Robert Wittman of Podcast # 102 video
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY29WOzmXds&feature=related
102. Robert K. Wittman, FBI Art Crime Team, Ret.
One of our most fascinating guests of all times, former FBI Special Agent Robert Wittman, author of NY Times Best Seller “Priceless” speaks with Martin about traveling the world while posing undercover retrieving a quarter of a billion dollars worth of stolen artworks, Rembrandts, Picassos, ancient artifacts and much more. Robert also discusses aspects of his current business, how to protect your art and what he can do to help you. SHOW NOTES
Check out http://www.robertwittmaninc.com
101. Rebekah Kaufman, Steiffgal
Steiff’s Official Consultant Archivist Rebekah Kaufman, AKA Steiffgal joins Martin and greets all our listeners with teddy bear hugs. A very enthusiastic guest who is passionate about collecting Steiff and preserving the Steiff legacy. Listen in for lots of helpful information and interesting facts (it all started with undergarments) about collecting, rare finds, identifying, restoration and more. Click here for Show Notes.
Sweet Chariot (blog)
I recently had the pleasure of vetting The Original Miami Beach Antique Show, and saw an amazing bronze by Emile Louis Picault (France, b. 1833-1913). There was a constant buzz at the show about this masterpiece in bronze. It sold for over $300,000 when the show first began and there was a man waiting in line to pay $75,000 more than asking. I was asked by Worthpoint to write and article about this amazing piece, so please click here to read my story and get the inside scoop from my interview with Robin Greenwald at Greenwald’s Antiques. (photo by Greg Watkins)
Fakes and Reproductions (blog)
I always seem to talk about fakes and reproductions in every podcast that I do. And lately I have been apologizing for doing so. Fakes have always been around and it probably always will be around. As a collector, auctioneer, and dealer I realize that there is nothing that I can do about this. The only thing I attempt to do about this is talk about it my podcast and try to get the information from each specialists in their field, specifically on how the novice and stay away from purchasing a fake by accident.
I’ve heard since a very young age, that the Chinese have been faking ceramics for thousands of years. This phrase does sound rather humorous but I’m sure it’s true. I am not picking on the Chinese specifically, it’s just that this is a good example to explain that takes a been around forever. That being said, I’d love to find 1000-year-old Chinese fake porcelain of an earlier time.
From what I can figure out in the 40 years or so that it in doing this is that if something has value, then you’ll see fakes. Sometimes the things that you see are faked are only worth a few dollars, and it is puzzling to me on why it would be worth all the effort.
A number of times someone has asked me what is the difference between a fake and a reproduction. My answer is, he reproduction is a copy of something, and a fake is a deliberate copy to deceive someone. My own opinion is I really don’t like reproductions, but I can live with them. I despise fakes because I think it hurts the markets in many ways.
100. Worthpoint.com in Miami
Listen in to a roundtable informative chat with worthpoint.com CEO Will Seippel, Maggie Turnipseed, Audra Blevins, Mike Wilcox, Jason Robins joined by host Martin Willis. They chat about the success of sponsoring The Original Miami Beach Antique Show, the launch of marksandlibrary.com a data source for over 40k marks of all kinds of marks of your antiques and collectibles. Jason Robins speaks about the remaking of goantiques.com which will launch in March, 2012.