Keith Haring Drawing Unable To Sell At Auction Houses After Lawsuit

(MENAFN- USA Art News) A Keith Haring drawing, which a Superior Court judge in Connecticut declared authentic, was ultimately unsellable by major auction houses like Christie's and Sotheby's due to insufficient provenance records. The gallery that initially sold the artwork prevailed in a lawsuit over the matter.

As reported by Greenwich Time, Nevada businessman Vernon Hartung purchased the flying saucers drawing from Martin Lawrence Galleries for $165,000 in 2018. However, when he attempted to consign it with Christie's and Sotheby's, both auction houses stated that the artwork's documented history“did not meet their requirements for selling a Haring drawing as an authentic work,” according to trial records. Martin Lawrence Galleries then offered to sell the piece on Hartung's behalf, but he rejected potential prices between $20,000 and $30,000 as too low. He subsequently sued the gallery, alleging breach of contract and other violations under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act.

In a written decision issued in May, Judge Robert L. Genuario determined the drawing to be authentic“by a preponderance of the evidence,” referencing a 2002 letter from Richard Hambleton, a friend of Haring known for collecting the artist's ephemeral subway works. Nevertheless, when the drawing's credentials failed to meet market standards, Hartung“argued the gallery effectively sold him something that could not be authenticated to standards required by top auction houses.” Hartung ultimately lost his case after failing to prove the drawing was inauthentic or that the gallery had breached its warranty, and he was ordered to cover the defendant's attorney's fees related to the suit.

Source: ARTnews

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