Commercial Painter, Rick Norsigian, thought he got a real deal when he talked the proprietor of a garage sale down $25 on some old, charred glass negatives 10 years ago. Just last week he learned his $25 dollar savings may have turned into a $200 million profit, if the negatives turn out to be the lost works of the famed photographer, Ansel Adams.
Authentication Points to Ansel Adams
Stored beneath his pool table for four years, the possible value of the negatives one day dawned on Norsigian, and he gathered them up and stowed them in a bank vault. It took an additional 6 years of research and authentication for the experts Norsigian contacted to come back with the verdict: beyond a reasonable doubt, the negatives were the works of Ansel Adams.
To date, the negatives have been studied by a photographic expert, a meteorologist, handwriting experts, an art expert, and an evidence-and-burden-of-proof expert who are all in agreement that the plates once belonged to Adams.
Ansel Adam's Estate Not Convinced
Despite the detailed authentication process that was carried out, family members and Adam's former business manager are not convinced. Matthew Adams, grandson of the famous photographer, was quoted as saying he felt it was "irresponsible" of Norsigian to promote the plates as belonging to Ansel Adams without more proof, such as carbon dating. (Duke)
William Turnage, Adam's former business manager, who is now the Managing Trustee of the Ansel Adams' Trust, went so far as to accuse Norsigian and his experts of perpetrating a con, a remark they took disparagingly.
Attorneys for Matthew Adams have argued vehemently not only that the plates are not the work of Adams, but that even if they are, they are valueless without Ansel himself around to print them.
California Woman Offers Third Explanation for Norsigian Plates
To complicate matters further, California resident, Miriam Walton, threw Norsigian's team another curve ball in July when she saw an image from the plates of the Jeffrey Pine on television. Hanging on the wall in her home was almost the identical image which she believed was taken by her own uncle Earl Brooks. Scott Nichols, The art expert sent in to examine her print, tends to agree with her. (Boehm)
Where the negatives go from here remains to be seen. As of the present time, Norsigian is going forward with the claim that they are authentically the works of Ansel Adams. Beginning in October, the plates will go on tour to colleges and universities for the enjoyment of Ansel Adams' fans across the country.
References
- Boehm, Mike: August 8, 2010, "Ansel Adams Garage Sale Find Debunked? Experts Say Shots are by Earl Brooks", Los Angeles Times/Entertainment, Accessed August 8, 2010
- Duke, Alan: July 27, 2010, "Experts: Ansel Adams Photos Found at Garage Sale Worth $200 million", CNN Entertainment, Accessed August 8, 2010
Anne Goetz - Anne Goetz is a full-time working mother of two with a degree in Communications. She has been a freelance web writer for a year with ...
