more copyright ponders

I've found it interesting to play the devil's advocate, so to speak, and read the information you offer. This is a sticky matter that I never even considered. I did have a friend, my original mentor in this art, who regularly sold her samplers to an antique dealer. Neither of them had any qualms receiving or selling samplers "found in some old lady's attic". I was quite uncomfortable with my friend's (and she was an old lady, but now I am her age - yipes!) actions for the simple reason I believed she was representing her stitchery to be actually antique. She was darn good at making them look old.

Fortunately, I have never sold my work nor do I intend to. The closest I will ever come to that is when, upon my death, my daughter liquidates my collection of work, which is rather extensive. I will apologize to the nameless copyright holders of 3 (I think) rooster patterns that I shared with one of your group. However, the recipient did not utilize those patterns, so perhaps I am off the hook.

This conversation has surely been instructive and I appreciate all your responses to my theoretical and practical questions.

Deb :)

Which ones? I do try to comply when I am aware. :/

Meredith

messagenews: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net...

Deb

Interesting, and not totally uncommon. The shop I used to work at, which is a framer, also houses an Antique Needlework Boutique. The owner of the shop has a good background in conservation, and textiles, taken classes and private tutaleage at the Smithsonian, etc. The person whose collection is that basis for the boutiques has become a learned collector, and shops all over the world - the linens range from handwork done in the early 1800s, some earlier Berlin work, to things like table linens, guest towels from the

It's sad for people to fake that - they do a disservice to themselves, and their buyer. Nothing wrong with saying something is an antique style, or in the style of a whatever. Sadly, many of us shopping for antique needlework may buy on a whim, and not be able to really substantiate what they're told or examine the piece. OTOH, art forgery has been around about as long as art. And if people are happy with what they get to look at, and not thinking about it as a valuable antique.... There is a reason for "caveat emptor" .

Just as interesting are the different responses and attitudes that we all have.

ellice

Ellice, I don't think the decorators who purchased my friend's supposed antiquities examined them to the degree you describe. As I said, I was quite uncomfortable with her actions. Further, she may have been paid well, but certainly did not need the money. Rather like a wealthy dowager who indulges in kleptomania. Simply put, it was dishonest. I personally enjoy making reproduction samplers for my own pleasure, and have never tried to pass them off as anything but that.

Deb

Deb,

Most people don't have the opportunities to examine antique samplers that I did. But....people who are buying them, as antiques, IME, make that examination - or a provenance from some established dealer/appraiser part of the negotiation. I understand your discomfort. People get fooled honestly often enough - such as buying a sampler done in the 50s that looks like one from the 19th century, only it's just a repro done in the 20th century. It takes education to be sure - with collecting about anything.

OTOH, if you buy what you like, that's great. I have plenty of antique reproduction furntiure - mixed right in with the really old stuff.

Funnily enough, last year when we were shopping for an antique sideboard, there was a dealer with some textiles at the show. I kept going back, and was very drawn to a few pieces. Most of which were way too pricey for me. They were at market kind of prices -but still around $1800 - $2300. There were a couple that were under $500, one in particular which I got down to around $375. I liked the dealeer, she was very familiar to me, as were a couple of the expensive pieces - couldn't decide if they'd been reproduced by one of the local designers (Handwork & Of Female Worth are very local here). Ended up I didn't buy anything. But, when I was over at the other shop (where I used to work) and telling her about the samplers - the reason the expensive ones were familiar - I'd helped do the conservation/framing of them.

I'm sorry you had to go through that uncomfortable situation. It's so awkward when someone that you think highly of, and like, behaves in a way that you find unethical. But, dealing with those situations is yet another whole discussion.

Ellice

I've only purchased one sampler that was supposedly 'old'. I really don't think it was, but I liked the look of it. It was on perforated paper and different from anything I have. I have a number of authentic antiques, both purchased and inherited, but again as you comment, I only buy what I like. I am going to live with the piece, so why else? As for my friend, while she taught me a number of wonderful techniques, I agree with you that she was short-changing herself. She was actually allowing her talents to be credited to someone else - the supposed actual creator of the antique sampler. I think it would be much more wonderful to say "This is my work - my reproductions are so skillful they will blend beautifully with your actual antiques!"

Deb :-)

It's one of the reason's when I do a reproduction sampler, I do not use the original stitcher's name and dates, I always replace them with my own.

Firstly, I'm proud of my stitching and would like folks to know who and when, and I have an uncomfortable feeling about passing my work off as old and valuable. (I know, I know - it is valuable, just not antique valuable - yet)

Marg