Libel Case Dismissed For Couple Who Purchased 100 Salvador Dali Prints

by Joseph K. Levene & Robert Grunder

A defamation case against two London lawyers who sued the Michigan-based Park West Gallery over their purchase of a set of Salvador Dalí prints was dismissed last month."

The panel, whose recommendations are non-binding, said the Park West Gallery should pay $347.9K, less than half the dollar amount they are seeking, to settle the couple’s lawsuit.

Mrs. Day, and her husband, Julian Howard, two UK lawyers, went on 7 day Royal Caribbean cruise Ship vacation in 2007, and spent $500.5K for 111 purported Salvador Dali prints.

Instead of buying art with appreciation potential, Mrs. Day, and her husband initially spent $98K for 11 Dali prints while on the cruise, and subsequently spent an additional $422.6K for 100 more Dali prints, with a market value of 90% less.

This initial ruling indicates this UK couple may see some of their initial purchase price back, even even though they failed to execute any due diligence on their behalf, and did not seek an opinion from other art dealer/art professionals.

Furthermore, the couple did not view nor inspect the Dali set of 100 prints before making the +$400K payment, certainly a purchase procedure no competent art dealer would recommend.

If Mrs. Day had executed less than 10 minutes of Internet due diligence, after all she is a lawyer, she would have realized a Salvador Dali Divine Comedy set of 100 prints only achieved $16.8K at Sothebys auction 10/28/05. Furthermore, this same set of 100 prints, has never sold for more than $20K ever at any public auction, clearly in conflict to the alleged $510K appraisal.

An update from from Georgina Adam is here.