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The Art of the Steal Hardcover – May 11, 2004

by Christopher Mason (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 21 ratings
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Journeys inside the price-fixing scandal that rocked the art auction world, describing how billionaire Alfred Taubman; Diana Brooks, the most powerful woman in the art world; and British executive Christopher Davidge conspired to cheat clients out of millions, while offering a revealing look at the inner operations of Sotheby's and Christie's. 50,000 first printing.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    416 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Putnam Adult
  4. Publication date
    May 11, 2004
  5. Reading age
    18 years and up
  6. Dimensions
    6.75 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0399150935
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0399150937
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Veteran art writer Mason does a good job separating the bad guys from the slightly less bad guys in his lively, anecdote-packed saga about how the world's two leading auction houses, Sotheby's and Christie's, conspired to fix prices on everything from famous paintings to antique furniture. Alfred Taubman, the shopping-mall king who bought Sotheby's in 1983 to keep it from falling into the hands of a couple of carpet salesmen, became the only principal in the case to actually do jail time-apparently due to what some courtroom observers labeled "the worst defense money can buy." It didn't help that Diana "DeDe" Brooks, who started her career as an unpaid intern and whose workaholic habits persuaded Taubman to make her Sotheby's CEO, became one of the government's chief witnesses against Taubman. On the Christie's side, the lineup features a number of snobbish Brits, including Christie's CEO, Christopher Davidge, who seems to have sold everyone else down the river. It would have made for smoother reading if Mason (or his editor) had done some pruning: how many times do we need to be told that Brooks is six feet tall or that Taubman's wife, Judy, is a glamorous former beauty queen? But in the end, it's the story that carries the day-an amazing and depressing chronicle of greed in the name of culture that should (but probably won't) keep art buyers from ever walking into an auction house again.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Christopher Mason is a frequent contributor to The New York Times and New York magazine, and has been writing for more than a dozen years on the worlds of art, society, fashion, and design.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Putnam Adult; First Edition (May 11, 2004)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0399150935
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0399150937
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.55 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.75 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 21 ratings

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Christopher Mason

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
21 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Eric Weiss
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2018
Verified Purchase
Very thorough work of research and well presented in this tomb.
One person found this helpful
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Wanda Lee Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2014
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It is a great book. I never been disappointed with a book I have bought from Amazon/Thrift Books.
One person found this helpful
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Jon Herahzn
4.0 out of 5 stars eBay cheater relates his story
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2010
Verified Purchase
While this is a work of non-fiction, it reads very much like a novel. I got what I hoped for - an account of how this guy fooled a lot of people with phony artwork and signatures. (And he got what he deserved.) But I also got a very well-written, personal account of his life, his friends, his enemies and his take on eBay's policies and so on. If you enjoy mystery/con artist stories, or are an eBay junkie, you will enjoy this quick read.
One person found this helpful
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John Uray
5.0 out of 5 stars Artsy World
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2013
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The author's description of the characters are the key to the whole book: they are insightful and very savvy.

John
One person found this helpful
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Robert J. Frishman
3.0 out of 5 stars Informative.
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2007
Verified Purchase
This was a close look at corporate London/New York greed within my world of antiques dealing, and it was nice to see comeupance for some amorality, but I'm not sure how much anybody or anything has really changed in the auction world. The stakes are just too high, so probably now the crooks are just more careful.
One person found this helpful
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HCR
5.0 out of 5 stars Fair In Every Regard
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2022
I think this book was well written and most importantly fair to everyone involved. I don't see this book leaning towards one side or demonizing one over the other. This is important in investigative journalism.
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P. Dunham
5.0 out of 5 stars High society shows its greed in Mason's book
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2004
A great description of New York high life amidst one of the biggest money scandals of recent memory. Mason keeps the pace fast and sizzling. Lots of colorful details of the characters of high society and the art world make this a fast paced read. He even kees the business and legal side of the story scintilating. It kept me up late into the nights. A must read!
11 people found this helpful
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Wiltfried Idema
5.0 out of 5 stars Greed!
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2004
Vivid description of the eternal battle between old and new (money) and the rise and fall of some of the upstarts. A good example of what will happen if first generation money is allowed to take over a respectable business and to defile it with their greed and love of display. After all: it takes three generations to become a gentleman...

Special attention for the comments of Lord and Lady Hindlip.
7 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

MarMar
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 24, 2019
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I used to work at Sotheby’s at the time and it’s a very truthful and fascinating account of what goes on under everyone’s radar...real life stories can be better than fiction
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Richard Gray
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 30, 2016
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Lovely hardback book at a very good price, interesting read, thanks
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 21, 2017
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Good
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italiana
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 8, 2016
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very good
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Leslie
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2016
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thank you!
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