National History Museum - Mineralogy

This month, Opus Artz & Friends, took the opportunity to visit the London Natural History History Museum on our regular monthly research & sketchtrip - in this instance to study and be fascinated by the vast variety of crystal and stone formation growths stored in the vast stone repository.

The National Building and Decorative Stone Collection contains 10,000 rough and polished samples which record the international use of stone over the past 150 years, facilitating the comparative identification and sourcing of replacement stone.

Many a sketchbook were filled with studies of stone formation and unfathomable strange shapes that crystal growth could undertake, given the right conditions. Especially bizzare were images of fused mixtures of multimple minerals growing between one another.

Natural History Museum

During our monthly sketchtrip, Opus Artz & Friends too the opportunity to visit the Natural History Museum (a good ole haunt and favourite) due to its vast palatial grounds and its naturist engraved designs inherent within the building's construction and impressive attention to detail throughout.

One thing to note, some days even in the cold weather of a February morn - it can get especially busy (even on an off peak season)

Here are some shots depicting the graceful architecture, mood and lighting within the Natural History Museum. Certainly it is worth spending at least 2 - 3 hours sketching and studying the various compositions and architecture (especially for environmental concept artists)

Urban Legend Come True

This week I learned that sometimes Urban Legends take a turn for the worse.

According to Barbara Mikkelson’s Snopes.com, urban legends are those stories that circulates widely, being told and retold with differing details or in multiple versions and are believed to be true by most people. Whether the event actually occurred is irrelevant to the classification as an urban legend. They may be true in some cases, and the details may have been embellished upon, and the details have been altered over the years, i.e. where it happened, when it happened, the identify of those involved, the reaction of the tale.

We’ve all received urban legends though the email or posted on the company bulletin board, warning us of impending dangers that do not, in reality, exist as told. Our intelligence, if we possess any, most often tells us that the tale couldn’t be true, but our imagination runs way at times and we begin to believe that perhaps, just maybe, the common fallacy, misinformation, old wives’ tale, strange new story, rumor, celebrity gossip or other similar item might just be true.

This morning (Saturday, March 28, 2009) in the Austin American Statesman there was a story (http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/03/28/0328shootout.html) that very much reminded me of an old urban legend. The story as reported in the Statesman is not funny, as the original urban legend was perhaps meant to be. This is a case in which one individual twists an old story and attempts to make the urban legend become true. The results in this case were disastrous to the victim, who lost a leg and months of imprisonment. But let me tell the story and you can decide for yourself if perhaps urban legends are at play here.

David Lozano, 50, and his wife, Rosemary, were having marital problems leading up to an incident on March 11, 2007, according to a police affidavit.

That night, a man with whom Rosemary Lozano had had an affair threatened David Lozano just after midnight in a phone conversation. Then that man, Miguel Salazar, told Lozano he was coming over to the Lozano home 1205 Silverton Court in Northwest Austin. Salazar then called police and reported a domestic disturbance at the Lozano home.

Police officer Roger Boudreau, a four-year veteran of the Austin Police Department, responded to the disturbance call at Lozano’s home. The police officer was alone and did not call for backup. He arrived in the dark of night, dressed in all black as other policemen, since it is thought that 1) black is an intimidating color and helps police in overpowering individuals and 2) the black color blends into the dark preventing them from being observed, which allows them to move about unseen, like Ninjas in the night.

The officer had the video camera in his car running to record the incident, as well as a small lapel microphone. As he knocked on the front door of Lozano’s house, he distinctly heard someone chamber a round into a gun through the door and immediately moved off of the porch.

Lozano, thinking it was Salazar knocking on the door had intentionally made the sound with the gun to scare Salazar away. Not hearing anything more than the knock on the door, after a few minutes, Lozano looked through the peephole and seeing no one there, he opened the door with gun in hand.

For those not familiar with Texas law, I should explain that in Texas individuals have the right to protect their family, home and property with deadly force. Trespass has it’s consequence in Texas and often ends in a deadly mishap. Police have often been shot at, wounded and even killed when trespassing onto a person’s property at night without properly identifying themselves properly, as was the case this night.

With the video in the police car and the lapel microphone recording all that happened, it was obvious that police officer Boudreau never identified himself as a police officer, not did he say anything aloud. When Lozano opened the door with gun in hand, Boudreau responded by firing two times at the silhouetted Lozano and then ran around to the side of the house into the dark to protect himself from the light pouring from the opened front door.

Perhaps Boudreau acted in fear and simply forgot to state he was a police officer. Perhaps out of fear of being shot with the gun in Lozano’s hand, he failed to state, “Stop or I’ll shoot!” or some other warning that should have been made before firing. This is not necessary if the police officer feels that he is in immediate danger of his life.

Lozano, still believing that it was Salazar that knocked on the door and shot him, followed the dark figure around to the side of the house. Another shot was fired, and recorded on the audio portion of the video tape in the police car and over the lapel microphone worn by the police officer.

Lozano was wounded in the leg by the gunshots from Boudreau. Lozano was arrested and three months after the confrontation, a grand jury indicted Lozano on charges of attempted capital murder and aggravated assault by threat. Lozano’s wound was far worse that first thought, and eventually his leg was amputated while he was in jail awaiting a hearing on the matter.

Lozano, spent 13 months in jail before he was released on bail in 2008. The release came after the Travis Country Assistant District Attorney Steven Brand admitted, "We believe that Mr. Lozano maintained a reasonable belief that on that day and time he was defending himself, his wife and his property," something that the defense had suggested from the very beginning.

The dismissal came after a series of expert witnesses for both the state and defense cast doubt on whether officer Roger Boudreau told the truth about the confrontation, according to attorneys in the case.

Since Boudreau's patrol car video camera was on during the incident and he was wearing a lapel microphone, which recorded the audio, expert witnesses analyzed the recordings and the crime scene. There was no doubt that the police officer never identified himself and in fact had fired the first three shots in the incidents. The men had different caliber weapons that could be distinguished from each other on the recording.

This led prosecutors to dismiss the initial charges and they also acknowledged that there were a number of inconsistencies in the actual evidence and in officer Boudreau’s account, implying that the officer lied about the circumstances.

But the Police Chief, Art Acevedo stood by his police officer and brought charges up again in July 2008. The second grand jury indicted Lozano on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Again, further analysis by expert witnesses found that Boudreau fired the first five shots. In recent weeks, state experts had independently determined that Boudreau fired at least the first three shots, prompting prosecutors to abandon the case once again.

But, wait! That’s not all.

An APD News release by the Public Information Officer of the Austin Police Department dated Wednesday, March 21, 2007 at 12:11 a.m. concerning the officer involved shooting, tells a completely different story than what eventually came to light. The press release read:

At approximately 12:11a.m., Northeast Area Command patrol officers responded to a 9-1-1 call of a family disturbance at 1205 Silverton Court. Upon arrival at the scene an officer approached the residence and could hear a verbal disturbance coming from inside the house.

Officer Roger Boudreau knocked on the door to make contact with the individuals inside the residence. Officer Boudreau heard what he believed to be a round being chambered into a gun as the suspect approached the front door from inside the residence. The suspect immediately opened the front door and began to fire at Officer Boudreau. Officer Boudreau sought cover as the suspect pursued him. Officer Boudreau returned fire striking the suspect. The suspect retreated inside the residence. After a brief period he returned to the front of the residence and surrendered. He was taken into custody by responding officers without further incident.

The suspect was transported to Brackenridge Hospital where he is listed in fair condition. The suspect has been identified as David Lozano, 50 (DOB: 04-16-56). Lozano has been charged with Attempted Capitol Murder, a first-degree felony. Bond has been set at $300,000.

Officer Roger Boudreau, a four-year veteran, has been placed on restricted duty pending the outcome of the investigation and the presentation of the case to the Travis County Grand Jury. This is standard procedure when an officer uses deadly force.

This was the third officer involved shooting in a 2-week period. The Austin Police Department, which has undergone a Federal investigation for excessive force in the past, decided that Boudreau not only acted in his best interest by firing the first three or five shots and running away, they awarded Boudreau the Medal of Valor, the department's highest honor, for displaying exceptional bravery in the incident.

Last week, Lozano filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Austin, Boudreau and Boudreau's supervisor, Sgt. Stephen Deaton, claiming, among other things, that he was a victim of excessive force and that his civil rights were violated.

The citizens of Austin are in an uproar about the incident, and are demanding that the officer be fired for using excessive force, his Medal of Valor be returned, and that he be prosecuted for attempted murder of Lozano.

Now, for the Urban Legend story that I was reminded of.

The Anger Management Urban Legend

In a fanciful tale of revenge that began circulating on the Internet in January 1997, we hear a similar story. Perhaps the instigator in the above true story had read the tale and decided to use it to his advantage in some sick and twisted manner, but then again, maybe not. It could be a simple case of circumstance. It is called the Tale of Revenge:

A man comes up with an inventive way to get even with two rude fellows.

Now get this. I was sitting at my desk, when I remembered a phone call I had to make. I found the number and dialed it. A man answered nicely saying, "Hello?" I politely said, "This is John Jo and could I please speak to Robin Carter?"

Suddenly the phone was slammed down on me! I couldn't believe that anyone could be that rude. I tracked down Robin's correct number and called her. She had transposed the last two digits. After I hung up with Robin, I spotted the wrong number still lying there on my desk. I decided to call it again.

When the same person once more answered, I yelled “Jerk!" and hung up. Next to his phone number I wrote the word "Jerk," and put it in my desk drawer. Every couple of weeks, when I was paying bills, or had a really bad day, I'd call him up. He'd answer, and then I'd yell, ''Jerk!" It would always cheer me up.

Later in the year the phone company introduced caller ID. This was a real disappointment for me, I would have to stop calling the Jerk. Then one day I had an idea. I dialed his number, then heard his voice, "Hello." I made up a name. "Yo. This is Telly with the telephone company and I'm just calling to see if you're familiar with our Caller ID program?" He went, "No!" and slammed the phone down. I quickly called him back and said, "That's because you're a “Jerk!"

And the reason I took the time to tell you this story, is to show you how if there's ever anything really bothering you, you can do something about it. Just dial 823-4863 and tell the guy he is a Jerk!

But, wait, there’s more…

The old lady at the mall really took her time pulling out of the parking space. I didn't think she was ever going to leave. Finally her car began to move and she started to very slowly back out of the stall. I backed up a little more to give her plenty of room to pull out. Great, I thought, she's finally leaving.

All of a sudden this black Camaro come flying up the parking aisle in the wrong direction and pulls into her space. I started honking my horn and yelling, "You can't do that,.. I was here first!"

The guy climbed out of his Camaro completely ignoring me. He walked toward the mall as if he didn't even hear me.

I thought to myself, this guy's a jerk, there's sure a lot of jerks in this world.

I noticed he had a For Sale sign in the back window of his car. I wrote down the number. Then I hunted for another place to park.

A couple of days later, I'm at home sitting at my desk. I had just gotten off the phone after calling 823-4863 and yelling, "' Jerk!" (It's really easy to call him now since I have his number on speed dial). I noticed the phone number of the guy with the black Camaro lying on my desk and thought I'd better call this guy, too.

After a couple rings someone answered the phone and said, "Hello."

I asked, "Are you the dude with the black Camaro for sale?"

"Yes I am,” came the reply.

"Can you tell me where I can see it?" "Yes, I live at 1802 West 34th Street. It's a yellow house and the car's parked right out front." I said, "What's your name dude?" "My name is Don Hansen." "When's a good time to catch you, Don?" "I'm home in the evenings." "Listen Don, can I tell you something?"

"Yes." "Don, you're a “Jerk!" And I slammed the phone down. After I hung up I added Don Hansen's number to my speed dialer.

For a while things seemed to be going better for me. Now when I had a problem I had two Jerks to call. Then after several months of calling the Jerks and hanging up on them, the whole thing started to seem like an obligation. It just wasn't as enjoyable as it used to be.

I gave the problem some serious thought and came up with a solution.

First, I had my phone dial Jerk #1. A man answered nicely saying, "Hello."

I yelled "Jerk!" But I didn't hang up.

The Jerk said, "Are you still there?"

I said, "Yeah.."

He said, "Stop calling me."

I said, "No."

He said, "What's your name, pal?"

I said, "Don Hansen."

"Where do you live?"

"1802 West 34th Street. It's a yellow house and my black Camaro's parked out front." "I'm coming over right now! You'd better start saying your prayers."

"Yeah, like I'm really scared, “Jerk!" and I hung up.

Then I called Jerk #2.

He answered, "Hello."

I said, "Hello? Jerk!"

He said, "If I ever find out who you are..."

"You'll what?"

"I'll kick your…!"

"Oh yeah? You just wait right there. I'm coming over right now, Jerk!" And I hung up.

Then I picked up the phone and called the police. I told them a big gang fight was going down at 1802 West 34th Street. After that I climbed into my car and headed over to 34th Street to watch the whole thing.

I turned onto 34th Street and parked my car under the shade of a tree half a block from Jerk #2's house. There were two guys fighting out front. Suddenly there were about 12 police cars and a helicopter. The police wrestled the two men to the ground and took them away.

A couple of months go by and I get a call for jury duty. I was picked to be on a trial of two guys charged with disorderly conduct. As luck would have it, it happened to be the same two guys. I might have influenced the jury, because when they announced the verdict, they said, "We the jury find the defendants to be guilty, and a couple of Jerks!"

Barbara Mikkelson, in her Internet site, Snopes.com, tracked down the many different versions of the story and deems it an Urban Legend.

She states that the hero's name is variously given as John Jo, Patrick Hanifin, Patrick Hannifin or Steve Sims. The name he makes up when posing as someone asking about Caller ID is Telly or Herman. Depending on which version you encounter, the miscreants are labeled by different names, sometimes using profanity and at other times not, depending on the person who passes along the story. Just as I have eliminated the offensive language in the tale in order to tell it on my “family friendly” site.

Mikkelson states that the original version was not possible as it gave the first phone number as 722.4822, in which the last two digits could not have been transposed. Later versions gave the phone number as 823.4863, which shows that someone was paying attention and changed the number to make the story more believable.

Three Monkees

There's an old Haitian proverb that goes: A monkey never thinks her baby's ugly!

Of course, man didn't descend from the monkey, and what a shame we didn't. Consider this little prose:

THREE LITTLE MONKEYS

Three little monkeys, sat on a coconut tree
Discussing things that are said to be
Said one to the other,” Now listen, you two,
There’s a terrible rumor that can’t be true
That man descended from our great race,...
Why, brother, the idea’s an awful disgrace.
A monkey never beat his wife,
Harmed her children and ruined her life.
And other things, you’ll never see
Is an ape who’s drunk, and on a spree
Welding a gun or club or knife
To take some other monkey’s life...
Yes, man descended,...The ornery cuss...
But brother, he never descended from us.

KELVEDON HATCH - Art Sketch Trip

KELVEDON HATCH: UK SECRET NUCLEAR BUNKER

Opus Artz & Friends will be visiting the Kelvedon Hatch, Brentwood, Essex on the 10th or 20th July 2009 for an art sketchmeet.

If you are interested in meeting and joining us for this trip, contact us via our opusartz website.

Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker
Crown Buildings
Kelvedon Hall Lane
Kelvedon Hatch
CM14 5TL

Admission Details

Summer: March 1st to October 31st

Open Every Day!
Weekdays :
Open 10 am - 4 pm
Weekends & Bank Holidays :
Open 10 am - 5pm

Winter: November 1st to February 28/29th
Open Thursday to Sunday inclusive.
Open from 10 - 4 pm*
(* We are usually open during school holidays and half term.)

Admission:
Adults £6.50
Children £4.50 (5-16 Years)
Family £16 (2 Adults + 2 Children)
Group Discount 15+ Adults £6 Child £4

Travel Details

By Road
Access is from the A128 Chipping Ongar to Brentwood road at Kelvedon Hatch.
If you have GPS then use CM15 0LA and look out for the Brown Tourist signs.

From the M11:
Take the A414(Chelmsford) to Ongar then take the A128 to Brentwood.

From the M25:
Interchange with the A12, junction 28, take the A1023 to Brentwood then take the A128 to Ongar.

Rail:
There are services to Brentwood and Shenfield Mainline Train Stations, where you may either take a 7 mile taxi ride, or from Brentwood you can also catch the 501 Townlink bus.
For train times ring National Rail
Enquiries on:
0845 748 4950

Underground:
Take the Central Line to Debden, Theydon Bois or Epping, and then a 7 mile taxi ride. There is also a bus service from Epping, which is the 501 Townlink bus.

Down on the Ground!

Most of us have never heard those words and hope that we never do. Such was the case of Mark Ledford and his girlfriend Asia Ward when they were ordered to do so by members of the Austin Police Department early one evening in front of their home.

Three days earlier, on a Wednesday, Mark, who works for a real estate firm, came home to find a green Honda Accord parked in front of his house in an upper-class neighborhood of Austin. As he walked by the car, he noted that the windows were rolled down and the keys were in the ignition. He assumed that the car belonged to someone visiting his girlfriend, but when he entered his house to find only his girlfriend home, he thought, “Oh, well, their probably visiting a neighbor.”

The next morning, the car was still parked there and he assumed that someone was visiting from out of town or had simply slept over. Mark continued on to work at the real estate firm and forgot about the little green Honda parked in front of his home. But that night, the car was still there, apparently unmoved.

The young couple became concerned about the car, specifically what had happened toe driver of the car. Mark knew most of his neighbors and had never seen the car in the neighborhood before. He decided to see if he could locate the owner to tell them that leaving the keys in the ignition and the windows rolled down was not a good idea. He went door-to-door in the neighborhood but no one knew anything about the car. Neighbors expressed concern over the car and why it might have been abandoned in front of their homes.

Finding no owner and no one who knew anything about the car, Mark decided that maybe the car had been stolen and abandoned in front of his home, so he did what most of us would have done - he called the police. Two police officers showed up after a while and when Mark asked them, “isn’t it strange that someone parked their car there with the windows rolled down and the keys in it?”

The police responded with, “It’s parked legally. What’s the problem?” After seven minutes of conversation, the police officers left without so much as looking at the car or it’s contents. Mark and Asia thought this was strange, that the police acted like they didn’t care about whether the car was stolen or that the driver had disappeared. But they had done all that they could do.

That morning as Mark left to go to work the car was there and when he came home that evening he grew more concerned. He and Asia begin to worry and they could only imagine the worse. They knew that if their car was stolen and someone found it setting on a residential street they would want it reported. But the police had not written up a report on the car. So there was no record of the car and it’s location.

They also worried about what has happened to the driver. Mark and Asia went out to look at the car and noticed what appeared to be a top to a woman’s bikini in the back seat and the key ring hanging from the ignition certainly looked like they belonged to a woman. But, as they walked around the car, they became increasingly worried. The drivers side rear window had been broken and there was shattered glass on the seat. There was also a pair of men’s work boots and some rope in the car.

While on the surface there was nothing there to tie the car or the missing driver to a crime, it did worry Mark and Asia. Perhaps from watching too many cop shows on television or reading too many murder mysteries the couple had questions. Who had left the car there, and why? What if something strange was going on? Shouldn't the police investigate?

On Saturday night the couple went out to rent a movie and buy some ice cream. They noticed the car and their worries returned. When they returned to the house, Ledford went back outside and starred at the car for a long time. He knew that something had to be done. He went back in the house and told Asia that he was going to look in the car to see if he could locate the owner. Maybe there was some mail, a bill with the owners name and if so, all he had to do was call them and tell them that their car was parked out front of his home. Problem solved.

However, with their overactive minds and because of the broken rear side window, the couple still considered that the car might have been involved in a crime. The couple consider that they had reported the car to the police and they did nothing. It was time to get to the bottom of this. Ledford decided to put on a pair of gloves thinking, if this is a crime scene he didn’t want to leave any fingerprints.

They walked down their drive to the parked car and opened the door. They were searching for something that would lead them to the owner of the car. With no flashlight handy, Mark used his cell phone to illuminate the interior of the car to inspect the car’s interior. Not finding anything, he took the keys from the ignition to check the trunk, but the trunk lock was jammed. Still nothing. Mark put the keys back in the ignition and as he and Asia stood on the sidewalk thinking about what to do, a police car with flashing lights sped around the corner toward them. Police officers jumped from the car as it rolled to a stop behind the Honda and begin yelling, “GET ON THE GROUND, NOW!

Mark tried to explain that he was the homeowner and that he was simply inspecting the car to identify the owner. The police only kept waving their guns and yelling for the couple to get on the ground.

The couple were handcuffed as they lie on the damp ground. The police read them their rights and they waived their right to a lawyer. Finally, Detective John Spillers showed up and they explained their story to him. Neither Mark nor Asia had ever been arrested and had no criminal record. The police eventually took the cuffs off of the couple and released them.

Shaken, but glad to have survived the incident of having police wave guns in their face, the couple went into their home, ate their ice cream and watched a movie. Later, they were still angry at what had transpired. How could they have done the wrong thing? They were only trying to help. The couple went to bed that night thinking the ordeal was over and that perhaps they should think twice before trying to be good Samaritans.

But the ordeal was not over for the young couple. Not by a long shot. Sixteen days later, on Asia’s birthday, the police knocked on their door again. In lieu of drawn guns they came with an affidavit and arrested the couple on a charge of burglary of a vehicle, a Class A misdemeanor that carries a penalty of up to a year in jail and up to a $4,000 fine. The affidavit, written by Detective John Spillers, notes that Ledford was wearing gloves to avoid leaving prints, and both he and his girlfriend "admitted that Mark had tried to get in the trunk."

Of course, as it often the case with arrest affidavits, it did not mention both sides of the case. It did not state that the couple had called police to report the car or that the car was parked in front of their home for three days with the windows rolled down and the keys in the ignition. Nor, did it mention the broken rear window and the shattered glass on the rear seat. Any one of which would have caused a reasonable person to become suspicious and look in the car.

Detective Spiller stated in the affidavit that the defendant’s actions constituted more than mere curiosity or trying to locate the owner’s information. And is always the case, Detective Spiller nor the prosecutor, Assistant County Attorney Vicki Ashley, are commenting on the case.

Mark and Asia say they were offered deferred prosecution, which would waive any penalties as long as they sign a confession and don't commit a crime for a year. But they refuse to confess to an offense they say they didn't commit.

"If they want to charge us with trespassing, then fine, we’re guilty," Ward said. "But we did not burglarize a vehicle."

But wait! This is not the end of the story. The affidavit did not tell the whole story nor did the officers involved in the incident. Remember, those two officers who responded to the initial call to investigate the parked car? As it turns out they knew exactly why the Honda was parked in front of the couple’s home.

Remember how quickly the police came speeding around the corner when Mark and Asia were looking in the car? They were in on the deal too. You see the car wasn’t stolen or had it been involved in a crime. The police themselves had purposely left the little green Honda Accord parked in front of Mark’s home.

The Honda was a “bait vehicle,” armed with video surveillance equipment, GPS tracking system and an alarm, which notified the police that the vehicle had been tampered with. The Austin police have been using the bait vehicle program since 1997 and have up to nine cars parked at any one time on the streets. They simply park the car, leave the keys in the ignition and wait for someone to take the bait. The GPS tracking units make the cars easy to find and because the entire episode is captured on videotape, a conviction is easy to secure. The trunk of the car is filled with equipment and that’s why the trunk is secured.

Sergeant Oliver Tate with the Auto Theft Interdiction Unit, which oversees the bait car program stated that the bait car program produced 70 warrants or arrests in 2008. That’s right they don’t always catch the person who tampers with or steals the car. This year they have had only 13 warrants or arrests, down considerably and there is a push on to make more arrests to keep the program alive. They refuse to say how much the program costs, but in 2007, the City Council received an $85,287 one-year grant from the state for the bait car equipment alone.

The bait car program is being used in police departments throughout the United States. The police state that the program is not generally considered entrapment because the police don’t actively encourage people to burglarize or steal the vehicle but only provide the temptation. Although police are not talking about the number of convictions that have resulted from the arrests, they do admit that the youngest person arrested was only 13 years old.

Perhaps the police departments don’t think this through clearly. While they are stating the purpose of the program is supposed to act as a deterrent to auto burglary and theft, they are actually promoting the acts of crime. This doesn’t make sense to most people. We have been made to believe that the deterrent is supposed to be the penalty for a crime - you steal a car and you go to jail.

Sergeant Tate states that they look at the past auto burglary and theft cases and attempt to set up similar scenarios to match. They often leave a car parked in front of a convenience store with the keys in the ignition with the engine running in an attempt to get someone to steal the car. Or they park the car in a high crime area, leaving the keys in the ignition and the windows rolled down. He stated that the police attempt to set up the most tempting situations to make as many arrests as possible.

The police are not acting alone in this. The cars are often supplied by insurance companies, which supposedly have a stake in reducing car burglaries and theft. But, even this is flawed. The insurance companies only make money if people have the fear that their vehicle is burglarized or stolen. If the crimes went away – so would the billons of insurance money. No business purposefully runs themselves out of business.

And what about that slogan on the side of the police cars – To Protect and Serve? Who are they protecting and serving with the bait program? It would seem that there are better ways of protecting and serving the tax payers than by tempting the unsuspecting 13-year-old children into going for a joy ride. And, speaking of joy rides…

It seems another neighbor also called the police department after observing the car sitting there for days. Again, nothing was done about the report and the police continued to leave the car in place. The neighbors spoke about the car and why someone would just leave it there for days. They came to the conclusion that someone had broken down and abandoned the car. A young man visiting with the neighbor that called police, decided to see if the car was broken down. He drove the car about 50-feet and then backed up and parked the vehicle in the same place it had been setting.

That joy ride netted the young man, who had no prior criminal record, an arrest. He was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, a felony offense. The charge was later reduced to a Class A misdemeanor, and the young man was given deferred adjudication and is now serving an 18-month probation. The test drive cost him dearly. Now he has a criminal record that will haunt him for the rest of his life. He is also out the $5,000 lawyer fee to get released from jail, and he has to pay $190 a month to his probation officer for the next 18-months.

All of this could have been avoided if the police had simply informed the citizens in the neighborhood that the bait car was being left there and asked that they cooperate with the police department. If the police had told the concerned callers that tried to report the car the truth, three arrests of innocent people could have been avoided.

But is leaving these bait cars on the street really a good idea. These are working cars, with a full tank of gas and with keys in the ignition. What is to keep a child of any age from crawling into the car and going for a joy ride? This particular car was left near McCallum High School with lots of school kids walking by each day. It would surely have tempted some kid to dare another kid to take the car for a joy ride.

We have all seen the car chases on the 10:00 p.m. news, which endanger lives and property as the Keystone-like cops chase the car around town at high speed, sideswiping bystanders, driving down one-way streets, and across yards where small children are playing. And, we all know how the chase ends – usually when the car hits another car or the front of a home.

During these chases is a total disregard to protect and serve anyone other than making the arrest, which ultimately puts money in the coffers of the police. And, yes, arrests are about the money. Crime seems to pay more to the police, lawyers, court systems, jails and prisons than it does the criminals. Of course, the criminals shouldn’t reap benefits from crime, but still.

Sergeant Tate states that he hasn’t heard of a police department being held liable for what happens when a bait car is driven away. As far as the police department is concerned, he said, it doesn't matter whether it's a hardened auto thief who takes the bait or an opportunist who does so simply because a vehicle is there for the taking.

"Let me ask you something: If you see a car with the keys in it, would you take it?" Sargeant Tate said. "There are hundreds of people walking by these cars, and they make the choice to keep walking. The bottom line is this: If you see a car that doesn't belong to you, don't take it."

But, maybe the police department be worried about liability. Maybe they should be worried about their responsibility to the public and to the safety of all involved. Maybe they should be concerned with morality. Because if they are not, then who will protect and serve us?

Meanwhile, Mark and Asia said their arrest has had a huge impact on their lives. Ward said she suspects she's already been turned down for two jobs and a volunteer position because of the criminal charge against her.

The experience has made them both more cynical, both about law enforcement and the ability to make a difference in the world by doing the right thing. "To hell with being a concerned citizen," Mark said. "You hear stories of someone getting mugged and no one gets involved. Now I see why."

The couple will be in court tomorrow to explain their story to a judge. They are hopeful that right will prevail and that the judge will be clearheaded enough to see the injustice of the incident. Good luck with that one!

Reference - Lost Cities & Lost Treasure

Hi folks,

Every artist - established or growing has at his or her disposal a decent and modest access to a available references and books on hand. This task and quest, is a lifelong one and I would recommend a gradual and considered consideration of purchases in order to ensure you have the appropriate reference (and not end up with stacks of un usable and out of data references that end up as being expensive door stops at best!)

Thus, I would like to introduce our studio Library recommendation with two new reference books that have joined our growing studio Library within the mythology and ancient treasures section.

Firstly, these books are produced by Octopus Books at http://www.octopusbooks.co.uk

and the following two books caught my eye in particular:

1. The Atlas of Lost Cities: Legendary Cities rediscovered
2. The Atlas of Lost Treasures - John Levy

Often when deciding the suitability of a reference book for our artists at Opus Artz, there is a fine balance between context and information vs visuals.

On one hand, the medical and scientific training background absorbs and revels in the raw data, history and random bits of datum in books typical of Mythology and Ancient History. On the other, I have to be mindful that a more visual centric reference can be more relevant.

I am glad to say, these Atlas series by Octopus books is just the right blend of visual temepered with information. Each area or region or object is split into two pages - filled with relatively informative narrative, visuals and additional data.

Thus, for anyone into historical concept art along the lines of action adventure, these two books come highly recommended!

Further Information

The Atlas of Lost Cities

Brenda Rosen

Imprint: Godsfield Press Ltd

Format: Hardback

Size: 279 x 240 x 22 mm

Pages: 176

ISBN: 9781841813271

Published: 15th January 2008

"The Atlas of Lost Cities" explores some of the most extraordinary ancient cities from around the world that have been abandoned, forgotten or hidden by time, and ponders the lessons they can teach us today. This fascinating book examines the role of natural and man-made disasters, rulers and hostile neighbours and the fate of cities built to celebrate religious beliefs and enshrine gods and deities. It traces the lost beauty and ancient wisdom embodied in such key sites as Borobodur in Java and Aphrodisias in Turkey and examines the causes of the failure of cities such as Niya in Central Asia and Mesa Verde in Colorado that had thrived for centuries. This is a thought-provoking and illuminating reference work for everyone fascinated by ancient civilizations.

The Atlas of Lost Treasures

Joel Levy

Imprint: Godsfield Press Ltd

Format: Hardback

Size: 279 x 240 x 20 mm

Pages: 176

ISBN: 9781841813363

Published: 15th October 2008

From the Anglo-Saxon Kings' treasure trove at Sutton Hoo to the sensational discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, this book explores treasures both ancient and modern lost, stolen, seemingly destroyed and miraculously rediscovered. The book will include the search for such legendary treasures as the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail, as well as accounts of the disappearance of wonders of the ancient world including the Statue of Zeus at Olympia and the Colossus of Rhodes. Detailed, sumptious artwork reconstructions will show the treasures in situ in their original temples, palaces and throne rooms, and will take you on a treasure-hunting journey around the world.

English Heritage - Festival of History

Hi Folks,

Following our ancient days out on Saturday 24th July 2009, Opus Artz and Friends will be relocating camp further up north, in the expansive (3500 acres) grounds of impeccable and romantic gardens of Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire for a weekend of live re-enactments and loads of sketching, drawing and inspiration.

So, if you are attending this festival, feel free to contact us and it would be good to share the experience and meet new art colleagues on this weekend of history

Here is a brief line up on what is on offer:

BRAND NEW FOR 2009

Agincourt 1415, Time Travellers Go..., Tudor Fashion Show, Beauty Secrets from the Past, A Norman Melee, King Henry's Joust

BIG BATTLE SPECTACULARS

Tank Attack 1944 with Aerial Display, English Civil War Battle, Heroes of the Empire, Tommies of WWII, Gladiators!, Soldiers of Waterloo

HISTORY LIVES

Grand Parade, The Victorian Gymkhana, Music Through The Ages, Roman Games, The Roman Imperial Army, Animals in History, The Historic Market

FAMILY FUN – It’s not just for kids!

Time Travellers Go..., Bzents, Family Activity Zone, Victorian Seaside, Penny Merriments, Trifles & Japery, Victory in the Garden, Heuristics: Tudor, Young Archaeologists' Club

HISTORICAL DISPLAYS

EH Archaeology & Buildings, Portable Antiquities, The National Monuments Record, Federation of Family History Society, Battlefield Trust, Northamptonshire Archaeology Society, Beauty in History, Turn the Key of Time, Pheonix wargaming Club

Why are Hospitals Cold?

This week I learned why the temperature is kept so cold in hospitals. In the mid 1800s there was a dominant idea that bad air quality caused disease. Therefore in order to treat sickness, an American physician and humanitarian, John Gorrie, built a refrigerator with the purpose of cooling air. Gorrie's refrigerator produced ice which he suspended from the ceiling in a basin.

Strange how an idea can stick with us over all these years.

While we are on the subject of ice I have recently been studying ice cubes for a project that I am working on. Specifically, I was researching the white flakes that can be found at the bottom of a glass of ice water after the ice has melted. I found that that as the ice cubes melt they precipitate white flakes, commonly known as "floaters". They are calcium carbonate, which is present in many water supplies and is completely harmless in small quantities.

Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula CaCO3. It is a common substance found in rock in all parts of the world, and is the main component of shells of marine organisms, snails, pearls, and eggshells. Calcium carbonate is the active ingredient in agricultural lime, and is usually the principal cause of hard water. It is commonly used medicinally as a calcium supplement or as an antacid, but high consumption can be hazardous.

An interesting characteristic of commercially made ice cubes is that they are completely clear, lacking the clouding found in the center of domestically made ice cubes. As it turns out, cloudy ice cubes result when water is frozen quickly, or ice is allowed to form on the surface of the water.

When water is cooled to its freezing point, and ice starts to form, dissolved gases can no longer stay in solution and come out as microscopic bubbles. However, as ice floats in water, once there is enough ice to form a layer on the surface, the ice layer traps all bubbles within the ice cube. Ice-makers use a flowing source of water to make ice with cooling elements at the bottom, allowing the bubbles to be washed away from the top as the cube grows.

Ice Cube Trays

In the winter of 1928, Lloyd Groff Copeman was collecting sap for maple syrup on his farm. As he walked through the woods, he noticed that the ice flaked off of his rubber boots and an idea came to him. After studying this phenomenon he designed and patented different types of ice cube trays. The first was a metal tray with rubber separators, a metal tray with individual rubber cups, and even a tray made completely of rubber.

The first flexible stainless steel, all-metal ice cube tray was created by Guy L. Tinkham in 1933. The tray bent sideways to remove the ice cubes.

Long Tones - Christ In The New World

Long Tones is the amateur-clarinet and drone project of Joshua Barton that provided the screech and squawk in the soul-grinding Instant Headache collaboration with Save Me From The Gallup Poll. LT's solo short player establishes an entirely different sound of ambient delirium. Christ In The New World is based on a half-realized concept of Jesus Christ visiting the State of Michigan in a mashup of The Grand Inquisitor and Mad Max. But of course you wouldn't know that unless we told you. LT drops two blurry, live-tracked pieces of shifting headspace; the first centered on clarinet and voice, the second consisting of manipulated vinyl.

.
Art by Graham.

Opus Artz - New Denizens

Hi Folks,

This week I thought we share our new residents who have come to occupy the studio space at Opus Artz, and to provide fresh horror, inspiration and volumetric studies to our Opus artists.

At opus, we believe that the best way to understand form is to study a volumetric object in front of you (and it allows us to collect various..ahem - collectibles for research and painting purposes, strictly)

Think of it as a minor substitute to life drawing, but more portable, and handy, allowing you to study vast shadows and bounced light onto its forms, at your convenience.

BUST OF ARIADNE

First up is the lovely Ariadne, straight from the British museum. Legend has it that this lovely maiden (daughter of King Minos) , fell in love with Theseus and helped him overcome the legendary Minotaur at the centre of the Labyrinth of Crete. Later she was bridge to the god Dionysus.

Ariadne, is also said to the the fertility god of Crete, and her name may have been derived from ariahgne - meaning "utterly pure"

OPUS LYCANTROPE - AUSTIN

Next up, is newcomer Austin, a veritable Lycanthrope produced for Opus to better study and understand the realms of creatures, and monsters via form, texture and frozen motion. Our grateful thanks to the lovely Laurel Austin, whose innocent looking countenance masks the veritable guns, guts and glory of her daily duties as senior concept artist at Splash Damage.

All in all, expect some derivative studies and works in the near future.

- Opus Artz

Pirate day – explore London’s hidden treasures, old and new

This Sunday, August 5th sees a brilliant Pirate day and exploration into the lost rivers and tunnels of London's past. This event is organised by the Bee Keepers in conjunction with the very cool and free events, arts and musicology London public project - The Tree House gallery.

For further information:

The Bee Keepers - Pirate Day

Info:

There are other rivers of London which lie concealed, encased in tunnels or in pipes, occasionally to be heard but generally running silently and invisibly beneath the surface of the city. To name them in order, west to east – Stamford Brook, the Wandle, Counter’s Creek, the Falcoln, the Westbourne, the Tyburn, the Effra, the Fleet, the Walbrook, Neckinger and the Earl’s Sluice, the Peck and the Ravensbourne.

It has always been said that enchantment is bought in the burying alive of great waters, yet the purchase may be a perilous one.
Peter Ackroyd, ‘London’ p 555

CITY OF LONDON & PIRATES

The City of London is built on burial sites, on entombed rivers and buried treasure.

In the ‘Golden Age’ – from about 1650 – 1720 – pirates operated from London, many licensed by the State. Pirates were lodged in Deptford – right next to Greenwich and the Royal Navy who often pursued them on the High Seas – and on the other side of the Thames, at Wappingside.

The Neckinger – a stream that ran from Bermondsey Abbey to the Thames, part of which is now St Saviour’s Dock – took its named from Neckinger Wharf where pirates were executed, according to folklore. The rope used to hang them became known as the Devil’s neck-cloth or ‘neckinger’.

PIRATE PLUNDER

Pirate loot was carefully reinvested. Many of London’s great institutions built their foundations on pirate plunder: the silver of the Incans and the gold of the Aztecs. Stolen from civilisations of the New World, seized again from foreign ships of the Old World by British privateers, and brought back to London. This money paid for the growth of the City.

The history has been paved over, buried beneath the streets and the every day by bricks and mortar. Dark subterranean veins – associated with crime, alcohol, deformity, disorder, stench and agues – run through London’s financial heart.

The lost rivers have become repositories for discarded and forgotten objects. An anchor was recovered from the Fleet as far North as Kentish Town. Their silted arteries yield coins, daggers, brooches, medals, keys and pins. Things dropped between grates, by accident. Sentimental keepsakes washed into the underworld by the wind and the rain.

• Discover the lost rivers connecting London: we will be processing along the routes of the Fleet, Tyburn and Walbrook, looking for clues revealing their progress through the City and finding buried treasure along the way.
• Unearth the City’s past: we will visit the sites of City institutions that did very well out of piracy. Bring a spade and an open mind.
• Spin a yarn: there will be readings at the Treehouse Gallery from Robert Louis Stevenson, Daniel Defoe and other writers inspired by the piratical past.
• Recover the loot: make your own treasure. The Beekeepers will run workshops to make precious things – rings, bracelets, bookmarks, you name it – from recycled materials, ingenuity and pluck.
• Hunt for treasure: the treeHouse Gallery is a treasure-trove of knowledge and ideas. We’ve buried some clues around the place.
• ‘X’ marks the spot: Pirates operated a kind of anarchist democracy. We’ll be staging a debate: should piracy be renationalised? Join in and cast your vote.

Phone Tim on 07905 277719 for more details, or email info@thebeekeepers.com.

Antique Maps and Rare Maps as Investments

One of the more common questions our clients ask us is, will my rare antique map increase in value? When I am asked this questions, I generally answer “Yes, but it is a long term position”. A more comprehensive answer requires a deeper understanding of the rare map trade in specific and the vicissitudes of the antique trade in general. While it is easy to chart auction results or dealer catalogue values for specific map, such an analytical approach ignores a number of important factors, such as condition, restoration factors, colorization factors, etc. It also fails to take into account various factors ranging from the economy to vogue periods for certain items.

Antique dealers in general are in the unique field of art speculation. The job of a dealer is to find and identify an item that can be acquired at a reasonable price, kept for a period of time, and then resold at a significantly higher price. In doing so the dealer looks for pieces that may be undervalued by analyzing buying trends, his or her particular clientele, availability of similar pieces on the market, the overall trading activity at any given time, the historical importance of the item, and finally, perhaps most importantly, makes an aesthetic judgment.

Like many business, the rare and antique map trade has a fashion all its own. Certain maps and regions come into vogue and out of vogue frequently. In the 70s and 80s maps of Texas became extremely desirable pushing prices for this material well beyond similar maps of similar areas. Today Texas maps are still extremely desirable, but the bubble has burst and the rampant price increases of the 80s are no more. In fact, some Texas maps may have slightly decreased in value since the height of their desirability.

Today maps of Chinese and Indian cities are experiencing a similar price bubble as affluent collectors in Beijing, Shanghai, Bombay and Delhi enter the global marketplace. The price tenacity of maps of these areas remains very much in question. Though highly desirable now, one can only speculate on how global economic factors and general interest trends will affect this market. Like a savvy stock market investor, an antique map investor would have been wise observe the rapidly growing Asian economies and recognize an opportunity. Such an investor would have been able to snatch up these maps ten years ago when they were both common and easy to acquire and sell them today at a high profit. One might see a similar opportunity today with regard to maps of Russia, which are just beginning to see dramatic rise in interest.

Many antique map dealers who specialize in particular parts of the world command much higher than average prices for their target maps. Dealers based in places like Hawaii or New York City, must work constantly to keep their important local stock fresh for both ardent resident collectors and the tourist market. Such dealers, faced with limited availability, will often have no choice but to acquire their material at premium prices and resell at even higher prices. Despite their higher price point, such dealers are often the only active purveyors of their special maps and may well be the only resource for the desirous collector. From an investment perspective, there is still plenty of room for high profits, especially with regard to the rarest of these maps. In some cases, a collector may even sell their maps back to the dealer who originally sold it to them at a big profit! However, to be fair, this probably entails holding a map for several years.

There are also price spikes in the rare and antique map market. A few years ago I was bidding on an Ortelius map of Iceland at a New York City auction house. This wonderful map is a classic example of 16th century map making and features numerous bizarre sea monsters. Nonetheless, though interesting to look at, this map had not historically sold for exceptionally high prices because Iceland was simply not a hot area for collectors. The auction estimate was 2000-2500 USD, I was prepared to go to 2500 USD. The map ultimately sold for 10000 USD. Within a few days dealers, knowing that this map would be difficult to replace at former prices, updated their pricing on this map from 4,000-6,000 USD to 11,000 to 13,000 USD. Today prices have diminished from this high point and this map is now acquirable at 5000 to 9000 USD in some galleries.

Generally speaking, maps that are less common are better investments. Many maps are very popular because of their historic or aesthetic value and maintain consistent high prices despite being commonly (obviously this is a relative term) available. Such maps do increase in value over time, but the number of such pieces on the market keeps the price increase slow and steady. Such maps are unlikely to spike in value or increase dramatically over the short term. Unique or one of a kind maps, however, can command a premium and will almost inevitably increase in value dramatically over relatively short period of time. Many dealers, on acquiring such maps are at a loss with regard to how to price them. Without a sale history, the dealer must rely on his or her own experience, personal aesthetic and a historic evaluation of the map to determine its value. Even so, a investment collector can often safely acquire such a piece with the expectation a substantial increase in value over time.

And then, of course, there is the economy. More and more, investors disillusioned by wall street, are turning to the art market as a stable shelter to the disorientingly erratic stock circus. While economic issues may reduce the overall quantity of maps sold and dramatically affect auction values, most dealers and collectors purchase their inventory with the understanding that they may have to hold their stock for several years before selling. What this means for the buyer, is that the economy does not significantly affect rare and antique map values at the gallery level. However, it does significantly impact auction values. The current recession has been hard on many auction houses whose profits come from a fast turnaround of a quantity of items rather than timely appreciation. This also creates an opportunity for the savvy investor to snatch up rare finds at excellent prices.

Even so, it tends to be only the most ardent and dedicated collector who can win in an auction room. Many collectors are drawn to auction rooms by the possibility of acquiring valuable maps at a fraction of the retail price. This is, alas, also where many collectors make their biggest purchase mistakes. Succeeding in an auction room takes either luck or incredible knowledge of all aspects of the antique business. Many antique dealers, ourselves included, act as auction advisers and often bid for their clients – in this way map collectors are saved from making dramatic mistakes and overpaying on items that are misrepresented, overpriced, or unlike to accrue in value. Even with the fees assessed for this service by various dealers, it tends to be a very good value in the long term.

In conclusion, the answer to the question, “Will my map increase in value?” is “Yes, it will.” Generally speaking, map investors should plan on holding their purchases for about ten years to guarantee a significant increase in value. Those interested in maps as investments should also seriously consider developing a relationship with a good dealer who can help them direct their collecting interests and avoid the many pitfalls to successful investment in rare antique maps.

by Kevin James Brown

Local residents sell collectibles at Treasure Hunters Roadshow

Kathy Schweer doesn’t consider herself an expert in selling collectibles.

But on Wednesday she was trying to sell several valued items at the Treasure Hunters Roadshow at the Super 8 in Cape Girardeau.
While she didn’t sell her silver coins or toothpick holders like she had hoped, the Cape Girardeau resident received $35 for a chain purse.

“I got more out of it than I thought I would,” said Schweer, who had never sold items at a similar show before. “I’ve had it for several years, and when I saw the ad in the paper for the roadshow, I thought this would be a could time to see how much I could get for it.”

Since 1996, the Treasure Hunters Roadshow has visited more than 600 cities throughout the U.S. and Canada. At each show local residents bring their antiques and collectibles to learn an associate’s estimate of its worth. If the seller agrees to sell the item to the associate, the item is then shipped to private collectors or its corporate office in Athens, Ill.

“Our goal is for people to leave with a check,” said show manager Doug Feese. “With it being so close to Christmas, we hope to see a lot of people and put a lot of money back into the local economy.”

During the show’s opening day Tuesday, Feese and his team of four from Athens saw about 60 customers. The potential sellers brought gold, jewelry, silver coins dated before 1965, military swords and a 1957 Gibson guitar. The guitar sold for $17,000.

Feese said his company is looking for old collectibles to purchase. Those include various types of coins, paper money printed before 1934, gold coins, investment gold, scrap gold, jewelry, platinum, silver, war items, guns, trains, toys, advertisements and other older items.

“If it’s older items like those, then there’s a good chance they’ll get an offer and leave with some money,” Feese said.

Since Feese joined the company, he has traveled to cities throughout the Midwest. Among the communities he has visited are Sikeston, Mo., Owensboro, Ky., Indianapolis, Madison, Wis., and Rockford, Ill. His team is off until January, when its next road show begins in Mason, Mo.

“There’s nothing more fun than to go to a new town and meet new people,” Feese said. “I always enjoying hearing their stories.”

Some of his favorite stories include an elderly gentlemen at an Indiana show who sold a jewelry box for $4,200 so he could pay bills from his wife’s funeral and a single mom at a Michigan show who used money from gold coins she sold to pay for her child’s braces.

“Those are the kind of stories that I get to hear from folks who sell their items,” Feese said. “At every show it seems like we hear an inspiring story.”

The Treasure Hunters Roadshow continues through Saturday. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

 

 By Matthew Jenkins

Antique Maps and Rare Maps as Investments

One of the more common questions our clients ask us is, will my rare antique map increase in value? When I am asked this questions, I generally answer “Yes, but it is a long term position”. A more comprehensive answer requires a deeper understanding of the rare map trade in specific and the vicissitudes of the antique trade in general. While it is easy to chart auction results or dealer catalogue values for specific map, such an analytical approach ignores a number of important factors, such as condition, restoration factors, colorization factors, etc. It also fails to take into account various factors ranging from the economy to vogue periods for certain items.

Antique dealers in general are in the unique field of art speculation. The job of a dealer is to find and identify an item that can be acquired at a reasonable price, kept for a period of time, and then resold at a significantly higher price. In doing so the dealer looks for pieces that may be undervalued by analyzing buying trends, his or her particular clientele, availability of similar pieces on the market, the overall trading activity at any given time, the historical importance of the item, and finally, perhaps most importantly, makes an aesthetic judgment.

Like many business, the rare and antique map trade has a fashion all its own. Certain maps and regions come into vogue and out of vogue frequently. In the 70s and 80s maps of Texas became extremely desirable pushing prices for this material well beyond similar maps of similar areas. Today Texas maps are still extremely desirable, but the bubble has burst and the rampant price increases of the 80s are no more. In fact, some Texas maps may have slightly decreased in value since the height of their desirability.

Today maps of Chinese and Indian cities are experiencing a similar price bubble as affluent collectors in Beijing, Shanghai, Bombay and Delhi enter the global marketplace. The price tenacity of maps of these areas remains very much in question. Though highly desirable now, one can only speculate on how global economic factors and general interest trends will affect this market. Like a savvy stock market investor, an antique map investor would have been wise observe the rapidly growing Asian economies and recognize an opportunity. Such an investor would have been able to snatch up these maps ten years ago when they were both common and easy to acquire and sell them today at a high profit. One might see a similar opportunity today with regard to maps of Russia, which are just beginning to see dramatic rise in interest.

Many antique map dealers who specialize in particular parts of the world command much higher than average prices for their target maps. Dealers based in places like Hawaii or New York City, must work constantly to keep their important local stock fresh for both ardent resident collectors and the tourist market. Such dealers, faced with limited availability, will often have no choice but to acquire their material at premium prices and resell at even higher prices. Despite their higher price point, such dealers are often the only active purveyors of their special maps and may well be the only resource for the desirous collector. From an investment perspective, there is still plenty of room for high profits, especially with regard to the rarest of these maps. In some cases, a collector may even sell their maps back to the dealer who originally sold it to them at a big profit! However, to be fair, this probably entails holding a map for several years.

There are also price spikes in the rare and antique map market. A few years ago I was bidding on an Ortelius map of Iceland at a New York City auction house. This wonderful map is a classic example of 16th century map making and features numerous bizarre sea monsters. Nonetheless, though interesting to look at, this map had not historically sold for exceptionally high prices because Iceland was simply not a hot area for collectors. The auction estimate was 2000-2500 USD, I was prepared to go to 2500 USD. The map ultimately sold for 10000 USD. Within a few days dealers, knowing that this map would be difficult to replace at former prices, updated their pricing on this map from 4,000-6,000 USD to 11,000 to 13,000 USD. Today prices have diminished from this high point and this map is now acquirable at 5000 to 9000 USD in some galleries.

Generally speaking, maps that are less common are better investments. Many maps are very popular because of their historic or aesthetic value and maintain consistent high prices despite being commonly (obviously this is a relative term) available. Such maps do increase in value over time, but the number of such pieces on the market keeps the price increase slow and steady. Such maps are unlikely to spike in value or increase dramatically over the short term. Unique or one of a kind maps, however, can command a premium and will almost inevitably increase in value dramatically over relatively short period of time. Many dealers, on acquiring such maps are at a loss with regard to how to price them. Without a sale history, the dealer must rely on his or her own experience, personal aesthetic and a historic evaluation of the map to determine its value. Even so, a investment collector can often safely acquire such a piece with the expectation a substantial increase in value over time.

And then, of course, there is the economy. More and more, investors disillusioned by wall street, are turning to the art market as a stable shelter to the disorientingly erratic stock circus. While economic issues may reduce the overall quantity of maps sold and dramatically affect auction values, most dealers and collectors purchase their inventory with the understanding that they may have to hold their stock for several years before selling. What this means for the buyer, is that the economy does not significantly affect rare and antique map values at the gallery level. However, it does significantly impact auction values. The current recession has been hard on many auction houses whose profits come from a fast turnaround of a quantity of items rather than timely appreciation. This also creates an opportunity for the savvy investor to snatch up rare finds at excellent prices.

Even so, it tends to be only the most ardent and dedicated collector who can win in an auction room. Many collectors are drawn to auction rooms by the possibility of acquiring valuable maps at a fraction of the retail price. This is, alas, also where many collectors make their biggest purchase mistakes. Succeeding in an auction room takes either luck or incredible knowledge of all aspects of the antique business. Many antique dealers, ourselves included, act as auction advisers and often bid for their clients – in this way map collectors are saved from making dramatic mistakes and overpaying on items that are misrepresented, overpriced, or unlike to accrue in value. Even with the fees assessed for this service by various dealers, it tends to be a very good value in the long term.

In conclusion, the answer to the question, “Will my map increase in value?” is “Yes, it will.” Generally speaking, map investors should plan on holding their purchases for about ten years to guarantee a significant increase in value. Those interested in maps as investments should also seriously consider developing a relationship with a good dealer who can help them direct their collecting interests and avoid the many pitfalls to successful investment in rare antique maps.

by Kevin James Brown

The Wars of the Roses - 1455

.

One of Britain’s worst civil wars was that known as the Wars of the Roses, begin-fling in 1455 and lasting until 1485. It was so called because the two rival parties each chose a rose as a symbol: York (white) and Lancaster (red). It began when Henry VI (1421—71) became insane and Richard, Duke of York claimed the throne.

A number of battles followed (begin­ning with that of St Albans in 1455) with periods of truce between them. At the battle of Northampton (1460) Henry was captured and at Wakefield (1461) York was killed. The Lancastrians were de­feated at Towton in the same year and their position seemed hopeless until the powerful Earl of Warwick, the ‘King­maker’, and hitherto a Yorkist supporter, changed sides.

Henry was released from prison and again made king, but the Lancastrians were defeated at Barnet (1471) where Warwick was killed and the Battle of Tewkesbury placed York’s son Edward IV (1442—83) firmly on the throne. He was succeeded by Richard III (his own son Edward V dying mysteriously in the Tower) who reigned for two years until he died on Bosworth Field fighting the Tudor prince who was to become Henry VII (1457—1509).

The struggle between the Yorkists and Lancastrians came to an end with the Battle of Bosworth Field. fought on August 22. 1485. Richard lll was killed and Henry Tudor came to the throne.

by Articles Directory