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Fakes, Forgeries, and Frauds
A fascinating read about fakes, forgeries, and frauds.
What’s real? What’s fake? Why do we care?
In this time of false news and fake science, these questions are more important than ever. Fakes, Forgeries, and Frauds goes beyond the headlines, tweets, and blogs to explore the true nature of authenticity and why it means so much today.
This book delivers nine fascinating true stories that introduce the fakers, forgers, art authenticators, and others that populate this dark world. Examples
Fakes, Forgeries, and Frauds also raises provocative questions about the meaning of reality. What happens when spiritual truth conflicts with historic fact? Can an object retain its essence when most of it was replaced? Why did some art patrons value an excellent copy more than the original? Why do we find fakes so eternally fascinating, and forgers such appealing con artists?
Fakes, Forgeries, and Frauds is a full-color book with 30 color photos. It shows that reality, exemplified by discrete physical objects, is actually mutable, unsettling, and plainly weird. Readers discover things that are less than meets the eye—and might even reconsider what’s real, what’s fake, and why they should care.
What’s real? What’s fake? Why do we care?
In this time of false news and fake science, these questions are more important than ever. Fakes, Forgeries, and Frauds goes beyond the headlines, tweets, and blogs to explore the true nature of authenticity and why it means so much today.
This book delivers nine fascinating true stories that introduce the fakers, forgers, art authenticators, and others that populate this dark world. Examples
Fakes, Forgeries, and Frauds also raises provocative questions about the meaning of reality. What happens when spiritual truth conflicts with historic fact? Can an object retain its essence when most of it was replaced? Why did some art patrons value an excellent copy more than the original? Why do we find fakes so eternally fascinating, and forgers such appealing con artists?
Fakes, Forgeries, and Frauds is a full-color book with 30 color photos. It shows that reality, exemplified by discrete physical objects, is actually mutable, unsettling, and plainly weird. Readers discover things that are less than meets the eye—and might even reconsider what’s real, what’s fake, and why they should care.
- GenresNonfictionArtTrue Crime
216 pages, Hardcover
Published February 15, 2020
4 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 6, 2021
Fakes, forgeries, frauds…I’m interested in all of them. I’m a huge fan of creative lying, it’s what makes me such an avid reader. There are actually significant difference between the three alliterative components of the title and the book covers them all. From a kid who pretended to be Shakespeare to impress his dad to a museum that changed buildings but not purpose to prehistoric bones configured to suit both right (advancement of science) and wrong (the opposite) purposes to relics, forged artworks, reworked furniture, etc. The author covers the range of FFF in nine chapters, each one as interesting and educational as the next and featuring plenty of visual material, both black and white and (woohoo, that’s unusual and welcome) color.
Because of my interest in the subject, some of the things covered in the book I already knew, but was delighted to revisit. For people new to it, this should serve as an excellent primer, because, after all, reality can be quite malleable, authenticity questionable and people…well, people remain as gullible as ever, mostly because they so desperately want to believe what they want to believe.
So I enjoyed this book, it was very much in line with what was expected. The author is known in her field, she writes about art, museums, in fact she taken you behind the scenes in the museums, which is fascinating, highlighting things you might overlook or not be able to check out at all as a member of general public. She also provides specifics you might otherwise be unaware of, like the costs of authenticating a work of art, etc. The writing is engaging and erudite, you’ll learn while being entertained.
There was a not insignificant amount of typos in the book, which given the subject is kind of odd, odd enough to mention. But aside from that, all good. In fact, good enough to make me want to visit Pittsburgh, which apparently is only a drop of amber away from recreating a world’s greatest attraction. Over 600 prehistoric skeletons and remains in their museum collection…epic.
A fine read for anyone interested in the spurious mechanics of the world, be it arts, bones or words. Recommended.
Because of my interest in the subject, some of the things covered in the book I already knew, but was delighted to revisit. For people new to it, this should serve as an excellent primer, because, after all, reality can be quite malleable, authenticity questionable and people…well, people remain as gullible as ever, mostly because they so desperately want to believe what they want to believe.
So I enjoyed this book, it was very much in line with what was expected. The author is known in her field, she writes about art, museums, in fact she taken you behind the scenes in the museums, which is fascinating, highlighting things you might overlook or not be able to check out at all as a member of general public. She also provides specifics you might otherwise be unaware of, like the costs of authenticating a work of art, etc. The writing is engaging and erudite, you’ll learn while being entertained.
There was a not insignificant amount of typos in the book, which given the subject is kind of odd, odd enough to mention. But aside from that, all good. In fact, good enough to make me want to visit Pittsburgh, which apparently is only a drop of amber away from recreating a world’s greatest attraction. Over 600 prehistoric skeletons and remains in their museum collection…epic.
A fine read for anyone interested in the spurious mechanics of the world, be it arts, bones or words. Recommended.
June 16, 2021
Today’s Nonfiction post is on Fakes, Forgeries, and Frauds by Nancy Moses. It is 195 pages long including notes and is published by Rowmen and Littlefield. The cover is a white page with a tear on the left side and the title in red. The intended reader is someone who is interested in fakes, forgeries, and frauds. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the dust jacket- A fascinating read about fakes, forgeries, and frauds. What's real? What's fake? Why do we care? In this time of false news and fake science, these questions are more important than ever. Fakes, Forgeries, and Frauds goes beyond the headlines, tweets, and blogs to explore the true nature of authenticity and why it means so much today. This book delivers nine fascinating true stories that introduce the fakers, forgers, art authenticators, and others that populate this dark world.
Examples include:
Shakespeare--How an enterprising teenager in the 1790s faked Shakespeare and duped Literary London.
Rembrandt--How art history, connoisseurship, and science are re-shaping our view of what Rembrandt painted and how the canvas changed over time.
Relics--Was Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music, a real Roman teenager who was martyred 1,800 years ago in the same place where her church stands today?
Jackson Pollock--How do experts pick out the real Pollocks from the thousands of fakes? Nuremberg--How repeated reconstructions of medieval Nuremburg--including one by Adolf Hitler--show how historic preservation became a tool for propaganda.
Fakes, Forgeries, and Frauds also raises provocative questions about the meaning of reality. What happens when spiritual truth conflicts with historic fact? Can an object retain its essence when most of it was replaced? Why did some art patrons value an excellent copy more than the original? Why do we find fakes so eternally fascinating, and forgers such appealing con artists?
Fakes, Forgeries, and Frauds is a full-color book with 30 color photos. It shows that reality, exemplified by discrete physical objects, is actually mutable, unsettling, and plainly weird. Readers discover things that are less than meets the eye--and might even reconsider what's real, what's fake, and why they should care.
Review- An excellent and interesting look into what makes something ‘real’ and what makes something else a ‘fake’. Moses is knowledgeable about her subject, she has great research, and she is a good writer. She does so much to help the reader understand the language used by museum directors, art critics, and others in very narrow and particular jobs. Her notes are interesting and great if you have found a subject you want to learn more about. I really had a fun time with this book and I would like to read more by this author.
I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.
From the dust jacket- A fascinating read about fakes, forgeries, and frauds. What's real? What's fake? Why do we care? In this time of false news and fake science, these questions are more important than ever. Fakes, Forgeries, and Frauds goes beyond the headlines, tweets, and blogs to explore the true nature of authenticity and why it means so much today. This book delivers nine fascinating true stories that introduce the fakers, forgers, art authenticators, and others that populate this dark world.
Examples include:
Shakespeare--How an enterprising teenager in the 1790s faked Shakespeare and duped Literary London.
Rembrandt--How art history, connoisseurship, and science are re-shaping our view of what Rembrandt painted and how the canvas changed over time.
Relics--Was Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music, a real Roman teenager who was martyred 1,800 years ago in the same place where her church stands today?
Jackson Pollock--How do experts pick out the real Pollocks from the thousands of fakes? Nuremberg--How repeated reconstructions of medieval Nuremburg--including one by Adolf Hitler--show how historic preservation became a tool for propaganda.
Fakes, Forgeries, and Frauds also raises provocative questions about the meaning of reality. What happens when spiritual truth conflicts with historic fact? Can an object retain its essence when most of it was replaced? Why did some art patrons value an excellent copy more than the original? Why do we find fakes so eternally fascinating, and forgers such appealing con artists?
Fakes, Forgeries, and Frauds is a full-color book with 30 color photos. It shows that reality, exemplified by discrete physical objects, is actually mutable, unsettling, and plainly weird. Readers discover things that are less than meets the eye--and might even reconsider what's real, what's fake, and why they should care.
Review- An excellent and interesting look into what makes something ‘real’ and what makes something else a ‘fake’. Moses is knowledgeable about her subject, she has great research, and she is a good writer. She does so much to help the reader understand the language used by museum directors, art critics, and others in very narrow and particular jobs. Her notes are interesting and great if you have found a subject you want to learn more about. I really had a fun time with this book and I would like to read more by this author.
I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.
May 25, 2023
Quick high quality page and photo included read which exactly puts perimeters upon the entities in the title. She doesn't define as much as describe cross over.
Regardless, it's worth reading upon these examples alone.
I picked it up for loan because of St. Cecilia. One of my favorite Roman teen agers. But I assume most readers will like the art related examples of length better.
I read the hard cover version which had some excellent photo plate pages.
Regardless, it's worth reading upon these examples alone.
I picked it up for loan because of St. Cecilia. One of my favorite Roman teen agers. But I assume most readers will like the art related examples of length better.
I read the hard cover version which had some excellent photo plate pages.
October 13, 2020
This is an excellent book. The author uses eight thoroughly researched examples to further our understanding of authenticity and what it means in our world, today. Each example/chapter stands on its own, so you can read it as you have time. It is very well written. The author infuses the book with her own voice and a sense of humor, as well. The result is scholarship with a human touch.
October 7, 2020
This was a book recommended to me by a friend and it was an absolute delight to read! I really enjoyed it and the content felt extremely important due to everything going on in the political climate right now... a must read!
October 7, 2020
Excellent read. I wish I could start all over again....
October 7, 2020
Awesome Book. Would recommend to friends and family.
October 7, 2020
Loved it
October 7, 2020
Fakes, Frauds, and Forgeries is an amazing read. It felt like I was enjoying a Netflix binge more than reading a book. Also very relevant for the current climate of the world. Really made me think about how I perceive the world around me.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews