Sleuth. The Amazing Quest for Lost Art Treasures

by Philip Mould

CSI meets Who Do You Think You Are? meets Time Team meets The Antiques Roadshow. Two-dimensional works of art become three-dimensional thrillers. Philip Mould is an international art dealer who has lived the high stakes game of art sleuthing for twenty years. In Sleuth, we encounter the fascinating dealers, experts, auctioneers and restorers who risk fortunes and reputations to turn overlooked artworks into coveted treasures. Sleuth is laced with / Gainsborough's earliest picture emerges in a Los Angeles saleroom - the author has three days to find the missing facts and decide what to pay. / The most powerful man in the art establishment, with the influence to elevate a copy into a priceless original, is asked to look at a 'fake' Rembrandt self if he says yes a GBP5,000 picture turns into GBP5 million masterpiece. / A Vermont professor unlocks the door of a defunct Catholic church to reveal a hidden cache of 300 portraits. / An auctioneer notices from the upper story of a bus that Damien Hirst's restaurant is being dismantled. He swoops in and sells the fixtures and fittings for GBP13 million. Sleuth is a series of stories which not only reveals the extraordinary culture of detection but the people behind it. Paintings and their discovery become a way into the minds, preoccupations and professions of a raft of influential figures beyond the commercial and museum facade - men and women who have shaped their lives in pursuit of truth and profit through art.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, History

307 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Philip Jonathan Clifford Mould OBE (born March 1960) is an English art dealer, London gallery owner, art historian, writer and broadcaster. He has made a number of major art discoveries, including works of Thomas Gainsborough, Anthony Van Dyck and Thomas Lawrence.

Mould is the author of two books on art discovery and is widely consulted by the media on the subject. He co-presents the BBC television programme Fake or Fortune?, an arts programme, with journalist and broadcaster Fiona Bruce and features as an expert on the BBC Antiques Roadshow. - Wikipedia

Reviews

[Amy W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it, but it can definitely be likened to an organic Fairtrade dark chocolate as opposed to a family-sized bar of Dairy Milk. To be consumed a little at a time to fully absorb the importance of what Philip was saying and to savour every well-crafted line. Each chapter centres around a separate artwork (or artworks that are linked in some way) so it was easy to pause and reflect after each rather than bingeing all in one go. Reading it was like having Philip standing next to you regaling you with these anecdotes -- one can tell he poured his heart and soul into this book.

A must-read for any Fake or Fortune? fans.

[Gerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Philip Mould provides an excellent insight into the world of art but not just the common or garden world, the intriguing world of possibilities, fakes and forgeries.

He has spent a career digging out lost and undiscovered masterpieces and how he eventually turns them into the original artwork by one of the old masters, or even determines that they are by an old master makes for fascinating reading.

A small sketch of a wood turns out to be an early Thomas (called Tom in his time - doesn't quite sound the same, does it?) Gainsborough and once overpainting is removed a portrait of Queen Elizabeth I turns out to be quite something.

A Rockwell Kent is not what it seems to be and then another version is discovered, a Dutch portrait, once stripped down, reveals an original Rembrandt and the addition of a hand and finger by Banksy turns an averagely priced oil into one of massive proportions.

There are lots more stories of the same with revealing detail of the work involved in identifying them and also the work required to get them back to their original state. Would one dare to do it? Philip Mould did on one occasion, much to the consternation of his restorer!

The final chapter deals with the Damien Hirst sale of the contents of the restaurant 'Pharmacy' and how it changed the face of modern art sales.

It reads like a detective novel and is one not to be put down.

Footnote: I am a minor, very, very minor in the context of those within these pages, collector of art and I must look more closely at some of my collection to see what lurks beneath! Or there again, perhaps not ... it won't be worth it!

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

ideal audio book to listen to at work

[AishlingCooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really disappointed with this book, having had high hopes as a fan of 'Fake or Fortune?'It was in essence a really random collection of anecdotes, which in my view failed to collectively provide a fun overview of 'art sleuthing'. The titles of the chapters make it clear that there was intended to be a point illustrated by each of the anecdotes but that really failed to come through for me.

Even if just taken as a group of random stories, what he chose to highlight in those anecdotes began to slowly skeez me out as I progressed and lots of it felt like something written in the nineties rather than 2009, such as his main adjective for women being 'compliant' and his repeated use of the word 'ethnic' to describe a selection of objects, which told me absolutely nothing the things in question.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable informative read-with self deprecation and humour. An insight into the murky world of art dealing- enjoyed the human story, intellectual and scientific research techniques. Horror at the final chapter but this was due to the vagaries of fashion and modern art in particular where market forces seem to overcome artistic talent!!! Well written though and thought provoking which of course was it's intention. So impressed moving onto an earlier book by the author-sleepers!!!

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having studied art history at university. I found this book enjoyable and light. The author has a very informal style that really works. A wide range of periods and styles are covered always with a focus on portraits which Mr. Mould is an expert in. Throughly enjoyable read that opens yours eyes to the money and science in the art world.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly enthralling...I onlt wish this book had an accompanying TV series so that I might see the rediscovered works of art in more detail than the illustrations provides. A must for anyone who loves a good art-related mystery!

[Chris Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic book. I did not want it to end. There is a detective story in every chapter and you get to see under the radar at the art world characters and practices. An underground world that few get to know about. Just sensational.

[Suzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love art, museums, and British mysteries. Sleuth is all that and a good puzzle for those of us with aging eyes to detect and discern. Mould writes a good story and his characters are from all over-- scholars, sneaky underhanded folk, etc. Very educational and a fun read, too.

[ingridsreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting piece of non-fiction, this book should be read by anyone with an interest in art - and in particular the art market and the endeavour of discovering “sleepers”; art pieces which may have been forgotten and resurface as anonymous paintings turned into valuable works by known artists. Mould’s writing is largely entertaining as well as informative, and the inclusion of photographs related to the book’s content adds a nice element. Unfortunately, I have noticed a few spelling or otherwise writing/grammar mistakes, and this shouldn’t happen in a book that is not self-published. (I don’t think it should ever happen in any form of publishes text, but when a book is published through a company like Harper (HarperCollins) it is even less forgivable.)

[Sherry Mackay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could hear his mellifluous voice as I read this book. It’s a bit of a hodgepodge in style but interesting stuff. The art world is an amazing and different place for sure. If you are interested in art and the world of art fakes this could be a good read for you. Lots of fascinating stuff about how works of art are found and re-discovered (sometimes) to be either fake or fortune.

[Mdaly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable read about the business that Philip Mould is in, a fine art dealer who specializies in old master portraiture.

[Barbara Luiselli · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an audiobook. Great listening! Very interesting. I cant’ wait to listen to it again

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating!

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this stuff

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading about the detective work that goes on and surprising stories uncovered during restoration and research of paintings.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating book

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent