Smith, John: A catalogue raisonné of the works of the most eminent Dutch, Flemish, and French painters: in which is included a short biographical notice of the artists, with a copious description of their principal pictures : a statement of the prices at which such pictures have been sold at public sales on the continent and in England; a reference the the galleries and private collections in which a large portion are at present; and the names of the artists by whom they have been engraved; to which is added, a brief notice of the scholars & imitators of the great masters of the above schools (Part 1) (London: Smith and Son, 1829)

INTRODUCTION.

XV

catches at an offer, which he, with some specious excuse
and apparent difficulty, accepts, although it be but a
third, or even a quarter, of the sum asked; and the
purchaser ultimately discovers that he has bought a
copy, or an imitation, instead of an original picture;
and that a painting, for which he has given five or six
hundred pounds, is barely worth one hundred.
Another scheme is, to place pictures in an auction,
and to run them up to large sums, in order to give them
a fictitious value, with the hope of entrapping some
unwary bidder; should this fail, the picture is after-
wards put up at some other auction, with an observa-
tion that it was formerly sold for the sum at which it
had been knocked down at a previous sale, and the
sacrifice of half, or two-thirds, of that apparent purchase-
money, is perhaps an inducement to an unsuspecting
spectator to bid, and to become the unfortunate buyer.
Gentlemen are frequently beguiled to purchase a pic-
ture which is stated to be by some first-rate master, and
is partly confirmed as such, by having been in some
distinguished collection, and as having been exhibited
in the British Gallery ; nay, more, engraved: still the
picture is a mere copy, or a good imitation, at best.
The writer could point out pictures of this sort,
which, having passed through his hands with the name
of the artist upon them, have afterwards been sold and
exhibited under a different appellation ; of course, one
of higher request in the market.
Another plan, very extensively practised by certain
dealers, and by which one or two apparently knowing
ones have been duped, as well as less cautious gentle-
men who do not buy with a view to profit, is, the