people still buy there. Just plain stupid, I guess.
I am considering a painting that is coming up in a live auction, which may have been done by Prefete Duffaut. The signature is as follows:
Duffaut Jacmel – Haiti 12/20/60
Does anybody on this thread have knowledge on how Prefete Duffaut’s paintings and signature may have evolved over the years? Also, what can I do to tell if a painting is real and over 40 years old, versus a fake made to look old? When did fake Duffaut paintings start coming onto the market? I live near this auction and will be able to inspect the painting personally. Any help I can receive will be most appreciated.
Tom
Where is the auction?
An “Andre Pierre” 30×40 just sold on ebay for $699 — need I say more.
Item #120296294712 – a Sejourne for $1550. Yeah, right. Does this guy know that Sejourne’s brother signed many of his paintings after he died.
Take a look at Ebay #120298571882. An 8×10 Andre Pierre for $120. Talk about deflation. Shame the price of gas can’t go down like the price of an Andre Pierre. Then again, when you buy gas hopefully you buy the real thing, not some watered down version.
Unfortunately, in every field there are crooks. Buyer beware.
Here’s a good one…
A guy puts an Andre Pierre on ebay for $1199 (item 140261347169). Doesn’t sell, so what does he do, he puts the same painting up for $5500 (item 140264634713) and says he’ll give 25% to the Red Cross. So he charges 5x as much and gets a deduction. Smart guy.
Hello there, I recently purchased a Laurent Casimir painting. The size is 20×24 and is oil on canvas, the colors are very bright and the subject is 3 people and fruit. I am not sure of what I have here. If someone could email me I would gladly send a photo via email. Any information would be very helpful. My email addy is
loribear3@hotmail.com
Thank you very much~!
Unfortunately you have a painting that is worthless. At every cruise ship stop and all over the DR there are paintings by Laurent Casimir. Unfortunately, they’re not by THE Laurent Casimir. Enjoy the painting, but don’t expect any value.
I’m so glad I saw this blog. I was about to buy a painting on ebay and decided to do a search. No way am I buying on ebay now. Thank you, thank you!
I’ve had my suspicions about the two Casimir paintings I bought at a recent auction here in Jersey C.I. Although they have old looking canvas, both the signatures are different. How can I tell which is kosher…. If any?
Take a look at ebay item 260320321286. Gallery price $7500, but you can have it for $9.95 with no reserve. This is an example of what ebay has become.
Some poor sucker just bought a 36×48 Bresil on ebay. Why can’t ebay put a stop to these fakes. Anyone with any knowlege of Haitian art knows it can’t be real.
Is it my imagination or have ebay sales slowed. Could be the economy or maybe people have wised up to the fakes there.
Anyone here have knowledge on an artist named Cemoin Souffrant? His paintings look very much like those from Prefete Duffaut (but at much less cost), and he was reportedly one of Duffaut’s students. I have purchased several as decorative pieces, and wonder if there is any chance that he has developed any following.
Responding to Scotty’s question – I too have noticed a slow-down on Haitian paintings for sale on e-bay, especially when you apply the filter to show “auction only” pieces.
Shame that the bad guys killed ebay for the good guys. Used to be able to get some good bargins on ebay. Now all you get are fakes.
I’m glad I found this discussion. The best news is that ebay had lousy earnings. Maybe it will disappear and take with it all the crooks that sell fake Haitian art there. If the crooks don’t have a place to sell their wares, then maybe the Haitian art market can return to its glory years.
Need proof there are fakes out there??? Here is a quote from ebay item #160312923996 (Haitian Art Bordenave Antoine Haiti)
“Please note that the painting is signed Ismael Sainsilus. But I know for a fact that it was painted by Mr Bordenave Antoine. He was the best student of Ismael. And as a matter of fact many collections that have master peices by Ismael were in fact painted by this particular student. This painting is a master peice. Judge for yourself, it is signed Ismae Saincilus.”
Let me see if I have this right…because a seller tells you that a artist is signing someone else’s name, it is not a fake. Am I going crazy or what?
Well, someone bought the fake Ismael. Does he (or she) think that no one will know its a fake. Doesn’t he realize that paintings like this in the marketplace have killed the market for Ismaels. Stupid stupid stupid. There’s a sucker born every minute.
ebay is a bad place to be
Interesting blog. I have a rule—if a dealer sells on ebay, I won’t buy from them. There are enough legitimate dealers around so that I don’t have to take a chance.
axcuse my enlish I am haitian. many painting I see in haiti are same as painting on ebay. sell for 5 dollar in haiti, 50 to 500 on ebay. fakes
Yes, interesting blog. I have been collecting Haitian art for 20 years. Used to buy a lot on ebay, not now. Over the past 2 or 3 years a dichotomy has occurred. Brick and mortar galleries (the few that exist) and online galleries seem to sell the quality art and ebay gets the dregs – street art and fakes.
Interesting article about fakes – http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/ebusiness/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=217300219&cid=RSSfeed_TechWeb
Sorry. Looks like informationweek took the article down.
This is funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://cgi.ebay.com/Haitian-Art-Fake-Henri-Robert-Bresil-Haiti_W0QQitemZ160342001785QQcmdZViewItemQQssPageNameZRSS:B:SRCH:US:101
Unfortunately, not funny but sad. This fake is going to end up in the marketplace and will eventually be sold as real. People, don’t buy a Bresil painting unless there is a legitimate bill of sale. Same for Ismael’s.
omg–i feel like an idiot. i just bought 2 casimir’s on ebay–over $200 ea–one i sent back–it just looked fake–the canvas was new! ha! anyway, sold me as laurent casimir, the casimir, later recanted. i am still fighting to get my money back. hopefully ebay /paypal will do the right thing since i am protected by their policy. what a jerk i am…stupid…i am usually not this fooled. some of the paintings are cheap, i want to buy–i love the subject, the colors and some street vended painted original–i dont care cause these are cheap. Now, i am into collecting master artists and i am hearing all kinds of stories. is is safe to buy from a haitian gallery do you think??? florida here
also…..the sellers comments are typically, after you question their goods on ebay:
1. i am offended by your comment/question; (coa)
2. i am a personal friend of the artist and he needs money for medical;
i am a real sucker! never again
I have a rather different view. I am an attorney, and represent both galleries and individuals in art authentication cases. I am also an art dealer/collector. I have bought and sold paintings on ebay since 1997. I also buy and sell from reputable dealers. The problem of fakes on ebay extends far beyond Haitian Paintings. The problem is particularly insidious with respect to minor American artists who do not sell for a ton of money, because inexperienced buyers only anticipate fakes with respect to major names. (The same problem exists though with minor third tier auction houses.) The only way to fight fakes on ebay is KNOWLEDGE. If you have sufficient knowledge then purchasing on ebay or at any auction is safe. Naturally, dealers would prefer if customers purchased only through dealers (and perhaps with Haitian art that is possible) but for many collectors buying only through dealers is prohibitively expensive. Those collectors that wish to purchase better grade art without paying dealer prices are served only by becoming experts with respect to the area of art that they wish to collect.
I think the price argument is pretty weak, though. I’ve purchased many authentic American paintings and when I’ve gotten a bargain, I’m happy to let them go at prices which would raise eyebrows. (A full time dealer who relies on sales can’t do this. )
Now I am NOT an expert on Haitian art. I recently purchased out of a house on Long Island a painting signed JE Gourgue, being unaware of the problem with fakes, I didn’t think twice about its authenticity. Ten plus hours of research later, I am certain that it is correct. (I’m also pleased to learn from this blog that Gourgue forgeries have not been a problem.) Anyhow, Is there a way to sell this painting without it being tainted as an EBAY painting, or do sophisticated buyers who make their own decisions still frequent Ebay.
Wanda…
That’s why you buy from a recognized gallery, whether it be a brick and mortar or an online gallery. With ebay you don’t know who you’re dealing with.
Bottom line: why would anyone buy on ebay???????
About 6 months ago I bought a Bresil painting on ebay (30×40) for $400. Thought I had a steal. Well, my husband just got laid off and I brought the painting into a gallery here in Miami to sell. Guess what, its a fake. Now we’re out $400 . Ebay Sucks!
Damn! Just discovered that an Andre Pierre I bought on Ebay about a year ago is a fake. How stupid/I thought I had such a great deal.
How sad! A Wilson Bigaud (#120477350188) 20×24 is on sale on ebay for $249. I don’t care if its real or fake, the fact that one of Haiti’s premier artists painting sells for so little is very, very sad. Sales like this are ending any hope for Haitian art and with it Haiti since art is so much of an important export for the country. How sad, how stupid!
The problem is that most (not all!) of the ebay dealers don’t give a hoot about Haitian art. All they care about is $$$.
I am looking for the value of a very beautiful,large 72″x48″ HR Bresil that was purchased by my mother Pat Harper, NBC Anchorwoman in 1983 in Haiti,for $5,000, when she went there to do a special about true voodoo.She bought it directly from the artist when political officials introduced her to him.It fits his style,no sky,few oranges,green,green,green….farm animals and a few field hands.It was left to me with her collection upon her death in 1994.If you have an idea of value or someone near Manhattan NY who can help I would appreciate it.mchlogut48@live.com
I don’t understand it. Why would anyone buy art on ebay. Who knows who these “dealers” are. There are enough legitimate b&m and online Haitian art dealers. Why take a chance with some unknown on ebay?