Hey, art-loving detectives! We’ve got a mystery on our hands – a stolen Marc Chagall print that everyone thought was worth a whopping $100,000 might be way less valuable than we think. Let’s dive into this art caper and see what’s really going on.
The Big Heist: $100,000 Chagall Print Goes Missing!
Picture this: A fancy gallery in NYC, a cool Chagall lithograph called “Eve” (1971), and a gang of thieves making off with a supposed $100,000 masterpiece from Carlton Fine Arts on Madison Avenue. That’s the scene in September – a real art-world drama!
Art World Shock: Tipster Drops a Bomb!
Hold on to your detective hats – an art-savvy reader tipped off Artnet News, saying the stolen print might not be the golden goose everyone thinks. Our mystery detective – let’s call them Art Sleuth – reveals that a similar Chagall print from the same batch sold at a Phillips auction for just over $12,000, not the big bucks everyone assumed.
Gallery Owner’s Pricey Claim: $100,000 Tag Raises Eyebrows!
When the gallery owner, Charles Saffati, said the stolen print was worth a cool $100,000, people were scratching their heads. But wait, that’s the retail value, he says. Cue the dramatic music! 🎶
Reader’s Clue: Auction Prices Spill the Beans!
Our Art Sleuth digs into auction records and finds out that a print from the same edition sold for $12,065 at Phillips. Hold up – that’s way less than the gallery’s big claim! Detective work at its finest, folks.
The Numbers Game: Print Edition Fetches Various Prices!
Let’s break it down: Print number 7 from the edition sold for around $12,000 at Phillips. Print number 44 went for $8,600 at Bonhams, and print number 15 bagged $6,000 in a 2015 auction. So, are we dealing with a pricey masterpiece or a steal?
Art Sleuth’s Verdict: Thieves Took a Bargain, Not a Fortune!
Our brilliant tipster puts it all together: The thieves swiped an $8,000 print, the gallery was touting it for $100,000, and the crooks might be hoping to sell it for $50,000 – if they’re lucky. What a plot twist in the art industry!
NYPD on the Hunt: Three Suspects on the Loose!
Meanwhile, the NYPD is playing detective too, searching for three suspects – one light-skinned, one dark-skinned, and a mystery third person. The hunt for the stolen Chagall continues!
There you have it, art detectives! The case of the not-so-pricey Chagall print – a real rollercoaster ride in the art world. Keep those magnifying glasses handy, and stay tuned for more art mysteries!
