Move Over Dark Knight #3, Page 10

[devilsrain]

It wouldnt surprise me in the least if the real Mona Lisa was in a private collection.

[USArmyParatrooper]

Which painting sold for $200 million? Sunflowers? We had a silly, hypothetical discussion about what the Mona Lisa would sell for if it was currently in a private collection. Thoughts on that, Gene?

 

I think hypothetically the Mona Lisa should easily sell for a Billion. The only thing that would prevent it from going that high is that, even for the richest men in the world, that would be a substantial portion of their total net worth.

[B-Smooth]

There's probably 3 people on earth that could afford that. Otherwise, it would take a fleet of investors. I'd love to throw a thrill bid of say.... 10 million dollars... And be outbid in 5 minutes. Well, based on my current financial situation, I don't think they'd let me take part in that auction. Wonder what the fees eBay would fetch for a billion dollar sale.

[USArmyParatrooper]

There's probably 3 people on earth that could afford that. Otherwise, it would take a fleet of investors. I'd love to throw a thrill bid of say.... 10 million dollars... And be outbid in 5 minutes. Well, based on my current financial situation, I don't think they'd let me take part in that auction. Wonder what the fees eBay would fetch for a billion dollar sale.

 

If you put the Mona Lisa on Ebay there's no doubt you could work out a special deal. Even if you don't take into account the enormous dollar amount, the publicity alone would be huge.

[Pete Marino]

There's probably 3 people on earth that could afford that. Otherwise, it would take a fleet of investors. I'd love to throw a thrill bid of say.... 10 million dollars... And be outbid in 5 minutes. Well, based on my current financial situation, I don't think they'd let me take part in that auction. Wonder what the fees eBay would fetch for a billion dollar sale.

 

Ebay auctions are capped at $100, I think they're upping it to $200 in June?

[USArmyParatrooper]

There's probably 3 people on earth that could afford that. Otherwise, it would take a fleet of investors. I'd love to throw a thrill bid of say.... 10 million dollars... And be outbid in 5 minutes. Well, based on my current financial situation, I don't think they'd let me take part in that auction. Wonder what the fees eBay would fetch for a billion dollar sale.

 

Ebay auctions are capped at $100, I think they're upping it to $200 in June?

 

I'm not following. Capped at $100?

[Pete Marino]

There's probably 3 people on earth that could afford that. Otherwise, it would take a fleet of investors. I'd love to throw a thrill bid of say.... 10 million dollars... And be outbid in 5 minutes. Well, based on my current financial situation, I don't think they'd let me take part in that auction. Wonder what the fees eBay would fetch for a billion dollar sale.

 

Ebay auctions are capped at $100, I think they're upping it to $200 in June?

 

I'm not following. Capped at $100?

 

Ebay fees max out at $250 (had to look it up, I was wrong) for an item, paypal doesn't max out, but Ebay does...

 

Auction-style listings: The final value fee is based on a percentage of the item's total cost to the buyer (less any sales tax). The maximum final value fee for auction-style listings is $250.00. For example, if you sell an item for $3,000.00 and charge $10.00 for shipping, you'll pay only $250.00, even though 9% of $3,010.00 is $270.90. This maximum final value fee doesn't apply to Stores subscribers.

[Solar]

Which painting sold for $200 million?

 

One of Cezanne's 'Card Players' paintings sold for $250+mm.

 

Here's a link with a pic...

[B-Smooth]

There's probably 3 people on earth that could afford that. Otherwise, it would take a fleet of investors. I'd love to throw a thrill bid of say.... 10 million dollars... And be outbid in 5 minutes. Well, based on my current financial situation, I don't think they'd let me take part in that auction. Wonder what the fees eBay would fetch for a billion dollar sale.

 

Ebay auctions are capped at $100, I think they're upping it to $200 in June?

 

I think it would be slightly out of ebays league. They could just ask Gates, Buffet, sultan of Brunei, and the Chinese guy if they want it ,and skip the rest.

[delekkerste]

I've always wondered what happens to stolen pieces of famous artwork? Is there a market for them? Can they ever be resold? What happens to the artwork if it's ever found? (is it returned to the original owner and the current owner is SOL?)

 

I'm not an expert in stolen artwork, but what I've been told by someone I know on legal side of the art business is that the Hollywood myth of billionaires owning and admiring their illicit stash of stolen artwork is just that - a myth with no evidence backing it up. Also, if you read the book "The Gardner Heist", it claims that stolen paintings, being unsalable, are used as collateral in dealings by underground/criminal organizations. I have no idea whether that is true, but it's interesting if it is - the book is worth checking out.

 

 

Which painting sold for $200 million? Sunflowers? We had a silly, hypothetical discussion about what the Mona Lisa would sell for if it was currently in a private collection. Thoughts on that, Gene?

 

The Mona Lisa was insured for $100 million in 1962 when it left the Louvre and went on tour in the US. Everybody knows I'm a pretty sober guy when it comes to market prices, but I think a billion dollars would be the floor for the painting if it were to hypothetically hit the open market. In addition to competition from the world's richest (I bet a handful would be interested even at that nosebleed level), I could easily see some Middle Eastern emirate (or similar) buying it to be the showpiece of their emerging museum. Even if it didn't make economic sense, from an advertising/publicity/halo standpoint, it would be worth it for them many times over.

[comix4fun]

I've always wondered what happens to stolen pieces of famous artwork? Is there a market for them? Can they ever be resold? What happens to the artwork if it's ever found? (is it returned to the original owner and the current owner is SOL?)

 

I'm not an expert in stolen artwork, but what I've been told by someone I know on legal side of the art business is that the Hollywood myth of billionaires owning and admiring their illicit stash of stolen artwork is just that - a myth with no evidence backing it up.

 

 

 

 

If there was evidence backing it up wouldn't that be used "against them in a court of law."

 

I don't know the first thing about illicit billionaire art stashes but I never equate "no evidence" with "didn't happen."

 

Sometimes "no evidence" just means "really really well kept secret"...like the Masons, or the Colonel's Original Recipe.

[delekkerste]

I don't know the first thing about illicit billionaire art stashes but I never equate "no evidence" with "didn't happen."

 

Doesn't mean it did, either.

[spider9698]

I would echo Gene's sentiments about the Gardner Heist book. Living in Boston and working down the street from the museum, the story behind the heist strikes home. It was a clever cunningly executed robbery and there have been ZERO significant strides in locating these pieces. From wiki:

--------------

The largest art theft in world history occurred in Boston on March 18, 1990 when thieves stole 13 pieces, collectively worth $300 million, from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. A reward of $5,000,000 is still offered for information leading to their return.

 

The pieces stolen were: Vermeer's The Concert, which is the most valuable stolen painting in the world; two Rembrandt paintings, The Storm on the Sea of Galilee (his only known seascape) and Portrait of a Lady and Gentleman in Black; A Rembrandt self-portrait etching; Manet's Chez Tortoni; five drawings by Edgar Degas; Govaert Flinck's Landscape with an Obelisk; an ancient Chinese Qu; and a finial that once stood atop a flag from Napoleon's Army.

 

[B-Smooth]

 

 

Which painting sold for $200 million? Sunflowers? We had a silly, hypothetical discussion about what the Mona Lisa would sell for if it was currently in a private collection. Thoughts on that, Gene?

 

The Mona Lisa was insured for $100 million in 1962 when it left the Louvre and went on tour in the US. Everybody knows I'm a pretty sober guy when it comes to market prices, but I think a billion dollars would be the floor for the painting if it were to hypothetically hit the open market. In addition to competition from the world's richest (I bet a handful would be interested even at that nosebleed level), I could easily see some Middle Eastern emirate (or similar) buying it to be the showpiece of their emerging museum. Even if it didn't make economic sense, from an advertising/publicity/halo standpoint, it would be worth it for them many times over.

 

I thought the same thing about the middle eastern investors, with money to burn. With a floor price of a billion dollars, that would be one hell of an autction. Probably the most expensive man made object ever, sans buildings, and even then, there's not a lot of billion dollar structures out there. Oh, did you ever find the cover to gijoe 21?

 

[delekkerste]

I thought the same thing about the middle eastern investors, with money to burn. With a floor price of a billion dollars, that would be one hell of an autction. Probably the most expensive man made object ever, sans buildings, and even then, there's not a lot of billion dollar structures out there. Oh, did you ever find the cover to gijoe 21?

 

Yeah, such a sale could get pretty interesting - just from all the publicity and marketing potential, one could justify perhaps a price of a couple/several billion dollars if it were a government-backed institution trying to procure it, far beyond the value of just the art itself.

 

I never found the Joe #21 cover - while it would be nice to have, for this issue, it's really the interiors that everyone remembers more than the cover.

[comix4fun]

I would echo Gene's sentiments about the Gardner Heist book. Living in Boston and working down the street from the museum, the story behind the heist strikes home. It was a clever cunningly executed robbery and there have been ZERO significant strides in locating these pieces. From wiki:

--------------

The largest art theft in world history occurred in Boston on March 18, 1990 when thieves stole 13 pieces, collectively worth $300 million, from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. A reward of $5,000,000 is still offered for information leading to their return.

 

The pieces stolen were: Vermeer's The Concert, which is the most valuable stolen painting in the world; two Rembrandt paintings, The Storm on the Sea of Galilee (his only known seascape) and Portrait of a Lady and Gentleman in Black; A Rembrandt self-portrait etching; Manet's Chez Tortoni; five drawings by Edgar Degas; Govaert Flinck's Landscape with an Obelisk; an ancient Chinese Qu; and a finial that once stood atop a flag from Napoleon's Army.

 

 

Great timing on posting about this heist. I saw on the news this morning that a massive search, under warrant, was underway for these pieces at an estate related to someone under criminal charges for something else.

 

I will try to find a link and post it when I hit the office today.

 

[spider9698]

Yes my timing was pretty good. They feds are still digging. Nothing yet but hope remains.

 

http://bostonglobe.com/metro/2012/05/10/authorities-search-home-reputed-conn-mobster-probed-gardner-museum-art-heist/oJXNJb2TariSRJRkBW0LgM/story.html

 

 

[B-Smooth]

I thought the same thing about the middle eastern investors, with money to burn. With a floor price of a billion dollars, that would be one hell of an autction. Probably the most expensive man made object ever, sans buildings, and even then, there's not a lot of billion dollar structures out there. Oh, did you ever find the cover to gijoe 21?

 

Yeah, such a sale could get pretty interesting - just from all the publicity and marketing potential, one could justify perhaps a price of a couple/several billion dollars if it were a government-backed institution trying to procure it, far beyond the value of just the art itself.

 

I never found the Joe #21 cover - while it would be nice to have, for this issue, it's really the interiors that everyone remembers more than the cover.

 

It's strange that Hama didn't have the cover. You think he was holding out on you? I have my fingers crossed that you'll find it one day.The cover belongs with the art.

[orfew]

I thought the same thing about the middle eastern investors, with money to burn. With a floor price of a billion dollars, that would be one hell of an autction. Probably the most expensive man made object ever, sans buildings, and even then, there's not a lot of billion dollar structures out there. Oh, did you ever find the cover to gijoe 21?

 

Yeah, such a sale could get pretty interesting - just from all the publicity and marketing potential, one could justify perhaps a price of a couple/several billion dollars if it were a government-backed institution trying to procure it, far beyond the value of just the art itself.

 

I never found the Joe #21 cover - while it would be nice to have, for this issue, it's really the interiors that everyone remembers more than the cover.

 

Funny thing about the Mona Lisa...it is quite small. I know it sounds strange but that was my exact reaction when I saw it at the Louvre. It is very interesting to stare at the original, it looks different from every angle. It has a wall of its own in the Denon wing of the Louvre, and is definitely worth seeing.

[tth2]

I thought the same thing about the middle eastern investors, with money to burn. With a floor price of a billion dollars, that would be one hell of an autction. Probably the most expensive man made object ever, sans buildings, and even then, there's not a lot of billion dollar structures out there. Oh, did you ever find the cover to gijoe 21?

 

Yeah, such a sale could get pretty interesting - just from all the publicity and marketing potential, one could justify perhaps a price of a couple/several billion dollars if it were a government-backed institution trying to procure it, far beyond the value of just the art itself.

 

I never found the Joe #21 cover - while it would be nice to have, for this issue, it's really the interiors that everyone remembers more than the cover.

 

Funny thing about the Mona Lisa...it is quite small. I know it sounds strange but that was my exact reaction when I saw it at the Louvre. It is very interesting to stare at the original, it looks different from every angle. It has a wall of its own in the Denon wing of the Louvre, and is definitely worth seeing.

That`s the reaction of a lot of people when they see the Mona Lisa (and Stonehenge) for the first time.