eBay

discountauctionhouse · ‎04-30-2020

What are the Ebay rules for selling hand painted reproductions of a painting?

The painting would be a different size of the original and the original artists name would not be signed on the painting.

discountauctionhouse · ‎05-01-2020

Here is how my ad would read on Ebay if I did this.

Reproduction hand painted by a descendent of the original artist.

The painting would be signed with a different name but the same last name as the original artist and dated 2020.

Would I have to prove this to be true or would it not matter who did the painting since I am saying its a reproduction?

melda58 · ‎05-01-2020

A few questions to help me and maybe others understand your apparent dilemma ...hope I'm not being too nosy:

Is the original artist, whom I gather is a relative of yours, someone of note? A listed artist? Is the original painting in your possession? Is this person deceased? If not deceased, would this person know you are copying the painting? And why do you want to paint a copy of this painting?

Rita

argon38 · ‎05-01-2020

@discountauctionhouse wrote:
Here is how my ad would read on Ebay if I did this.
Reproduction hand painted by a descendent of the original artist.
The painting would be signed with a different name but the same last name as the original artist and dated 2020.
Would I have to prove this to be true or would it not matter who did the painting since I am saying its a reproduction?

If you're telling buyers that they are hand-painted by the descendant of the artist, then clearly they must be hand-painted by the descendant in person. Otherwise it's misleading. If the reproductions are going to be signed by yourself but painted by others then you would have to be open and honest about that in the description.

587035 · ‎05-01-2020

When I was working in art moving in Manhattan during the 90's there was this artist Mike Bidlo. He copied many famous artists works and titled them "Not Picasso" or "Not DeKooning", and also included his signature on the paintings. He was pretty successful for a while. Maybe a route like that may work for you.

greg

maxine*j · ‎05-01-2020

Mark Bidlo is a significant artist, with a huge talent and a long and interesting career. I think that appropriation art, assuming it's right to call his work that you mention that, has a larger purpose than just trading off the fame of the original artist to try to make a buck. MNHO.

argon38 · ‎05-01-2020

You sometimes come across first edition books of famous authors signed by more or less distant relatives. They can have a certain curiosity value, but they're rarely great money-spinners. It's the personal creative genius of the author/artist that matters most to collectors, not family ties.

maxine*j · ‎05-01-2020

@argon38 wrote:
You sometimes come across first edition books of famous authors signed by more or less distant relatives. They can have a certain curiosity value, but they're rarely great money-spinners. It's the personal creative genius of the author/artist that matters most to collectors, not family ties.

Right.

Now, I am the descendent of a famous author. Can I have a facsimile copy of one of his novels printed, but with my first name and our shared surname as the author and sign it so on the title page? And if I could, who'd want to buy it?

587035 · ‎05-01-2020

Mike, not Mark

greg

argon38 · ‎05-02-2020

@587035 wrote:
Mike, not Mark

You mean, Mike NOT Mark? 😀

maxine*j · ‎05-02-2020

@argon38 wrote:
@587035 wrote:
Mike, not Mark
You mean, Mike NOT Mark? 😀

Hmmmmm... Interesting idea... So now I make meticulous copy of this painting and call it Not Bidlow's Not Pollock...

discountauctionhouse · ‎05-02-2020

My concern is being accused of trying to capitalize off the name of the original artist by saying I am related to get more money for the reproduction.

Since I am saying its a reproduction does the rest of the things I say even matter?

Here is what I don't want to happen someone buying the painting then saying I did not really do the painting and I am not really related to the original artists and it was only a story I made up in order to sell the painting for more.

That is why I ask would I have to prove I am really related to the artist and I was the one that did the painting?

argon38 · ‎05-02-2020

@discountauctionhouse wrote:
My concern is being accused of trying to capitalize off the name of the original artist by saying I am related to get more money for the reproduction.
Since I am saying its a reproduction does the rest of the things I say even matter?
Here is what I don't want to happen someone buying the painting then saying I did not really do the painting and I am not really related to the original artists and it was only a story I made up in order to sell the painting for more.
That is why I ask would I have to prove I am really related to the artist and I was the one that did the painting

I think you'd have to provide some credible evidence of the family connection in your description, since that is your selling point. Or at least offer to provide documentary proof to anyone who asks. If you can't easily prove the connection then you might have some difficulty because, as you say, anybody can claim anything.

maxine*j · ‎05-02-2020

@discountauctionhouse wrote:
My concern is being accused of trying to capitalize off the name of the original artist by saying I am related to get more money for the reproduction.... That is why I ask would I have to prove I am really related to the artist and I was the one that did the painting?

But that's exactly what you are doing, trying to make capital of being related to someone famous. So, yes, you'd have to prove your claims that you did the copy of the painting and that you are related to the original artist, since those are the very basis for the sale.

I will tell you, though, that even in "branding" mad America you may wait a long, long time between sales.

If you're so good a copyist that you can duplicate famous works, why not just loosen up a bit and paint originals?

discountauctionhouse · ‎05-04-2020

I would not be doing the painting but I would sign it. I think if I just leave out that I am related to the original artist I would be OK.

maxine*j · ‎05-04-2020

@discountauctionhouse wrote:
I would not be doing the painting but I would sign it. I think if I just leave out that I am related to the original artist I would be OK.

I'm going to laugh and leave, seeing now that you've been having me on all this time. Happy trolling, whoever you are!