News

New York Times, June 12, 2005
The Old Masters Detective Agency

“…Today the American market for what some call “instant ancestors” is still strong. So although Mr. Schweller would prefer to ship English nobles back to their descendants, they often wind up in Dayton or Cincinnati, where buyers sometimes pay tens or occasionally even hundreds of thousands of dollars for an old master.

Last fall, an anonymous Scottish elder statesman in a powdered wig moved in with Mr. Schweller, who was excited to discover that the old man’s red and black robe identified him as the top judge in 18th-century Scotland’s highest court. But before Mr. Schweller could try to send him home, a client in Dayton bought the Scotsman for his bedroom after becoming enamored of the judge’s red robe….”

Forbes, 1995
Buying into the Aristocracy

“Once the rage among the American new-rich, portraits of defunt British aristocrats have fallen into disfavor. If you enjoy them, now may be the time to buy….”