Anyone looking to buy paintings by J.F. Tidemanis, buyer beware. This is an update to my previous post. Search words: TIDEMANIS or BULGARIA.
Returned 12 paintings to 4 sellers in Bulgaria that had been listed as painted by J.F. Tidemanis (died 1964). Thankfully, Paypal has been extremely supportive and I have received full refunds on each transaction. But in order to get my money back, the paintings needed to be returned to the sellers.
Now, to my dismay, they are popping up for sale again on ebay. Two just sold, one today (Nov. 18) and one yesterday (17).
Nothing was changed. Forged Tidemanis still being used to generate bids.
Called ebay THREE times to report these lsitings as art fraud. They assured me that that they would be removed because the evidence was clear that the signature was forged onto previously unsold, worthless "art".
So I cannot state clearly enough. Any painting listed as Tidemanis from sellers in Bulgaria are not Tidemanis paintings! These unscupulous sellers take unsold paintings, paint over the previous artist's name, or cut the bottom off the canvas that has the original artisit's name, or find unsigned pieces and then add J.F. Tidemanis.
There is a third painting that I have returned that was previously listed as Tidemanis that had the original artist's name painted over and changed to Tidemanis, has now been changed AGAIN, Tidemanis name painted over, the painting itself altered to hide the change, and a new name added.
If it wasn't so sad, I'd be laughing.
But I am also upset and angry that this has been allowed to repeat.
Ebay DID NOTHING except soothe me with platitudes about looking into removing them, sanctioning the sellers, and keeping ebay "safe".
Well, now two more buyers have been duped into buying paintings that they think are Tidemanis, but are not.
Any suggestions?
