Assault with attempted robbery at the Foundation
Promotion of copyrights | Friday, December 16th 2011
An assault with attempted robbery took place the day before yesterday at Fondation Alberto et Annette Giacometti in Paris. A Parisian gallery owner accompanied by his son and a Serbian hit man, tried to recover by force two counterfeit bronze lamps submitted to the Giacometti Committee for authentication.
Under the pretext of receiving explanations from the Committee experts, the gallerist broke into the premises. His son grabbed the two forgeries, while the henchman took hold of the authentic bronze lamp. A scuffle ensued, during which the three attackers threatened the Committee experts, Ms. Wiesinger Director of the Foundation in Paris and Mr. Klemm director of the Foundation in Zurich, violently pushing away the Foundation staff who tried to intervene.
Pursued by staff members, the attackers finally gave the authentic bronze lamp back, before attempting to flee with the two counterfeit lamps. They were arrested by the police just outside the Foundation. A complaint was filed against the three men for assault and attempted robbery.
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Photo :
Alberto Giacometti
Table lamp, « Star » Model, circa 1935
Bronze, 41 cm
Giacometti Foundation Paris, inv. 1994-3215
© Giacometti estate: Giacometti Foundation, Paris, and ADAGP, 2012
Counterfeiters often produce casting moulds by "surmoulage" (molding from a casting) on authentic bronze lamp such as this one.
