TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Real Or Fake? Art Dealer Scams Buyers, Police Say

The phony "Battle of Trafalgar" is seen on top in an image from the city of Sarasota. On the bottom is the authentic painting by Patrick Livingstone in an image from Quidley & Company, a Nantucket, Mass.-based gallery that sells Livingstone's work.

ADVERTISEMENT

By ANTHONY CORMIER

The Sarasota Herald Tribune

Published: July 2, 2008

SARASOTA - An art dealer had a local painter duplicate a famous masterwork, the "Battle of Trafalgar," and passed it off as a $21,000 original, police say.

Timothy Dowling, 60, was arrested this morning for grand theft.

In 2006, an elderly art collector called Dowling at his shop, Abbott Galleries on St. Armands Circle. The collector, Nelson Dane Jr., asked for help finding an original of the "Battle of Trafalgar" by famed artist Patrick Livingstone.

Dane left a deposit and waited to hear back.

In the meantime, Dowling paid a local artist, Beverly Fleming, about $400 to duplicate the renowned piece.

"He said he liked the way I painted ships and that he wanted me to paint the 'Battle of Trafalgar' so he could hang it in his den," Fleming said. "I had no idea he was going to try and pass it off as authentic."

One day last year, Dowling delivered the fake to the collector. The painting came with a signature and an engraving that said it was commissioned by the original artist, Livingstone, authorities reported.

The collector, Dane, knew it was bogus. And Fleming was "floored" when she saw the engraving. She also told police that the work was fake.

Dowling, whose galleries are closed, was jailed for theft and authorities believe he may have pulled a similar scam to others.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT