appraisals and authentication

I have been declining offers to appraise and authenticate the newer work by the surviving highwaymen who are currently painting and marketing their work.

With canvas transfers such as this:

Item number: 250507325072
ROY MCLENDON SR. CANVAS TRANSFER HIGHWAYMEN
YELLOW POINCIANA 1/100 PURCHASED DIRECTLY FROM ARTIST
http://cgi.ebay.com/ROY-MCLENDON-SR-CANVAS-TRANSFER-HIGHWAYMEN_W0QQitemZ250507325072QQcmdZViewItemQQptZArt_Paintings?hash=item3a53666e90&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

now being offered on eBay, I will now accept new paintings on canvas for physical inspection to determine exactly what they are.

Also, I know that there are quite a few giclee prints of Livingston Roberts' work, so I see a more pressing need for the naive collector to be protected from possible misrepresentation of these products.

I am not claiming that transfers, prints and giclees are worthless, far from it. They are, in fact, an opportunity for a collector to get a very affordable decorative piece of art by a favorite artist.

The true value of an original oil painting is considerably higher than that of a reproduction of the same scene. Scammers and crooks, of course, know this and use it to their advantage. EBay is a favorite place to misrepresent prints as original art, and it occurs much more often than you even want to know. If you think it's unusual, well.........dream on.

It takes a trained "eye" to determine the subtle differences in most cases. I've got that covered for you if you wish to take advantage.

Therefore I now offer to examine new paintings, or what LOOK LIKE new paintings by the highwaymen and issue certificates.

The fee will be the standard $ 100.00 per piece for my expert opinion.

Needless to say, you don't need this service if you are buying Robert Lewis's $ 75.00 five by sevens, but you might consider the service for a Roberts or McLendon with rare elements.

As "Protector of the Naive", I may sound a little arrogant, but keep this in mind, gentle reader, I am here for two reasons. To help you and to make a living as I do so.

No one, make that NO ONE, has more experience in this market.

I've seen a lot of highwaymen paintings, and a lot of art in general, but remember the words of Aerosmith's Steven Tyler:
"You ain't seen nuthin' til you're down on a muffin."