A Long Shot.. Palm Beach Area Please Help
07-19-2011, 06:33 PM
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A Long Shot.. Palm Beach Area Please Help
I'm looking for someone in the Palm Beach, FL area who possibly knew a friend or acquaintance that owned an Art Gallery. The owner has passed on.
Several pieces of art were sold in a probate auction from the estate of said gallery owner.
I'm trying to get some more details. I realize the obvious.. There's probably a huge number of galleries etc... My hope is that not many in the area had an owner who also passed recently.
The probate auction itself was held and closed in late June of this year.
Anyone know a gallery owner who passed in the Palm Beach area? As of now, I'm not sure how long it takes for a probate auction to get underway so the owner could have passed last year or who knows ?????
I've done my best to help out on the forums whenever possible. Hopefully some of the goodwill can come back.
I'll provide more detail as soon as possible if I can find it.
Thanks!
Several pieces of art were sold in a probate auction from the estate of said gallery owner.
I'm trying to get some more details. I realize the obvious.. There's probably a huge number of galleries etc... My hope is that not many in the area had an owner who also passed recently.
The probate auction itself was held and closed in late June of this year.
Anyone know a gallery owner who passed in the Palm Beach area? As of now, I'm not sure how long it takes for a probate auction to get underway so the owner could have passed last year or who knows ?????
I've done my best to help out on the forums whenever possible. Hopefully some of the goodwill can come back.
I'll provide more detail as soon as possible if I can find it.
Thanks!
Last edited by SDFever; 07-19-2011 at 06:36 PM.
07-19-2011, 07:55 PM
#2
Maybe this will help your search-
A new two-story Midtown home built at 416 Brazilian Ave. on the site of a 2008 house fire that killed a man has sold for $7.45 million, according to a warranty deed recorded Monday.
The recently completed Dutch Colonial-style house was sold by an entity named 416 Brazilian Avenue LLC to Howard Veltman, acting as trustee of the “Lisa M. Saur Gift Trust dated Dec. 15, 2005” based in Ada, Mich., according to the deed filed last Wednesday.
Developer David W. Frisbie of Palm Beach, who built the house, incorporated the limited liability company that sold it.
On May 5, 2008, a midday fire devastated the 1920s-era house that stood on the lot, then owned by James Hunt “Jimmy” Barker, a longtime Palm Beach art dealer. James Heyman, who lived in the house with Barker, died in the blaze, along with one of Barker’s spaniels.
Frisbie worked closely on the new home’s design with architect Roger Janssen, who said he has worked with the developer on other projects. The house was designed as a holiday home for a Frisbie family member with the idea that it could also be sold on the open market, said Suzanne Frisbie, David Frisbie’s wife.
Janssen, principal of Dailey Janssen Architects in West Palm Beach, said, “We always think of the two scenarios. It’s a custom home that happened to sell.”
The Frisbies live in a residence they built a few years ago on Worth Avenue.
On June 15, 2009, more than a year after the fire, Barker had his uninhabitable house razed, after he had been assessed more than $45,000 in fines by the town’s Code Enforcement Board. The town maintained that it had the right to demolish the house if Barker did not do so.
Two days later, Barker sold the property to David Frisbie for $1.5 million, according to Palm Beach County property records. The next month, Frisbie transferred ownership of the lot through a “quit claim” to the limited liability company listed on the deed recorded this week.
The lot was appraised as of Jan. 1 at about $2.58 million, according to records at the county Property Appraiser’s Office.
The new house was built by Davis General Contracting, also of West Palm Beach, Janssen said.
Frisbie is a principal of Renaissance Partners in West Palm Beach. His wife is a real estate agent with Corcoran Group’s Palm Beach brokerage.
Among the couple’s recent Palm Beach residential projects is their residence at 439 Worth Ave. In early 2007, the Frisbies sold a home they had built several years earlier on Indian Road for nearly $11.4 million, according to property records.
Barker had purchased his house in 1973 with Kenneth Douglas. The house had been designed by noted society architect Marion Sims Wyeth for Trevette Lockwood, Palm Beach’s town manager at the time.
Douglas transferred his interest in the house to Barker after the fire, which investigators labeled accidental, likely caused by a problem with electrical wiring.
Barker was not at home at the time of the blaze. Heyman died of smoke inhalation, and his body was found in an upstairs bedroom.
Barker’s code-enforcement fines eventually totaled $51,130 and were paid with money held in escrow as part of the sale of the Brazilian Avenue property to Frisbie, said attorney Maura Ziska, who represented Barker.
A new two-story Midtown home built at 416 Brazilian Ave. on the site of a 2008 house fire that killed a man has sold for $7.45 million, according to a warranty deed recorded Monday.
The recently completed Dutch Colonial-style house was sold by an entity named 416 Brazilian Avenue LLC to Howard Veltman, acting as trustee of the “Lisa M. Saur Gift Trust dated Dec. 15, 2005” based in Ada, Mich., according to the deed filed last Wednesday.
Developer David W. Frisbie of Palm Beach, who built the house, incorporated the limited liability company that sold it.
On May 5, 2008, a midday fire devastated the 1920s-era house that stood on the lot, then owned by James Hunt “Jimmy” Barker, a longtime Palm Beach art dealer. James Heyman, who lived in the house with Barker, died in the blaze, along with one of Barker’s spaniels.
Frisbie worked closely on the new home’s design with architect Roger Janssen, who said he has worked with the developer on other projects. The house was designed as a holiday home for a Frisbie family member with the idea that it could also be sold on the open market, said Suzanne Frisbie, David Frisbie’s wife.
Janssen, principal of Dailey Janssen Architects in West Palm Beach, said, “We always think of the two scenarios. It’s a custom home that happened to sell.”
The Frisbies live in a residence they built a few years ago on Worth Avenue.
On June 15, 2009, more than a year after the fire, Barker had his uninhabitable house razed, after he had been assessed more than $45,000 in fines by the town’s Code Enforcement Board. The town maintained that it had the right to demolish the house if Barker did not do so.
Two days later, Barker sold the property to David Frisbie for $1.5 million, according to Palm Beach County property records. The next month, Frisbie transferred ownership of the lot through a “quit claim” to the limited liability company listed on the deed recorded this week.
The lot was appraised as of Jan. 1 at about $2.58 million, according to records at the county Property Appraiser’s Office.
The new house was built by Davis General Contracting, also of West Palm Beach, Janssen said.
Frisbie is a principal of Renaissance Partners in West Palm Beach. His wife is a real estate agent with Corcoran Group’s Palm Beach brokerage.
Among the couple’s recent Palm Beach residential projects is their residence at 439 Worth Ave. In early 2007, the Frisbies sold a home they had built several years earlier on Indian Road for nearly $11.4 million, according to property records.
Barker had purchased his house in 1973 with Kenneth Douglas. The house had been designed by noted society architect Marion Sims Wyeth for Trevette Lockwood, Palm Beach’s town manager at the time.
Douglas transferred his interest in the house to Barker after the fire, which investigators labeled accidental, likely caused by a problem with electrical wiring.
Barker was not at home at the time of the blaze. Heyman died of smoke inhalation, and his body was found in an upstairs bedroom.
Barker’s code-enforcement fines eventually totaled $51,130 and were paid with money held in escrow as part of the sale of the Brazilian Avenue property to Frisbie, said attorney Maura Ziska, who represented Barker.
07-19-2011, 10:10 PM
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Thanks Jupiter! That story does line up with what i'm working on.
Trying to find the previous owner of this painting that was in the probate auction. Based on my knowledge of how probate works, this story could be related and I'll follow up.
Trying to find the previous owner of this painting that was in the probate auction. Based on my knowledge of how probate works, this story could be related and I'll follow up.
07-20-2011, 07:28 PM
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Update - Possible RARE Manet
I can't post pictures..
I’m seeking any help I can find. We bought this painting in a probate auction out of Palm Beach FL in late June of this year. We are wondering if it might be somehow tied to the late “Mr. Barker”.
It’s rumored that a guy moved to FL from New England Area and had an art gallery for years. He passed and the assets went to probate instead of family etc.
If you are familiar with Manet, then you know that his Master was Thomas Couture. It’s also rumored that Manet followed Couture until he got a little older and then formed his own style (Impressionism).
This canvas has been inspected by a restoration professional. He claims the signature is under the varnish and vintage to the painting. He was also able to professionally determine that someone has spent literally thousands of dollars maintaining and keeping it up. They were careful not to make repairs near the signature. The canvas is not consistent with early to mid 1900’s. It is much, much older into the 1800’s per the restoration professional.
If it is fake or some type of reproduction, it’s the best fake known to man! I believe it’s a rare Manet that is little known even in the most astute circles.
Please contact me if you know who someone in the Palm Beach Area who owned a piece called "Portrait of a Gentleman".
I’m seeking any help I can find. We bought this painting in a probate auction out of Palm Beach FL in late June of this year. We are wondering if it might be somehow tied to the late “Mr. Barker”.
It’s rumored that a guy moved to FL from New England Area and had an art gallery for years. He passed and the assets went to probate instead of family etc.
If you are familiar with Manet, then you know that his Master was Thomas Couture. It’s also rumored that Manet followed Couture until he got a little older and then formed his own style (Impressionism).
This canvas has been inspected by a restoration professional. He claims the signature is under the varnish and vintage to the painting. He was also able to professionally determine that someone has spent literally thousands of dollars maintaining and keeping it up. They were careful not to make repairs near the signature. The canvas is not consistent with early to mid 1900’s. It is much, much older into the 1800’s per the restoration professional.
If it is fake or some type of reproduction, it’s the best fake known to man! I believe it’s a rare Manet that is little known even in the most astute circles.
Please contact me if you know who someone in the Palm Beach Area who owned a piece called "Portrait of a Gentleman".
07-20-2011, 08:31 PM
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SD:
Might get more help if you can clarify your question-
Are you looking for information to help authenticate the painting, or are you looking for information on the gallery owner to trace previous ownership and help verify the auction house's sale was legitimate.
Sounds like a pretty cool find,
Rick
Might get more help if you can clarify your question-
Are you looking for information to help authenticate the painting, or are you looking for information on the gallery owner to trace previous ownership and help verify the auction house's sale was legitimate.
Sounds like a pretty cool find,
Rick
07-20-2011, 08:41 PM
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SD:
Might get more help if you can clarify your question-
Are you looking for information to help authenticate the painting, or are you looking for information on the gallery owner to trace previous ownership and help verify the auction house's sale was legitimate.
Sounds like a pretty cool find,
Rick
Might get more help if you can clarify your question-
Are you looking for information to help authenticate the painting, or are you looking for information on the gallery owner to trace previous ownership and help verify the auction house's sale was legitimate.
Sounds like a pretty cool find,
Rick
I'm looking for contacts who may know any provenance on this painting. We are having difficulty getting authentication. If we knew the previous owners, we may get a bump.
But yes - We are seeking to authenticate it as well. I've reached out to many professionals etc and am working diligently.
The sale itself was a probate auction online from FL. It was a legit sale. They just won't comment either way or help us much..
07-20-2011, 10:01 PM
#7
I can't post pictures..
I’m seeking any help I can find. We bought this painting in a probate auction out of Palm Beach FL in late June of this year. We are wondering if it might be somehow tied to the late “Mr. Barker”.
It’s rumored that a guy moved to FL from New England Area and had an art gallery for years. He passed and the assets went to probate instead of family etc.
If you are familiar with Manet, then you know that his Master was Thomas Couture. It’s also rumored that Manet followed Couture until he got a little older and then formed his own style (Impressionism).
This canvas has been inspected by a restoration professional. He claims the signature is under the varnish and vintage to the painting. He was also able to professionally determine that someone has spent literally thousands of dollars maintaining and keeping it up. They were careful not to make repairs near the signature. The canvas is not consistent with early to mid 1900’s. It is much, much older into the 1800’s per the restoration professional.
If it is fake or some type of reproduction, it’s the best fake known to man! I believe it’s a rare Manet that is little known even in the most astute circles.
Please contact me if you know who someone in the Palm Beach Area who owned a piece called "Portrait of a Gentleman".
I’m seeking any help I can find. We bought this painting in a probate auction out of Palm Beach FL in late June of this year. We are wondering if it might be somehow tied to the late “Mr. Barker”.
It’s rumored that a guy moved to FL from New England Area and had an art gallery for years. He passed and the assets went to probate instead of family etc.
If you are familiar with Manet, then you know that his Master was Thomas Couture. It’s also rumored that Manet followed Couture until he got a little older and then formed his own style (Impressionism).
This canvas has been inspected by a restoration professional. He claims the signature is under the varnish and vintage to the painting. He was also able to professionally determine that someone has spent literally thousands of dollars maintaining and keeping it up. They were careful not to make repairs near the signature. The canvas is not consistent with early to mid 1900’s. It is much, much older into the 1800’s per the restoration professional.
If it is fake or some type of reproduction, it’s the best fake known to man! I believe it’s a rare Manet that is little known even in the most astute circles.
Please contact me if you know who someone in the Palm Beach Area who owned a piece called "Portrait of a Gentleman".
SD
If you read the highlighted part of the story, Barker didn't die but his "housemate" Jim Heyman did. Barker sold the lot to a builder and that builder rebuilt on it. Barker is still alive, his "housemate" died. But in those art circles it wouldn't be uncommon if the other guy was involved in the art business as well.
Cool story if it works out to be authentic. Good luck.
07-20-2011, 10:13 PM
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SD
If you read the highlighted part of the story, Barker didn't die but his "housemate" Jim Heyman did. Barker sold the lot to a builder and that builder rebuilt on it. Barker is still alive, his "housemate" died. But in those art circles it wouldn't be uncommon if the other guy was involved in the art business as well.
Cool story if it works out to be authentic. Good luck.
If you read the highlighted part of the story, Barker didn't die but his "housemate" Jim Heyman did. Barker sold the lot to a builder and that builder rebuilt on it. Barker is still alive, his "housemate" died. But in those art circles it wouldn't be uncommon if the other guy was involved in the art business as well.
Cool story if it works out to be authentic. Good luck.
How do I find Mr. Barker? Sending messages and working with these art people is like getting a straight story from your teenager.
It's a world I'm not used to. If you contact me; I typically will contact you back. This is not the case with many people in the art business.
It's not beyond possibility that I'm going about it wrong either.
08-10-2018, 08:49 PM
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Looking For Jimmy Barker
If you find/found Mr. Barker I would like his contact information or that of his Nephew. He owns a home in Kennebunk, Maine, and people are trying to contact him, his family, or the family of Kenneth W Douglas, Stanley York, or a woman named Bianca. Any help in locating Jimmy would be very much appreciated!! Thank You!!
Last edited by Biddoguy63; 08-10-2018 at 08:50 PM. Reason: too short
08-11-2018, 08:15 AM
#10
If you find/found Mr. Barker I would like his contact information or that of his Nephew. He owns a home in Kennebunk, Maine, and people are trying to contact him, his family, or the family of Kenneth W Douglas, Stanley York, or a woman named Bianca. Any help in locating Jimmy would be very much appreciated!! Thank You!!
EXCLUSIVE -- 90-Year-Old Palm Beach Art Dealer Jimmy Barker Arrested!
PALM BEACH — High-profile Palm Beach art dealer James Hunt Barker was arrested by Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputies on Saturday on a warrant that had been active since 2014.
Congrats to PBSO for an arrest of a “dangerous” man born in 1928 that will, for sure, make society more secure.
Regardless. Jimmy Barker, 90, who once owned a successful art gallery on Worth Avenue, failed to appear in court on a criminal traffic ticket in 2014. At the time, at the age of 86, he was charged by Palm Beach Police with driving with a license issued in Maine after his Florida license was suspended.
He was supposed to be arraigned January 19, 2014, but he didn’t come to court and the warrant was issued.
In his heydays Jimmy Barker, who couldn’t be reached for comment, was one of the East Coast’s best known art dealers. With galleries in Nantucket, Mass., New York City and Palm Beach, he specialized in 55 artists like Piero Aversa capable of giving the public “a sense of fantasy,” Barker once said in an interview.
His gallery stood on Worth Avenue for 30 years until it closed in 1998.
The past few years, however, haven’t been kind to Barker.
His house on Brazilian Avenue was destroyed in a fire in May 2008, an incident that claimed the life of the $2.5 million-home’s caretaker and destroyed his personal collection of paintings, sketches, drawings, sculptures and decoration.
On his arrest papers, Barker gave a trailer park in North Palm Beach as his new address.
He’s out on $2,000-bond after spending three hours in the county lockups.
