Ronald D. Spencer is counsel to the New York City law firm of Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP where he specializes in art law and foundation law. He is expert in the legal aspects of art authentication issues, advises several committees and boards of art authentication experts, and has helped defend legal claims involving decisions on authenticity.
"This important collection of essays makes clear that lawyers and
courts now perform a crucial function in the art world both in
avoiding and in resolving disputes regarding the authenticity and
attribution of works of art.... As [Spencer] writes, 'one goal of
this book is to help lawyers advise their clients and judges to
arrive at more informed decisions'.... Mr. Spencer has succeeded
admirably. For both lawyers and other art market professionals,
this book
should become required reading."--New York Law Journal
"[These] contributions of acknowledged and eminent
experts...express, undoubtedly, the best of contemporary thought on
matters such as attribution, cataloguing, scientific testing, and
'the trade.'"--The New Criterion
"Ronald Spencer has put together a series of excellent essays
written by leaders in the field and true connoisseurs. Spencer
takes a look at this elephant of a topic from many different points
of view and will leave the reader vastly more knowledgeable....
This is an essential book for attorneys involved in the art
business and a wakeup call for the industry to provide a forum in
which an unbiased consensus can be made about art attributions by
the scholars
qualified to make them.... An unequivocal endorsement of The Expert
versus the Object is in order."--Antiques Weekly
"This book is a valuable guide to the pitfalls and traps in the
authentication of works of art and the legal ramifications
thereof.... Provide[s] a roadmap for amateurs that locates most of
the traps. It is also valuable in spelling out the specialised
field of art law."--The Art Newspaper
"[An] exceptionally absorbing fresh anthology of articles about
authenticating fake artworks.... Spencer's volume, with its sound
contributions from 14 experts, will provide the potential art buyer
virtually all the tantalizing questions needed to help him make an
informed purchase and should not dissuade such a buyer from
transacting."--IFAR Journal
"In this instructive book, art-world attorney Ronald D. Spencer
attempts to demystify authentication by inviting a group of experts
to weigh in on the subject.... Spencer sets a fine table for a
compelling discussion about authenticity."--Artnews
"Well produced; reasonably priced. Highly recommended."--Choice
"This book raises and answers a number of fascinating questions
relating to the authenticity of works of art. It addresses both the
practical and philosophical issues involved in connoisseurship and
authentication, and it very nicely connects those issues to the
legal disputes that arise when the authenticity of a work of art is
challenged. The Expert Versus the Object brings together essays by
a wide range of specialists in various fields and is an
essential source for anyone who is interested in buying,
collecting, studying, or simply looking at art."--Jack Flam,
Distinguished Professor of Art History, City University of New
York
"This excellent book is about a very interesting and perplexing
question: How do we ascertain who created a particular painting,
sculpture, etc? When such a question is presented in a court of
law, what information and criteria would a judge use to form his
opinion?"--Robert Mnuchin, Chairman, C&M Arts, New York
City
"A thorough and highly readable exposition of the processes
involved in authenticating and attributing works of art and the
issues they pose in varied aspects of the art world. Eloquently
addressing the legal complications which can inhibit the expression
of expert opinions, this book will further a better understanding
of how such challenges should be weighed in our courts, as well as
in our minds."--Richard E. Oldenburg, Honorary Chairman, Sotheby's,
North
and South America, and Director Emeritus, The Museum of Modern Art,
New York
"Required reading for anyone who owns or buys a work of art."--Joel
Wachs, President, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual
Arts
"[These] contributions of acknowledged and eminent
experts...express, undoubtedly, the best of contemporary thought on
matters such as attribution, cataloguing, scientific testing, and
'the trade.'"--The New Criterion
"This important collection of essays makes clear that lawyers and
courts now perform a crucial function in the art world both in
avoiding and in resolving disputes regarding the authenticity and
attribution of works of art.... As [Spencer] writes, 'one goal of
this book is to help lawyers advise their clients and judges to
arrive at more informed decisions'.... Mr. Spencer has succeeded
admirably. For both lawyers and other art market professionals,
this book
should become required reading."--New York Law Journal
"Ronald Spencer has put together a series of excellent essays
written by leaders in the field and true connoisseurs. Spencer
takes a look at this elephant of a topic from many different points
of view and will leave the reader vastly more knowledgeable....
This is an essential book for attorneys involved in the art
business and a wakeup call for the industry to provide a forum in
which an unbiased consensus can be made about art attributions by
the scholars
qualified to make them.... An unequivocal endorsement of The Expert
versus the Object is in order."--Antiques Weekly
"This book is a valuable guide to the pitfalls and traps in the
authentication of works of art and the legal ramifications
thereof.... Provide[s] a roadmap for amateurs that locates most of
the traps. It is also valuable in spelling out the specialised
field of art law."--The Art Newspaper
"[An] exceptionally absorbing fresh anthology of articles about
authenticating fake artworks.... Spencer's volume, with its sound
contributions from 14 experts, will provide the potential art buyer
virtually all the tantalizing questions needed to help him make an
informed purchase and should not dissuade such a buyer from
transacting."--IFAR Journal
"In this instructive book, art-world attorney Ronald D. Spencer
attempts to demystify authentication by inviting a group of experts
to weigh in on the subject.... Spencer sets a fine table for a
compelling discussion about authenticity."--Artnews
"Well produced; reasonably priced. Highly recommended."--Choice
"This book raises and answers a number of fascinating questions
relating to the authenticity of works of art. It addresses both the
practical and philosophical issues involved in connoisseurship and
authentication, and it very nicely connects those issues to the
legal disputes that arise when the authenticity of a work of art is
challenged. The Expert Versus the Object brings together essays by
a wide range of specialists in various fields and is an
essential source for anyone who is interested in buying,
collecting, studying, or simply looking at art."--Jack Flam,
Distinguished Professor of Art History, City University of New
York
"This excellent book is about a very interesting and perplexing
question: How do we ascertain who created a particular painting,
sculpture, etc? When such a question is presented in a court of
law, what information and criteria would a judge use to form his
opinion?"--Robert Mnuchin, Chairman, C&M Arts, New York
City
"A thorough and highly readable exposition of the processes
involved in authenticating and attributing works of art and the
issues they pose in varied aspects of the art world. Eloquently
addressing the legal complications which can inhibit the expression
of expert opinions, this book will further a better understanding
of how such challenges should be weighed in our courts, as well as
in our minds."--Richard E. Oldenburg, Honorary Chairman, Sotheby's,
North
and South America, and Director Emeritus, The Museum of Modern Art,
New York
"Required reading for anyone who owns or buys a work of art."--Joel
Wachs, President, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts
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