I can't help but notice that NONE of the auction houses or dealers who sold
Universal fakes as middlemen have come forward and admitted to having done
so. The only name that has been mentioned is Profiles in History and they
were "outed".
What is the responsibility of those auction houses or dealers who sold
Universal fakes towards their customers? If they long ago paid their
consignors, can they simply say, "Sorry, but I was fooled just as much as
you were, and therefore I have no liability at all?" Can the buyer sue the
people who made the fakes even though they didn't purchase them directly?
If some auction houses or dealers are making restitution to those who
purchased fakes from them, is this all going on the honor system? Are any
law enforcement agencies involved in investigating who the fakes were sold
to, and/or making any efforts to see that restitution is made by the
middlemen, or to prosecute those who made the fakes?
I wish those who unwittingly sold these fakes would publicly address how
they are dealing with the situation, and whether or not they are voluntarily
making restitution to those who were cheated. I would think this would not
be any source of embarrassment for them (I have publicly stated that is is
quite likely I myself would have been fooled by these, if they are as good
as people have said, and therefore I myself might well have unknowingly
cheated people by auctioning them). But had I done so, I would have refunded
the buyers as soon as I discovered the scam, and began legal proceedings
against those who sent me the fakes, and I think the hobby would have
applauded me for doing so.
Some of you have made it clear you hate my posts on this subject. You
have ridiculed me or in essence told me this is none of my business. But I
keep getting contacted by collectors who were cheated who DO want answers to
these questions, but are afraid to post publicly . I want to help them not
only do I want to help see that right is done, but also because I want to
protect the integrity of this hobby which provides me with my living.
If anyone has anything of substance to post, I am all ears. And it is also
fine if people who want to stay out of the public spotlight keep contacting
me privately.
Bruce
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