NICHE DRIVES A CAREER OF CHALLENGES AND REWARDS - Part II

Balnace of the Ewell article.

NICHE DRIVES A CAREER OF CHALLENGES AND REWARDS

© Bernard Ewell, ASA

There are two published catalogs, but the copies we use in my office have corrections written in on most pages. Many of these relate to the print mediums which were not understood by Ralph Michler (in jail) and Lutz Löpsinger (deceased) for the first catalog or by Albert Field (deceased) for the second. Both catalogs are generally helpful in identifying a print image’s title, but the publication information is frequently in error and references to fakes (frequently with the same images or titles as legitimate prints) are superficial and of little help to an appraiser or collector.

One of the greatest challenges for both is answering the all-important questions of valuation. Replacement value evidence frequently comes from a couple of galleries which sell at generally incomparably high prices. One of them retains me to examine and authenticate every print attributed to Salvador Dalí that they buy for resale. The other just hassles and bad mouths me—and everyone else in the market.

An Annual Price Guide to Dalí prints has recently appeared and is being marketed to appraisers. Beware. The “prices” listed are apparently intended to raise the market by offering extraordinarily high figures that can be used by dealers to justify prices that are below those listed, but higher than previously asked. The should not be used by appraisers.

On-line research does not help much with valuation or authentication. Like everything else related to Dalí, the prices asked, the prices paid and the prices reported represent every possible (or impossible) market level imaginable. Many sales are for fakes that apparently were not identified as such at the time of sale. Many prices for legitimate pieces are very low because the buyer did not trust the Dalí market and the seller did not know how to prove the validity of the pieces.

The major auction houses continue their efforts to avoid selling prints attributed to Salvador Dalí with the exception of some portfolios of print suites. They also frequently refer questions of authenticity to a man who has been convicted of criminal charges in more than one European country and has a long history of “trashing” legitimate artworks that he himself has not been involved with.

Over the past twenty-eight years, while examining and appraising over 52,000 prints attributed to Dalí, I have worked to develop the niche that was not being addressed by any other appraiser. In fact, my colleagues were generally trying to avoid accepting Dalí assignments.

I have frequently been asked when I was going to publish the definitive catalog. I have avoided the almost unimaginable challenge, but I am currently concentrating on the research and writing of a book that will bring truth into the Dalí marketplace for the benefit of all. The working title is Artful Dodgers.

It appears that the niche which I have built and used as an example for students and mentees all of these years has generated a reward even greater than the annual income. The message from many has been, “you’ve done a lot that we would lose if you died, so let’s get it in a book.” I guess then it will be alright for me to die. Not a chance. I’m already managing aging with my own formula—deep denial. Besides, I’ll want to publish an updated CD every couple of years as I solve more and more of the Dalí enigmas.

So what should my colleagues who need to appraise Dalí prints do? Same thing many have been doing for years. Make use of the consultation service to be found on my website www.bernardewell.com. Don’t rely on any currently available publications and don’t listen to any of the Dali B. S. that is so prevalent. Don’t turn to any other “Dalí experts” because they either are not experts or are heavily compromised.

So, is this article just a lot of self-promotion? No. I don’t need any more business and the book project is fully underwritten. My intentions remain the same as they have been for thirty-seven years of practice: help my colleagues, contribute to the profession and educate the public. After all, there is scarcely another topic with which we as appraisers deal that is more confusing or burdened with more false information than Dalí prints. Pursuing this niche has been the most challenging and entertaining focus I can imagine in an always-rewarding appraisal career. As my colleague and former student Lindsay Jones said, “Appraising is always amazing!” Especially when the topic is Salvador Dalí.

Are there other potential niches for appraisers to develop? Absolutely. There are a great many and certainly I am not the only one to do so. I have been greatly assisted in my practice by the expertise of colleagues like C. H. Boyd, ASA to whom I turn when I appraise the works of the California impressionists, Peter Sorlien, ASA who is always generous with his knowledge of marine art and Alex Rosenberg, ASA who knows all about a great many contemporary artists, especially Henry Moore.

The best thing that could happen to the personal property appraisal profession would be for a great many others to develop their own niches and make their knowledge available to the rest of us.

Bernard Ewell, ASA has been appraising fine art since 1972 and has been an Accredited Senior Appraiser of fine art (ASA) since 1985. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico where he directs an international practice.