Thank you, Bob. Pulling it for further evaluation is the prudent thing to do. I applaud the decision. If you can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is authentic, utilizing multiple and trusted sources, this thread will be a blessing in disguise for your next auction as the piece will garner more bidders than it would have otherwise gotten given the skepticism. I, for one, however, believe that the authentication results won't be pleasant.
As for contacting you directly, in retrospect, perhaps I should have. I understand your point of view, but hope that you understand mine too. You came on a public forum to advertise your offerings. My intent was to have a potential forgery pulled from the marketplace and not have a buyer endure the cost and hassle of later realizing he was taken. John's visual, side-by-side comparisons were invaluable. This forum is to help educate and advance the hobby. That's what was done and private emails would not have accomplished this.
Lastly, your initial concern about its authenticity given your knowledge of prior reproductions casts a darker shadow. Comparing your example to Heritage's is commendable, though why not delve a bit deeper, especially on a $20k+ lot that is the star of your inaugural auction? If you can reference Sotheby's hammer price, perhaps comparing your piece to theirs would have been appropriate.
This is not a pissing match and I don't want to diverge too far from my initial intent of thanking you for pulling the lot. A mistake was made. I make them, you make them, we all make them. They will continue to be made by all of us to varying degrees. I'm content that the proper action was taken and useful knowledge has been disseminated to the broader hobby.
Jerry
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