$1,000 Reward Offered In Vandalism Spree

Adele Polak

By JEFF DEAN Times Leader Correspondent
 Friday, November 10, 2000 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 15A 





NEW YORK - It took Sotheby's house auctioneer just 35 seconds to accept,
then reject, all bids for the Everhart Museum's Henri Matisse masterpiece,
``The Pink Shrimps.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Though bidding topped out at $1.5 million Thursday night, it failed to
reach the confidential minimum bid set by the Everhart Board of Trustees
before the sale. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As a result, the Everhart did not find a buyer for its painting. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``My understanding is that it is not over yet,'' said board President Patti
Lynett after the auction. ``I guess Sotheby's will now talk with the bidders
again, reveal our minimum bid, and see if any of them would like to raise
their bids.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Lynett also said that they might not know for two or three days whether any
of the bidders choose to raise their offers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Auctioneer, Tobias Mayer, opened the bidding for ``The Pink Shrimps'' at $1
million, immediately took a bid for $1.1 million, followed by $1.2 million.
After three more such bids, which finally reached $1.5 million, Mayer said,
``Are we all done then? Passed.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Some observers expressed surprise that ``The Pink Shrimps'' didn't sell,
especially considering an earlier sale in which Henri Matisse's ``La Robe
Persane,'' which sold for a Matisse record of $15.5 million. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In all, four Matisse paintings sold at the auction, and two others,
including ``The Pink Shrimps'' were passed after not reaching their owners'
minimum bids. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Taking top honors at the Thursday night sale was Edouard Manet's ``Jeune
Fille Dans Un Jardin,'' which sold for $19 million. Three other paintings
fetched bids which were records for their respective artists. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Northeastern Pennsylvania art lovers, as well as museum organizations
around the country, were watching the auction closely, as the Everhart has
come under fire in recent months for removing, or ``deaccessioning,'' the
masterpiece. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Detractors felt the deaccessioning was done improperly, and worry that
funds from the sale will be spent in ways forbidden by ethical standards. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Everhart has defended its decision by saying that the money will fund
exhibits and the purchase of new paintings that will hold more interest to its
regional crowd. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``We only know what they're telling us,'' said Lynett, of the immediate
fate of their painting. ``And they're telling us this is the beginning.
(Sotheby's officials) are telling us they can either get a call from the
bidder, or if they know the bidder, approach him or her and ask for a new
bid.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Lynett did not reveal the minimum bid, but did mention that the final $1.5
million bid was very close to what they were hoping to get. She also said that
the board may vote in the next two or three days to lower their minimum bid to
match the $1.5 million offer. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

`shrimps' Goes Unsold At Sotheby's Auction 
Scranton's Everhart Gallery Still Hopes To Sell The Famed French Painting To
Raise Money To Buy Other Art Works.

`shrimps' Goes Unsold At Sotheby's Auction Scranton's Everhart Gallery Still Hopes To Sell The Famed French Painting To Raise Money To Buy Other Art Works.