Gallery

 

For many years, I have been concerned about the proliferation of forgeries, not only about those that are altered or produced to make a profit but those that are induced by collectors. There are dozens of “Restorers” in Germany alone; they do any repairs or alterations and are not required to mark them. I have been judging many shows over the years and have seen a great deal of material in exhibits which was altered or repaired. Even in the Court of Honor! Back in 1989, the Board of the EI.P asked me to come up with a plan to control this situation at EI.P.-sponsored international shows. We established an “Expert Team” and, since 1990, checked suspicious exhibits in detail. We took the material out of the frames and examined it under a stereo microscope, etc.

The exhibition committee places a special room at our disposal, where we can examine and photograph the material. So that you can see the work of the Expert Team, I am enclosing a report from the exhibition at FINLANDIA ‘95. [See below] As you can see, 78 questionable items were found in 33 exhibits.

Under EI.P rules, the exhibitor must note any alterations or repairs on the page. Most of them do not comply, since they are afraid that the Jury will lower their award, which will now be done if any alterations are discovered by the team. Of course, some will slip through since we cannot examine all.

When I examined some material at FEPAPOST in the Hague last year, I found material where margins had been added, frame lines repainted, cancels redrawn, etc., on just one cover. I obtained the expertization certificate that was issued 6 years prior, which stated all of these defects. The exhibit or just did not bother to mention these “minor” details.

REPORT TEAM OF EXPERTS - FINLANDIA 95 10—15. May 1995 — HELSINKI We, the members of the Team of Experts, thank the Organizing Committee of FINLANDIA 95 to allow us to work with the Jury. We investigated more than 40 exhibits

 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 88 - July - August - September - 1995, Page 14.