Washburn Gallery

Revdex.com:At this time, I have not been contacted by Washburn Gallery regarding complaint ID ***.Sincerely,*** ***

Review: Regarding an artwork at the gallery, the gallery director told me, the condition is excellent and the painting is in perfect condition. She made no mention of condition concerns. But at one point I noted a faint line in the sky, to which she responded it was a stretcher mark. Prerequisite to purchase, I asked for a condition report; she stated, The conservators report will follow. It will be short because there really is nothing to discuss. The report indicated: 1) The line in the sky, is cause by by the stretcher bars; 2) the painting is in perfect condition.I purchased it believing the only condition issue was the faint line in the sky. It was delivered to me by the gallery and had evidence of new transit damage. A different conservator produced a condition report documenting the transit damage; but pertinent to the present issue, it documented preexisting (i.e., not recent transit-related) damage of long standing. This old damage was easily visible in casual observation using ordinary illumination, soiled, and confirmed as old by museum records from 10 years prior. Diagrammatic depiction of the preexisting damage showed it to be extensive and far beyond the single line in the sky that the gallerys condition report mentioned.An appraisal analyzed how the undisclosed preexisting damage would have impacted the purchase price had the gallery fully disclosed the preexisting damage.I asked the gallery director to discuss this; her reply was, As far as we are concerned, there is nothing to discuss. I provided her with the condition report and appraisal; to my surprise, she directed these to her insurer. Despite multiple attempts to ask them why and if this non-disclosure prior to purchase would potentially be a liability covered by the gallerys insurance, both gallery and insurer refused to answer.The gallerys insurer did provide a letter stating any claim was denied because 1) the pre-purchase condition report did outline all of the pre-purchase condition issues and 2) the gallery director went out of her way to point out to me the condition issues prior to purchase. Supported by full documentation (available) for the above, I disagree completely with the gallerys insurers statements, and they provide no evidence/documentation to support their statements. It remains unclear to me why an insurer would have any role in this matter in any case.Desired Settlement: I respectfully ask that the gallery provide reimbursement for the preexisting damage that it did not accurately represent to the purchaser prior to purchase (by way of its own description, as well as later by the condition report it solicited and provided), amount indicated in the appraisal.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Washburn Gallery regarding complaint ID [redacted].Sincerely,[redacted]