![]() ![]() When asked for proof the painting was real, the seller said he had “contacted Christie’s but no luck so far, and that’s why the artwork is being listed on eBay.” Impatient with my questions, the seller stopped responding. The description was laughably vague but hit key points - notably listing the provenance of the work as “a collector who died in 2013” - without providing any evidence or proof. In March, a purported Basquiat original was listed for $199,000 or best offer. Straight-up fake paintings are offered all the time in eBay auctions. Brazenly Fake Paintings A purported Basquiat on eBay (At the time, this seller was offering 83 similar book pages that we are to believe were all signed by Haring and Warhol - but with no proof.)Įbay’s policy clearly states that users should abstain from listing any works if they are uncertain about authenticity. Of course, eBay does not actively monitor their auction offerings, but instead relies on dealers, collectors, experts, buyers, and potential buyers to notify them of problems relating to particular works of art. You could take a gamble and buy it for $169.99 or best offer. The only function such a document can serve is to fool people who don’t know any better. Or are they only claiming that the signature is real? There is no value to a COA from a seller that cannot verify the authenticity of what they are selling. Yet, it’s still being offered as a vintage print signed by the artist. “I purchased the piece believing it is signed by the Hand of Keith Haring,” they added. So therefore it is impossible to say for certain that Keith Haring signed the piece. When asked to clarify its authenticity, the seller, who went by gallery-100, responded cryptically: “This type of art does not have a history to base provenance on. The signature as such is not from a limited-edition numbered run. The piece was a bookplate removed from its original publication and presented to the artist for what’s known as a complimentary signature - as in “with the compliments of the artist” - usually done for admirers, gallery owners, exhibition openings, or friends, much like an autograph. Suspiciously, though, the COA listed a date of 2002, not from the Haring Foundation but from the seller themselves. ![]() The photos showed the signature and a certificate of authenticity (COA). Unlikely as it sounds, there are quite a few low-effort sellers hoping to pass off pages taken from art books or exhibition catalogues as “vintage prints.” One such example on eBay was a since-removed “hand-signed” print of Keith Haring’s “Portrait of Grace Jones.” Based on the title alone, one would assume this is an authentic print by Haring. “Prints” marketed on Etsy (all screenshots Chris Cobb/Hyperallergic) Catalogue Pages Marketed as Prints Some sellers, of course, throw caution to the wind and claim outright that their item is authentic.īelow are some examples of bogus items being sold with misleading listings. Because intentionally selling fake and counterfeit art is illegal, most include language in their description to grant them plausible deniability in case they get caught selling fakes. Some scammers mislead buyers by using art terminology to make it sound like they’re selling a real painting or print when, in fact, they are not. As a result, the Keith Haring “poster” you’re getting for cheap just might be a print-out. The platform does the rest - including the printing and mailing of the actual item. A seller just needs to upload images and then promote the shop online. ![]() In pursuit of passive income streams, many sellers don’t even have physical inventory - they use “print-on-demand” services like Printbest that also connect to Shopify, Etsy, and eBay, making it remarkably easy to set up an online store. Why on earth would they cancel those transactions? Judging by the number of sales each year, these platforms may well be making hundreds of thousands if not millions each year from fees. Because platforms make money on completed transactions, they have a disincentive to actively vet their art listings. This is a problem across platforms like eBay, Etsy, and Amazon - all of which mostly rely on complaints to identify problem sellers. With little authority policing them, you’re basically on your own when determining if a work of art is fake or not. While it’s bad news for potential buyers, it’s great news for shady sellers. ![]()
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