3.97/5
Author: Philip Mould
Publication Date: Apr 26, 2011
Formats: PDF,Paperback,Hardcover,Audible Audiobook,Kindle,Audio CD
Rating: 3.97/5 out of 1216
Publisher: New York: Penguin Books (US) # 591 1st Printing 1946
Fan Club Reviews of best titles on art fashion, artists, history, photography. Check out our top reviews and see what others have to say about the best art and photography books of the year. Check out The Art Detective: Adventures of an Antiques Roadshow Appraiser Community Reviews - Find out where to download The Art Detective: Adventures of an Antiques Roadshow Appraiser available in multiple formats:Paperback,Hardcover,Audible Audiobook,Kindle,Audio CD The Art Detective: Adventures of an Antiques Roadshow Appraiser Author:Philip Mould Formats:Paperback,Hardcover,Audible Audiobook,Kindle,Audio CD Publication Date:Apr 26, 2011
Sep 28, 2014
When you go to a car dealer, you can be reasonably sure that Toyota or BMW or Ford is, indeed, a Toyota or BMW or Ford. The dealer doesn't have to trace the VIN through the whole supply chain back to the factory to confirm the nameplate's legit. Simple.Mar 15, 2011
Mould is a little too casual and chatty for my taste, although I'm sure I'd enjoy him on Antiques Roadshow. I'm interested in the topic - art restoration, misattributions, connoisseurship, the detective work of finding out who really painted something - but I'd rather either see it done on the telly, or read more academic works about it. The book, though small, has two sections of color plates, which is nice. Without them I think it would be exceedingly boring. With them, we can compare before Mould is a little too casual and chatty for my taste, although I'm sure I'd enjoy him on Antiques Roadshow. I'm interested in the topic - art restoration, misattributions, connoisseurship, the detective work of finding out who really painted something - but I'd rather either see it done on the telly, or read more academic works about it. The book, though small, has two sections of color plates, which is nice. Without them I think it would be exceedingly boring. With them, we can compare before and after Rembrandts, definitive Gainsboroughs vs. "follower of Ruisdael", real vs. fake Norman Rockwells.Jun 20, 2010
As an art freak I enjoyed this book.Jul 01, 2014
Really enjoyed this book, but I will say, it's definitely a niche book, so to speak. I was acquainted with Philip Mould through the British Antiques Roadshow. I always enjoyed his segments, and I have a large interest in art, art history, and the art market, so it seemed like a good fit for me. I found all the "cases" very interesting and I enjoyed Mould's style of writing. He has a very rich vocabulary, which is rarely encountered in our world today, and I found that particularly refreshing. Really enjoyed this book, but I will say, it's definitely a niche book, so to speak. I was acquainted with Philip Mould through the British Antiques Roadshow. I always enjoyed his segments, and I have a large interest in art, art history, and the art market, so it seemed like a good fit for me. I found all the "cases" very interesting and I enjoyed Mould's style of writing. He has a very rich vocabulary, which is rarely encountered in our world today, and I found that particularly refreshing. Admittedly, if you are not interested in art history, you probably won't find it as fascinating as I did, but I went to college for a time as an art history major, so this book follows my inclinations. Overall, a lovely and entertaining book! ...moreMay 11, 2018
Four and a half stars for not being able to put it down, for being well-structured, and for above all being fascinating. Mould walks the reader through the world of expensive art deals, from discovering paintings rotting away in barns to forgeries to slogging through fields to find the exact site where a masterpiece was born. He and his staff and the buyers and sellers they meet come across as real people that you might want to meet and chat with.Mar 18, 2018
a bunch of stories about a subject i should have found interesting, but i was kind of bored throughout. this is not a mystery,Jun 17, 2015
Chatty, intriguing reminiscences from an art dealer who specializes in British historical portraits. Includes descriptions of forgeries, lost masterpieces, thefts, eccentric collectors, and world travels. Someone with a background in art history would probably find this too basic, but I enjoyed it.Sep 02, 2010
This book is the "thrill of the hunt" in print with the best possible results,...works of art with historical significance. As someone who enjoys perusing estate sales for the "big find" and art history, this little book was a quick, satisfying read.May 02, 2016
I think this book's title is somewhat misleading.Feb 24, 2014
This is a fascinating book. The author worked on Antiques Roadshow, and also owns a gallery where he and his coworkers handle everything from restoration to purchases to authentication. This book follows some of what Mould considers his most interesting cases-I particularly found interesting the Norman Rockwell Hoax, which read like a mystery with all its twists and turns, and the Queen Elizabeth portrait, which contained a lot of fascinating royal history. While I did occasionally get bogged This is a fascinating book. The author worked on Antiques Roadshow, and also owns a gallery where he and his coworkers handle everything from restoration to purchases to authentication. This book follows some of what Mould considers his most interesting cases-I particularly found interesting the Norman Rockwell Hoax, which read like a mystery with all its twists and turns, and the Queen Elizabeth portrait, which contained a lot of fascinating royal history. While I did occasionally get bogged down on some of the details (I love art, and history, but am in no way an expert on either), I loved this book nonetheless. ...moreJul 09, 2010
When I first received this book through the first-reads program, I had expected a collection of stories chronicling the rarified world of the museum setting. Instead Philip Mould, shows that although the glamour of the art world does exist, behind the museum walls there are restorers, scholars, and collectors who are truly passionate about art and dedicate themselves to seek out lost treasures.Aug 31, 2011
Mr. Mould is a dealer is British art and Old Masters as well as being a featured art expert on BBC episodes of The Antiques Road Show. He is considered one of the world’s foremost experts on British portraiture. One would think this would lead to a stuffy textbook like approach to his writing. Nothing could be further from the truth. As the reader gets to know Mr. Mould through his book it becomes quite obvious that he truly enjoys what he does and writes about it with enthusiasm and quite often Mr. Mould is a dealer is British art and Old Masters as well as being a featured art expert on BBC episodes of The Antiques Road Show. He is considered one of the world’s foremost experts on British portraiture. One would think this would lead to a stuffy textbook like approach to his writing. Nothing could be further from the truth. As the reader gets to know Mr. Mould through his book it becomes quite obvious that he truly enjoys what he does and writes about it with enthusiasm and quite often a sense of humor.Jun 07, 2010
I received "The Art Detectives" as part of the Goodreads First Read program.Jun 05, 2018
An interesting collection of stories about lost and found art treasures from one of the hosts of the BBC's Antiques Roadshow. Interesting enough even if you don't know a lot about art, although it might have even more significance if you did.May 11, 2019
It was an interesting look into the work of a gallery owner. The stories behind the art works and their acquisitions were interesting. But the title was really not reflective of the material. “Fakes, Frauds and Finds†were promised but each of the stories were about successful acquisitions of genuine pieces of art by known artists. I don’t blame the author for focusing on his triumphs but I feel the text didn’t deliver what the title promised.Nov 09, 2019
I had expected more ‘wonderful finds’ stories, & perhaps less life history of other art experts. It became a bit weighted down in places, but I did enjoy every story described ..and the ample descriptions, & dangers, of restoration of very old paintings. Interesting how often beautiful works of art were painted over .. thus the ‘art’ of finding them & bringing them back to original glory. I loved every instance of individual people & their stories of discovery & what happened I had expected more ‘wonderful finds’ stories, & perhaps less life history of other art experts. It became a bit weighted down in places, but I did enjoy every story described ..and the ample descriptions, & dangers, of restoration of very old paintings. Interesting how often beautiful works of art were painted over .. thus the ‘art’ of finding them & bringing them back to original glory. I loved every instance of individual people & their stories of discovery & what happened to them & their paintings. Fascinating story about Norman Rockwell.. glad his 2 sons kelp up the search!Apr 28, 2019
Wow! This is the best book I’ve read in a long time. Several true accounts of finding so-called “lost“ works of art. The author and the narrator of the audiobook are clearly both passionate about art, about the business surrounding the art, about the people who buy the art, about the people who restore the art, and about the people who are depicted in the art. It was so thoroughly enjoy able to listen to someone who loves what he does for a living and every aspect of it. He explains the process Wow! This is the best book I’ve read in a long time. Several true accounts of finding so-called “lost“ works of art. The author and the narrator of the audiobook are clearly both passionate about art, about the business surrounding the art, about the people who buy the art, about the people who restore the art, and about the people who are depicted in the art. It was so thoroughly enjoy able to listen to someone who loves what he does for a living and every aspect of it. He explains the process of restoration, the process of the historical research, and the process of dealing with people in great detail and, I am glad to say, it never gets boring. I thoroughly enjoyed this book I cannot recommend it highly enough. ...moreJun 29, 2017
This is a great, succinct little read featuring a nice cache of fascinating art world stories as shared by Philip Mould, a long time British art dealer and truly, art investigator. Covered here are the miraculous discoveries of old master works hidden beneath musty overpaint spotted by Mould and his associates' quick eyes, a infamous case of Norman Rockwell forgery evidently committed by one of the artists'. close friends, the miraculous discovery of a Winslow Homer watercolor in a dump and This is a great, succinct little read featuring a nice cache of fascinating art world stories as shared by Philip Mould, a long time British art dealer and truly, art investigator. Covered here are the miraculous discoveries of old master works hidden beneath musty overpaint spotted by Mould and his associates' quick eyes, a infamous case of Norman Rockwell forgery evidently committed by one of the artists'. close friends, the miraculous discovery of a Winslow Homer watercolor in a dump and identified by Mould on Antiques Roadshow, and more. All are very interesting anecdotes that are written in a lively, engaging style and give one a sense of the power and importance of hard, old fashioned research and trail-following. I'm glad Mould wrote this to document these tales. ...moreJul 29, 2018
This book makes art work very exciting. The author tells us how they research each painting to find the history, artist and the background. He tells of some exciting finds he has made of paintings that have be touched up, botched up or messed up by people who were supposed to restore them. He told the story of a painting that was a fake held by the Rockwell Museum. He talked to the son of the man who hid the original to keep it from his ex-wife. He talks of a Rembrandt that was proved to be a This book makes art work very exciting. The author tells us how they research each painting to find the history, artist and the background. He tells of some exciting finds he has made of paintings that have be touched up, botched up or messed up by people who were supposed to restore them. He told the story of a painting that was a fake held by the Rockwell Museum. He talked to the son of the man who hid the original to keep it from his ex-wife. He talks of a Rembrandt that was proved to be a Rembrandt by the experts, after it was restored. Mould leaves the book on a question on whether a person who found a painting has the right to sell it. Very good book. Proves that librarians, researcher and historians are important to determining the history and cost of a painting. ...moreOct 02, 2017
I really like this book. As an art history buff, this was a fascinating human angle on a subject I'd studied a lot academically, as dates and movements and concepts. The thrill of the chase and the novelty of the finds was balanced out by the humanity of the collectors and actors involved. The painting wasn't just cleaned - Philip Mould cleaned it like a naughty child sneaking a cookie before dinner. There is a family who bore the burden of a fanatical collector's strange treasure trove. A I really like this book. As an art history buff, this was a fascinating human angle on a subject I'd studied a lot academically, as dates and movements and concepts. The thrill of the chase and the novelty of the finds was balanced out by the humanity of the collectors and actors involved. The painting wasn't just cleaned - Philip Mould cleaned it like a naughty child sneaking a cookie before dinner. There is a family who bore the burden of a fanatical collector's strange treasure trove. A highly recommended read for anyone who likes art, treasure hunting, or dry British humour ...moreDec 12, 2018
This book is the bomb if you are interested in Art History, esp. painting. The author goes through various stories about his experiences in tracking down/purchasing/selling different works of art. He is obviously an expert, and I could see how someone who is not interested in the topic wouldn't enjoy this book. The narrator is great. I am going to look at the book version if only to see the paintings the author talks about.Jun 26, 2017
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Interesting stories about the discovery artworks and forgeries. Wonders will never cease at the authentication of the Norman Rockwell forgery. When a witness to the creation of an artwork tells you something was done to it and you cannot find any evidence of it, how do you continue to authenticate it? As an archivist, I found that completely frustrating. Good, even paced narration in the audio version.Dec 04, 2017
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The author is a bit self aggrandizing, but over all a great book detailing a very interesting career in the art world. I only wish there was a second edition or post-script that told us how the final story in the book ended in the legal battle.Jun 05, 2017
I've always been a little obsessed with art and literature academia sorts of mysteries, and this book presents many that the art dealer/author has encountered in his personal life. Fun and fascinating.Aug 15, 2018
Exciting, interesting, amusing, and entertaining. Mould makes art history come to life and brings a humanity to his various investigations. Highly recommend.Take your time and choose the perfect book.
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