More on Park West

Art Info and The Art Newspaper have both recently reported that a suit brought by Park West Gallery against two customers from London for libel (who are also suing Park West) has been dismissed.  The dismissal recommendation is based upon outside attorney reviews which also recommended that Park West should reimburse the two defendants legal expenses in the suit. According to the Park West's attorneys, they will agree to drop the suit, but not the rest of the recommendation, such as paying the defendants legal fees.

According to the reports, the couple purchased a partial set of the 1951 "Divine Comedy" series by Dali, and later purchased a complete set. The sets were purported to be signed by Dali. The Art Info report states experts who looked at the artwork for the defendants said they were authentic, but the signatures were not. Royal Caribbean was also involved in the suit as some of the art was purchased on one of their cruises. They were dropped from the suit, but now an appeals court has ordered them back as co defendants with Park West.

The Art Newspaper reports:

The story began in December 2007 when Day and Howard went on a cruise with Royal Caribbean. They purchased three Salvador Dalí prints from the artist’s “Divine Comedy” series, created in 1951, for over $97,000 from Park West Gallery which leases rooms on board Royal Caribbean cruise ships. After the cruise, Day and Howard purchased a complete set of Dalí’s “Divine Comedy” prints for over $483,000.

According to the gallery, each print in the series is signed by both the artist and the French publisher of the work. Day and Howard allege the gallery told them the acquisition was a sound investment which would escalate in value, a claim the gallery denies.

A few months later, Day and Howard decided to sell, but say they were told by a Sotheby’s expert that a complete signed set of “Divine Comedy” prints is worth between $60,000 and $80,000. At Day and Howard’s invitation, Dalí experts including Nicolas Descharnes, the son of the photographer Robert Des­charnes, a friend and associate of the artist, examined the prints and concluded that although they are genuine, the artist’s signatures are fake.

What a tangled web indeed.

To read the Art Info article, click HERE, to read the Art Newspaper article, click HERE..