[MSN] Phoenix, AZ. Expert Finds Fingerprints on Alleged Jackson Pollock Painting Were Forged.

[MSN]

Expert Finds Fingerprints on Alleged Jackson Pollock Painting Were Forged

 	
Newswire Today - /newswire/ - Phoenix, AZ, United States, 04/09/2008 -
Commissioned by Global Fine Art Registry, LLC., world renowned fingerprint
forgery and fabrication detection specialist, Pat Wertheim, examined
fingerprints found on an alleged Jackson Pollock painting and found them to
be forged. 	 
 	
In 2007, veteran fingerprint expert Thomas Hanley, commissioned by Fine Art
Registry, examined and reported on fingerprints claimed by Peter Paul Biro
to prove that a painting which was then in the possession of the of Long
Island family, was created by abstract expressionist painter Jackson
Pollock. Tom Hanley's examination cast sufficient doubt on Paul Biro's
report to prompt him to recommend to Fine Art Registry CEO, Theresa Franks,
that she retain fingerprint forgery expert, Pat Wertheim, to investigate
further.

In October 2007, Pat Wertheim accompanied Thomas Hanley to view the
fingerprints on the canvas and stretcher of the painting at the Long Island
home of its then owners, where they gathered additional samples, photos and
other evidence. They then visited the Pollock-Krasner house where Thomas
Hanley made MikrosilR casts of the fingerprint on the paint can used by Biro
for comparison in his "authentication" of the painting. From these casts,
Hanley made rubber "stamps" of the fingerprint and from these produced inked
prints which were then photographed. Pat Wertheim then enhanced and studied
photos of all of the fingerprints in question and published his findings in
a report just released on the Fine Art Registry website today.

A summary of his findings follows:
"An examination of fingerprints found on a painting belonging to a Long
Island family, purported to match those found on a paint can in Jackson
Pollock's studio and therefore to be fingerprints of the famous abstract
expressionist, thereby "proving" that the painting was by Jackson Pollock
and worth up to $100 million, were examined by myself at the request of
Global Fine Art Registry, LLC. My investigation and examination led to the
conclusion that the fingerprints on the painting indeed match one on a paint
can in Jackson Pollock's studio. However, I also concluded that the
fingerprints on the painting were forged, placed there by means of an inked
rubber stamp made from a cast taken from the print on the paint can in the
Pollock studio." (Excerpted from Pat Wertheim's report)

The full report can be read on the Fine Art Registry website.

Commenting on this investigation, Pat Wertheim said, "This is only the
second known case of fingerprint forgery in the history of the science, the
other one dating back to 1946 when Nedelkoff, the safe burglar, forged
fingerprints to cover up his crimes."

In an email to the owners of the painting, dated 10 Jan 2005, Paul Biro
stated: "You are so lucky. I am able to confirm a match to a print that
appears on a paint can in the Pollock Krasner House. It is also the same
print as the one on Teri Horton's painting. The print is extremely hard to
image. It is going to take work and it will take time to document it
satisfactorily.." And in the conclusion of a final "Forensic Report" of 20
October 2005 he states: "As stated on the attached Comparison Chart,
Fingerprint A and Fingerprint B were created by the same finger. Based on
the foregoing, until the present evidence is disproved, based on the
foregoing evidence I am personally satisfied that the painting under
examination here is indeed a work by Jackson Pollock. The connection of the
painting with the hand that handled the blue paint can is compelling
evidence." He also states that, "The fingerprint comparison is based on
accepted procedures and standards."

Informed of the findings of the examination, the former owners told Fine Art
Registry that they had in the meantime sold the painting using Paul Biro's
"authentication" report, which was based only on the forged fingerprints as
evidence of "authenticity." They did not reveal the details of the sale. 

The fact that Biro claims this is "the same fingerprint" as he found on the
back of Teri Horton's painting raises obvious doubts about that
"authentication" as well, but the painting, Teri's Find which was recently
for sale on eBay for $21 million, has not been made available for
examination.

Pat Wertheim will first discuss this case, the second ever documented case
of true fingerprint forgery in the history of the science of fingerprint
examination and analysis, at the April 8 and 9 conference of the Nebraska
Chapter of the International Association for Identification (IAI - the
world's oldest and largest forensic organization) at the Eugene Mahoney
State Park in Ashland, NE. He will also present the case at the California
State Division IAI conference in May 2008 and again at the IAI's 93rd
International Educational Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, in August
2008.

Theresa Franks, CEO of Fine Art Registry, said, "We are very proud to be
able to announce the conclusion of this examination and investigation which
has revealed a conspiracy to use forged 'forensic' evidence to authenticate
art. We hope that the authorities will take appropriate action against those
involved in the conspiracy to help protect the public against further fraud
of this nature. There is a place for forensic science in the authentication
of art, but it must be only carried out by qualified, trusted and honest
scientists. This investigation is the first of its kind in art history. Fine
Art Registry's mission is to help bring order to the world of art and this
is a step in that direction."

Fine Art RegistryT is today's only high tech solution to the age old
problems that have existed in the art world since before the Ancient Greeks:
How to establish provenance, prove authenticity and ownership, prevent
forgery and fakery, deter theft and, basically, make it possible to create,
buy and sell works of art with the security of knowing that they are what
they claim to be. Full information on FARR and how the system of tagging and
registering art is available on the Fine Art Registry website.

http://www.newswiretoday.com/