New Blogger Bought from American Royal Arts and Needs a Little Help!

Hello everyone, I was alerted to this site to become involved and try and find out some information. I am a Elvis Presley fan, I have purchased a lot, around 13 pieces of Elvis Presley wall art, photos, signed albums, also of Tiger Woods, thru American Royal Arts, in Boca Raton, FLA. Now trying to resell some pieces, I have all the Forensic's Documents, but I have been alerted that this gallery and the owner Jerry Gladstone may be false, and they are being investigated by the FBI, I see in articles here they are being sued regarding a Beatles piece, well this information leaves me just saddened. I put a lot of money into my collection and now to see this distressing news, I don't know which direction to go next.

Tags: American, Arts, Royal, Elvis, Elvis Presley

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on October 7, 2010 at 1:34pm

What is happening when you try to resell them? Are you offering them to dealers or auction houses? If so, what are they saying?

You can upload images here if you want so we can see what you have.

Steve

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Permalink Reply by Patricia Linnabary on October 7, 2010 at 5:48pm

I am offering just now up on Ebay, and a buyer emailed me with this info. Asking if I had the pieces had a 2nd opinion, no other offers, lots of people looking, but I was surprised when this, what I then thought was a potential buyer, sent me the material and information and complaints against ARA. And I have like 13 framed art signed pieces! I sure would like to upload some pictures, this just has me so unsure, this art gallery was like all over the world, catalogs, Hard Rock Cafe backed, and what or which direction to head to for answers

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on October 7, 2010 at 6:09pm

Patricia, what do you mean Hard Rock Cafe backed? Where did you hear that? First I've heard. If they're backed by the Hard Rock Cafe, though, all hope may not be lost for refunds if your items are truly forgeries.

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Permalink Reply by Patricia Linnabary on October 7, 2010 at 6:28pm

I have gotten brochures from Hard Rock Cafe, showing artwork hung in some of their bars, or advertised in a Hard Rock advertisement. Artwork by American Royal Arts, in Rolling Stone Magazine, or in the ARA catalog that used to be sent out, which reminds me I have not gotten anything from them in a while. In speaking with a Rep at ARA or seeing an advertisement The Hard Rock Cafe was always implied, along with the musician. Maybe I just made an assumption, error in judgement again.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on October 7, 2010 at 6:39pm

You probably did not make an assumption. You probably took what they said as they intended you to say it. But if the Hard Rock was selling their memorabilia, or had it in their ads, you may have a claim against the Hard Rock. They would never knowingly sell or promote questionable memorabilia, though.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Panagopulos on October 7, 2010 at 3:02pm

Bad news.

If the autographs you purchased are indeed fake and you bought them with a credit card, you may be able to cancel those charges within, I believe, six months of the original charge. Better check with a lawyer friend as to your rights. If ARA goes completely belly-up, you may want to find out who the bankruptcy trustee will be so that you may become one of the creditors.

Bear in mind that anything that is not signed shouldn't be cause for concern - it was sold as art and is just what it is.

Hope someone else here may be able to add to what I've noted.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on October 7, 2010 at 3:12pm

Actually, Bill, we know of at least one ARA client that bought an unsigned rare poster that appears to be misrepresented at best and worth perhaps 5% of what it was sold as being. And it was glued to a foam core, which tells you what they must have thought of its rarity.

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Permalink Reply by Patricia Linnabary on October 7, 2010 at 6:03pm

With this news and learning of all this from a company that advertised both by artists and magazines, I am losing faith in just about everything! Even the "Official" Elvis Presley Enterprise endorsement, or the "official" artist to that estate Joe Petruccio sells his Elvis paintings through American Royal Arts.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on October 7, 2010 at 6:45pm

Sorry, were you told that they were endorsed by Presley Enterprises? They have publishing and distribution rights to images, but I'm not aware of Presley selling Elvis autographs to them. I could be wrong, though.

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Permalink Reply by Patricia Linnabary on October 7, 2010 at 6:50pm

Yes, thats what ARA said, of course they show in their catalog these artwork pictures, I'll have to find one of their catalogs, I do believe they do say that, as they do with like Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, and some other movie stars, Janis Joplin, that John Lennon art, or rian Wilson of the Beach Boys is another highly advertised client ARA would push.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on October 7, 2010 at 7:07pm

You were told that they were endorsed by Presley by a sales rep over the phone?

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Permalink Reply by Rick Badwey on October 7, 2010 at 6:35pm

Steve, funny you say that. You would be surprised at how often I have to remove items from these "elaborate" frames only to find they mounted to destroy! In a couple of cases, I removed signed instruments in shadowbox frames only to see screws and bolts in them!