Re: Interesting story in LA Times
I am the entertainment attorney who has been working with a group of experts for the past three years to once and for all prove that over 60 glass negatives purchased at a Fresno garage sale were in fact created by Ansel Adams. Our experts included two court qualified hand-writing analysts, the former Curator of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and a meteorologist who was engaged to examine an authenticated Ansel Adams print and one virtually identical negative among those found at the garage sale. The task of this expert was to determine whether by looking at the cloud formation, shadows and snow drifts, it was possible to determine if the two images were captured on the same day and at the same time. Last but not least, on our team was Mr. Patrick Alt who I had the pleasure to work with and learn from. His expertise in this area is beyond reproach. After obtaining written reports from these experts, we asked a former FBI Agent and Section Chief and a former Assistant United States Attorney and Legal Commentator on ABC News to tell us if the evidence was sufficient under the highest standard used in US courts (beyond a reasonable doubt). In essence, we put the negatives on trial. We anticipate releasing the final results of our investigation later this month. If you are interested in being notified of the results and findings, please register at www.ricknorsigian.com. As an added inducement, those individuals who register on the website will have the opportunity to view before anyone else in the world 17 never before seen photographs we believe were created by Ansel Adams.
Re: Interesting story in LA Times
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Brian C. Miller
The photos look nice, but I don't think they are Adam's. The LA Time's photo #5 has a road in it, and I don't think Adams would have framed it that way. The photo #7 in the guy's hand (attached) doesn't like Adams.
I wonder if these were from Albert Bender, the guy who owned a 1926 Buick and was Adam's road buddy. Consider it: who else photographs their car?
Brian,,
This is most pleasing and mysterious
Re: Interesting story in LA Times
Quote:
Originally Posted by
apeter
I am the entertainment attorney who has been working with a group of experts for the past three years to once and for all prove that over 60 glass negatives purchased at a Fresno garage sale were in fact created by Ansel Adams. Our experts included two court qualified hand-writing analysts, the former Curator of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and a meteorologist who was engaged to examine an authenticated Ansel Adams print and one virtually identical negative among those found at the garage sale. The task of this expert was to determine whether by looking at the cloud formation, shadows and snow drifts, it was possible to determine if the two images were captured on the same day and at the same time. Last but not least, on our team was Mr. Patrick Alt who I had the pleasure to work with and learn from. His expertise in this area is beyond reproach. After obtaining written reports from these experts, we asked a former FBI Agent and Section Chief and a former Assistant United States Attorney and Legal Commentator on ABC News to tell us if the evidence was sufficient under the highest standard used in US courts (beyond a reasonable doubt). In essence, we put the negatives on trial. We anticipate releasing the final results of our investigation later this month. If you are interested in being notified of the results and findings, please register at
www.ricknorsigian.com. As an added inducement, those individuals who register on the website will have the opportunity to view before anyone else in the world 17 never before seen photographs we believe were created by Ansel Adams.
When you say you are putting the negatives "on trial," do you mean you're presenting these various expert opinions in a court or administrative proceeding so that the "other side" (i.e. the Adams family and anyone else who disagrees) have an opportunity to cross-examine these various experts and/or to present their own witnesses? Or is only your side being presented?
Without knowing anything about this question other than what I've read in this thread and a few newspaper accounts, it strikes me that this is a situation in which one "side" (i.e.your client) cares greatly about the attribution of these images and so has gone to a whole lot of time, trouble, and expense in an effort to obtain the result he wants. But that those holding an opposite viewpoint (i.e. those who disagree with his desired attribution) don't have a sufficient interest (monetary or otherwise) to put forth a similar amount of time, effort, and money in an effort to obtain the opposite result. So that this is like a trial in which only one side shows up.
Re: Interesting story in LA Times
Dang, when somebody sez "lawyer" I just gotta wince- like I would trust ANY statement made by one-NOT!
Re: Interesting story in LA Times
Quote:
Originally Posted by
EdWorkman
Dang, when somebody sez "lawyer" I just gotta wince- like I would trust ANY statement made by one-NOT!
That's unfair. My lawyers have been informed and helpful in my time of need, and earned their money. If I were in legal proceedings without a lawyer I'd be SOL.
Re: Interesting story in LA Times
As I understand it, Brett only destroyed a few negs, mostly as show.
About the Fresno negs, there are some things that were not mentioned in the article. First, of the negs that AA lost in the 1938 fire, many had been printed or proofed before and these images of those burned negs survive. Is it not odd that a print or proof of none of the Fresno negs has been found? Second, there are a number of negs in the Fresno negs that are of a subject not ever known to have been photographed by AA. Maybe these are the "17" that "apeter" talks about above.
Re: Interesting story in LA Times
apeter,
Definitive evidence that these plates were or were not associated with Adams might be obtained by microscopically comparing the edges of the images on these plates with plates known to be made by Adams in the same period. The plate holder edge leaves a shadow on the plate that is a unique "finger print".
If these shadows are sharp and clear enough, a match would provide unequivocal evidence that these plates were made in holders used by Adams for other images.
I expect your experts are on top of this already, as museum professionals familiar with photography would expect to see the edge examination and comparison data as part of the evidence brought forward. I wish you well with your work to identify the provinence of these plates.
Bill Peters
Vice-President
Alberta Museums Association
Ansel Adams photos found at garage sale
Re: Ansel Adams photos found at garage sale worth $200 million
The story is mostly old but what i new to me is the plan to sell prints from the negs--a quick Google and here we are:
http://ricknorsigian.com/norsigian_purchase.html
A mere $7500 a pict...
But at least we get to see the images (at last) and make our own conclusions about whether they are Ansel's or not...
--Darin
Re: Ansel Adams photos found at garage sale worth $200 million
with tongue firmly in cheek....
I fully expect this "flooding the market" of Ansel's work to result in a significant DECREASE in the price of actual AA original prints. If we all wait 3 weeks we ought to be able to pick up a Genuine AA print for about $130......