EFTA00772602.pdf

From: "Al seckel" To: "Jeffrey Epstein" <jeevacation@gmail.com> Subject: Re: Fw: FW: Inquiry regarding selling an autographed portrait of Sir Isaac Newton (oil on canvas) by Sir Godfrey Kneller 1689 Date: The, 07 Jul 2009 15:26:33 +0000 There was further discussion after this... They wanted to put in a very low estimate to attract potential buyers (this is standard) and they said that it "very well greatly exceed this value range." The statement by the guy about it's worth between 200 and 300 pounds was made BEFORE they examined, and then, they did, and it turned out right. After I received this email, we discussed the matter, and they did wish to revise their estimate, as it was still too tied into the "art" market, and prices of Kneller, and not taking into account, various institutions and individuals who were not necessarily in the art market, but wanted Newton. We discussed prices of a Principia and other Newton memorabilia have sold fro, which they were unaware of. They agreed with this, which was outlined in the letter from Jay Dillon formerly from Christies. I was dealing with art people, not people who appreciate Isaac Newton. There's a different market... I just decided to hang on to the painting and not go through with the sale. Didn't need the funds at the time anyway. Also, I turned down a legitimate offer of 600K from a dealer. From: Jeffrey Epstein <jeevacation@gmail.com> To: Al seckel < Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2009 8:18:12 AM Subject: Re: Fw: FW: Inquiry regarding selling an autographed portrait of Sir Isaac Newton (oil on canvas) by Sir Godfrey Kneller 1689 these emails say that IF it we examined it might be worth between 200k and 300 k pounds . and that is a max.. and the other says that if it were a second it would be worth between 80 and 120 thousand On Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 2:25 PM, Al seckel < > wrote: This is a thread of emails from the experts at Sotheby's who personally viewed the portrait, and tried to assess a value. Please note that the "low estimate" figure was a come on, to get people interested, but some of their experts were stating in the 1.2 - 2.3 pound range. Please read from bottom. I went back to them and discussed the value with them, and they were in agreement that it could fetch possibly in the seven figures, but it was very difficult to sell in this climate, and I agreed to wait it out. Also, note that also are in agreement that it is not a "studio" Kneller, which most of the ones that come up for auction are. They also are keenly aware of its importance, and of this copy, and they made comparisons with the other Kneller portrait as well. Sony that this is in email form, but it is the form of communication these days... I have other correspondence from "experts" who feel that this portrait is not only historically important, but EFTA00772602 valueable in that range. Remember, I am not looking to seel it for this price, or anywhere near it.... > Subject: FW: Inquiry regarding selling an autographed portrait of Sir Isaac Newton (oil on canvas) by Sir Godfrey Kneller 1689 > To: > My colleagues and I have considered the painting very > carefully and I shall > explain as follows: > Studio of Kneller means, it is not painted by Sir Godfrey > Kneller himself > but by Studio assistants, he had a large studio of > apprentice and assistant > artists. They were artists trained by Kneller on the whole, > who would paint > versions of popular portraits such as this and sometimes > assist in > completing paintings which Kneller had started, which is > not the case here. > We do Private Treaty sales at Sotheby's but, the > importance of the sitter in > this painting means that in order to reach the highest > price possible a > public auction, with extensive marketing and press > attention focusing on > such an important sitter as Newton will realise a far > higher sale price > through diverse and competitive bidding than you would be > able to generate > by offering it Privately to one or two known collectors. > We would suggest that it is offered for sale in our next > sale of Early > British Paintings in London in July at £80-120,000. We > strongly recomend > this estimate as we believe it is a very tempting value > range in order to > encourage interest from a broad spectrum of private and > public collectors > without undermining its importance. We believe that it > could very well > greatly exceed this value range. Your (client's) > portrait is the only known > portrait of Kneller at this age to be available on the open > market as it is > highly unlikely and almost inconcievable that the > Portsmouth portrait would > ever be for sale and we would market your painting as such. EFTA00772603 > The deadline for receiving paintings for the July sale is > at the end of > April, but the sooner we have the painting and permission > to sell it, the > sooner we can begin an extensive and international > marketing campaign. > We look forward to hearing your thoughts. > Kind regards, > Emmeline > Emmeline Hallmark > Head of Department > Early British Paintings, Drawings, Watercolours and > Portrait Miniatures > FORTHCOMING SALES > Old Master and Early British Paintings, Sotheby's New > York 29th January 2009 > including the sale ofJMW Turner's Temple of Jupiter > Panellenius > Estimates and valuations are based on the international art > market and > assume that property can be offered freely on the > international market. > Estimates given from photographs are subject to revision > following first > hand inspection. If you are interested in consigning the EFTA00772604 > property to > Sotheby's, please be aware that you are responsible for > complying with any > applicable local laws regarding export and import matters. > If you are > unfamiliar with your local law, please contact us for > assistance. > From: Moore-Gwyn, David > Sent: 07 January 2009 11:25 > To: 'Lucy Fenwick'; Hallmark, Emmeline > Subject: FW: Inquiry regarding selling an autographed > portrait of Sir Isaac > Newton (oil on canvas) by Sir Geofrey Kneller 1689 > Can we think further on this as I have been to the NPG > archive and the > portrait stands up quite well to Lord Portsmouth's. I > had thought that the > drapery was a bit disappointing but it is not too different > to Lord > Portsmouth's (there was a good image of both in the > files). I will use it > as an excuse to visit Lord Portsmouth but in the meantime > we should think > about values. I see that the address is California so > could Emmeline make > contact and see if it is anywhere near where she is? > Perhaps they could > bring it to LA for her to see. > My thoughts are that Newton is so important that if this is > a second version > by Kneller it is of some importance, even if not the sort > of value they are > talking about. My thoughts are £1-200,000. JPM thinks > £2-300,000. We can > always make any quote subject to proper examination of the > picture. It does > have quite an interesting provenance. EFTA00772605 EFTA00772606