Semi Fakes?

Is this the scam that I think it is??
They represent this as a real Frida painting... of course at 600 bucks it's a bargain... real ones sell for tens of thousands.
They do at least say the origin/date was 1970-something. Frida died in 1954. I suppose that's their saving grace regarding integrity.... makes it just a semi-fake?
I could turn these out by the plenties and rule the market by charging only 100. Kidding!
This is just one dealer... in Mexico. I've seen similar semi-fakes. They seem to put prices on them that are expensive enough to make people assume they're real but not enough to inspire the kind of research that a 50k investment would inspire. It doesn't even say "after". It says "by" Frida.
Do people know it isn't real? And still pay 600 bucks for such??
Maybe I really SHOULD do a few, if people know they're fakes and... just don't care?
I would of course clearly label it REPRODUCTION!!!!
Nope, not gonna do it.
I've done repros on murals... clearly 20 times the size of the original, and not even trying to fool anybody. Carumba.
Am I completely missing something?
Thanks for listening.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Frida-Kahlo-Oil-on-Canvas-/321942555511

 

No wonder they state "No COA."

The date on the canvas is just fuzzy enough for someone to see what they want to see, even if they know that Frida was long departed at the date range given in item specifics.

Is that image a known self-portrait?

And I wouldn't call it "semi" anything. One of the black and white rules. Unless it was actually painted by Frida, it's either a reproduction of a known image or it's a fake to be represented in this way.

 

Thank you, Abuelita!
Yes, it's a documented self-portrait... no idea where it is, however.
Further grist for the faker's mill.

 

There is a long history of sellers on ebay selling paintings by well known artists with no provenance or guarantee. There is usually something in the wording or item details that serve as a disclaimer. Some may be just disingenuous chance listings by an individual that stumbled on to something they are not sure about. Others are outright forgeries being presented in deceptive ways.

There was one seller in Australia that continually had drawings and watercolors by famous artists that were clearly fakes. He always started them cheap at auction with some song and dance story about their origin. There were always multiple bidders with end prices in the hundreds. Lately, I have seen similar paintings coming from a seller in Hungary.

It is truly buyer beware. People bid on these things due to their own greed. The chance that they may get something valuable for pennies on the dollar causes them to override any caution that they might otherwise have.

 

Thanks, Brad. Man!

 

I just looked at the original image. Sheesh, really really BAD repro. Not even the same colors.

 

Oh! And the strange thing is - the Frida Kahlo Foundation will actually sell you a "hand painted" reproduction of any of the images they have. I certainly hope that they're better than the one in that listing.

 

Let's get a mob of angry townspeople with torches!

 

I didn't know that, Abuela. Thanks.

 

Sorry, could not resist. Had to be the "first one to write a review." Ebay says it will take some time to show up, they might remove it. But thought I would offer my expert opinion on this fake (it ain't good). A fake expert opinion that is only as fake as the painting.

 

Love that sellers "faked" feedback also BTW. 3 sales in past 6 months, all from the same private buyer, who I am sure bears a remarkable resemblance (a mirror image) to the seller.

 

CARUMBA!

 

Brad, not everyone buys a fake painting out of greed.
Sometimes it simply happens by deception.

 

I wonder if there was ever a genuine painting(or sculpture) of a dead famous artist offered (and sold) at e bay?

 

I understand and didn't mean it quite the way it came out. It is greed that makes people overlook the red flags and behave illogically. Being truly duped is another issue altogether.

 

My review is on that listing now. You can click to say whether the review is helpful or not.

 

Thank you!!!
Awesome!!!!

 

LOVE THE REVIEW, Lefton!

hah : I didn't realize ebay had a "review" column! Thanks!

Yeah Brad, I was simply duped once on ebay, discovered the truth later.

 

Never reviewed something before. Surprised it "stuck" with the relisting. I see 2 ebay users found it useful, and also see there is a report button so I suspect it could be reported and probably removed if it was reported. I could find no further info in the help section about ratings or reviews. Have to wonder if it is a "feature" that just shows up on low feedback number users? Point being I had no idea ebay had a review column either, and can find no further info on the topic.