Edward Koren: Five Authenticated Sketches

Many Old Master drawings retain antique collector's annotations and ink stamps that give a rough history of ownership and scholarship from generations back. Today, some dealers and, presumably, some collectors are embracing an authentication technology that imprints original artwork and autographs with a unique code that links to a permanent database. This is an updated version of the Certificate of Authenticity, which is not always reliable.

The five sketches by cartoonist Edward Koren seen on eBay have been examined by PSA/DNA authenticators, issued a certificate, and marked with the stickers and invisible ink that characterize the process. Whether this adds anything to the value of such obviously authentic Koren art is the decision of the buyer.

It's not clear whether the database will still be accessible in ten, twenty, or fifty years. It's also unclear whether newer technology will render such databases obsolete. It's possible that soon we might be tracking artwork as it changes hands through blockchain technology. Each individual work could be accompanied by an NFT that show's the piece's history from the artist's studio to the current owner with all transactions along the way. Nevertheless, quick sketches such as these may never merit such careful documentation, and could still leave them subject to the judgment of professional authenticators.

First up is a Koren sketch of a fish. Here's the full eBay listing:

Edward Koren
eBay listing accessed March 18, 2023

https://www.ebay.com/itm/325341844447?hash=item4bbfe293df:g:xwgAAOSw0eBjILZ-&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA0KHxzMdnhLE249Ec%2FAkam7a7iA%2BCERY4%2F96aoZt7W%2BwHiWq4UFT0TGQLA5P1u75yW6VR1GqgQDVivaszyPWqNXho5Swh0y5sGi0%2FsKgvQ2gj0FNwrtb58uwpl%2FvYlfJUABJrLIvN%2FBcAxQ8YkCcCtnqHNrQNVwVpnwPBDrl6F5JsAkgHNKgiG2yP0n9U3g9UY8KuH5m64n3TdQq5SCFGp7c7UJHuLos%2F%2FTck6To5d%2Be3wUZlsH8B6lyrrlMLUjc7EcYEgGRI6yvyUQtqO%2B3RgOg%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9iu8u_eYQ

Edward Koren
eBay item description

The other Koren sketches have very similar eBay listings, so we can look at just the photos.

Two of the five sketches remain available:

Three of them have already been sold:

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A High-Priced Copy of George Sprott (1894-1975) by Seth

I have not kept it a secret here that I'm a fan of Seth's signed books, by which I particularly refer to those with original character drawings or even self-portraits. Yet a copy of George Sprott 1894-1975 (2009) now on eBay has me puzzled over the issue of price. The book sports an original drawing of the title character. It is signed, in pristine condition, and in every way worthy of a mention here on Attempted Bloggery. Yet with an asking price of $500, it is more than ten to twenty times the price of the three other copies of this book I've shown on this blog previously. 

So the book is an outlier in terms of price, a very nice book to own but probably not a sound investment. Still, nothing is set in stone. An overpriced book isn't overpriced just because I say it is. If one buyer wants it enough, it's a sale. If several buyers start clamoring for such a book, it's a collector's item. If more and more people come to appreciate Seth's work, maybe it's a good investment after all.

I did actually make three offers for this book, generous (I thought) based on the prices of the copies of George Sprott already seen on this blog, but certainly not in the ballpark of the seller's price. We did not come to an agreement.

Seth
eBay listing accessed March 21, 2021

https://www.ebay.com/itm/154376228995?ul_noapp=true&autorefresh=true

September 3, 2022 Update:  The book remains available. An image of the PSA DNA letter of authenticity has been added to the eBay listing and the Buy It Now price has been increased by $10.

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