Salvador Dali Fakes
Fine Art Registry® Investigation

Thumbs Down for Bernie Ewell - Sotheby's Says Decharnes Rules

AUCTION GIANT SOTHEBY'S WEIGHS IN...

[*Note: For Authentication expertise on Dali Prints and Graphics - individuals are directed to the world's recognized authority - The Dali Archives, New York — Frank Hunter, Director.]

On September 3, 2008, Sotheby's Vice President of Impressionist and Modern Art issued a formal written letter to Bruce Hochman of the Salvador Dali Gallery in San Juan Capistrano, California.

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For easy reading, the letter is quoted below in its entirety with emphasis (bolding) added by the editor:

It is important to note that well in advance of the completion of the Salvador Dali Fakes documentary video, Theresa Franks, CEO of Fine Art Registry made contact with Bernard Ewell requesting an interview (after arranging a mutually agreeable time with his office staff). After all, Fine Art Registry is always interested in presenting a fair and balanced view of our investigation and we were hoping to hear Ewell's side of the story - how he factored in to the whole Park West Gallery/Albaretto Dali equation. For example, we wanted to know whether he [Ewell] was really an 'independent third-party' as he and Park West Gallery maintain? We also wanted to know how is it that he believes he is qualified to render opinions/expertise/authentications on "original" works of art by Salvador Dali when he is simply an appraiser?

It is crystal clear from Mr. Uribe's letter that at least as far as Sotheby's is concerned; Bernard Ewell is a complete non-entity as it relates to the authentication of original paintings, drawings, and sculpture of Salvador Dali. Period. FAR expects that Christie's would agree with Sotheby's statement if contacted.

Having been presented with unequivocal evidence that Bernard Ewell is NOT a recognized authority on Salvador Dali, how is it that Park West Gallery and the cruise lines (who jointly venture with Park West Gallery and profit heavily from Park West Gallery sales, and who are indeed complicit in this whole mess) are permitted to continue to sell these spurious works of art to the public on land and at sea?

It is becoming increasingly clear that Bernard Ewell is not and never was a disinterested party when it came to the "authentication" of the Park West Gallery/Albaretto collection.

Needless to state, Bernard Ewell refused to grant Fine Art Registry an interview, claiming that Fine Art Registry/Theresa Franks had "not earned his [Ewell's] trust".

What say you now Park West Gallery? Bernard Ewell?

There is much, much more to come in our investigation. Stay tuned to www.FineArtRegistry.com, www.FineArtAdvocacy.com and www.SalvadorDaliFakes.com.

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