A “GENUINE” TURNER

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 150, 20 March 1936, Page 10

A “GENUINE” TURNER

Moral of Wellington Man’s Art Purchase Once upon a time a resident of Wellington, who had artistic leanings, came across a painting in Auckland, which he was assured by interested parties was a genuine Turner. After long and cdreful scrutiny, he agreed that the painting was by the great Turner, and was induced to purchase it at a good round figure, thinking thereby to profit at some time in tiie future, lie offered the picture for exhibition in the Wellington art show, and when he found that it was not placed on the line, or even above or below it, he grew exceeding wrath, and said unpublishable things about the hanging committee, which he likened to a double-distilled Balaam’s ass. In due course a friend of this connoisseur of art proceeded to England and was entrusted with the “Turner” to take to Christie’s for sale.

Now, Christie’s are busy people who have no time to waste in foolishness, and a mere glance from one of their people was enough to convince them that any further examination would be as love’s labour lost. Very politely they told the person in charge that they were too busy to examine the picture, and sent him round to Levine’s, another authority on art, who, strange to say, found that he was too busy to be bothered with this genuine Turner; but Levine’s, being kindly people,’ gave the person in charge an address and a plan of its location. It proved to be a Jewish pawnbroker’s establishment. As soon as the person .in charge said that he had a genuine Turner for appraisement and sale, the Jew looked hard and thought, and asked who had sent the person to him. Christie's and Levine’s! Oh, was that so? Well, lie was also too busy to fritter away any time on tiie subject, ami rather brusquely ushered person ami picture out of tiie shop.

Somehow convinced that there must be something the matter with tiie Turner the person had the picture repacked and sent back to its owner in Wellington. Subsequently it was sold at Harcourt’s for the sum of 7/6. If there is a moral in tills sad story, it is that tiie trustees of the National Art Gallery will have to be very careful of any picture they are offered, either for sale or gratis! Already many paintings have been offered for exhibition in the new Art Gallery which the owners genuinely believe to be masterpieces, or next door to them, but they are not what the owners, in most eases, think they are; moreover, such pictures cannot be accepted for exhibition at the mere whim of an owner who thinks lie bus an artistic treasure. In such cases it is always better to seek expert advice before making such an offer. In art you can fool some of the people all the time.