LA Fires Claim Priceless Art

 

What if the Louvre burned? Or the Vatican Museum or the Met?  Imagine the loss to our cultural and artistic heritage.  The home of Hollywood lawyer Kevin Morris, the world’s largest collector of Hunter Biden originals (over 200) has been destroyed in the ongoing fiery catastrophe in California. (See Hunter Biden artworks worth ‘millions of dollars’ destroyed in LA fires.)

If insurance covered the loss, how would it be valued?  At the original prices, estimated to be a total in the millions?  Current market value as the Biden family recedes from prominence?  Is the value expected to increase as a set of interesting, even fun historical artifacts, or will the value plummet with the loss of political relevance and buzz?  Art experts will likely debate this unique valuation problem for decades.

No doubt history will add this blow to our shared American art heritage to the extensive tab already rung up by the negligent Governor Newsome and Mayor Bass. Shame.

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  1. Susan Quinn Member
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    You should have given your post the tag, “humor.” It was a LOL for me! I’m sorry. I’m a terrible person.

    • #1
  2. Old Bathos Member
    Old Bathos
    @OldBathos

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    You should have given your post the tag, “humor.” It was a LOL for me! I’m sorry. I’m a terrible person.

    I think it could be a net plus for Morris.  Who in their right mind would ever buy a Biden painting for what Morris paid? But if insured, he can cash out–and not have to display that kitsch in his new home–win-win.  I hope that is the case so as to provide a small silver lining to a tragedy that no one deserves to have to suffer.

    • #2
  3. Justin Other Lawyer Coolidge
    Justin Other Lawyer
    @DouglasMyers

    Old Bathos (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    You should have given your post the tag, “humor.” It was a LOL for me! I’m sorry. I’m a terrible person.

    I think it could be a net plus for Morris. Who in their right mind would ever by a Biden painting for what Morris paid? But if insured, he can cash out–and not have to display that kitsch in his new home–win-win. I hope that is the case so as to provide a small silver lining to a tragedy that no one deserves to have to suffer.

    I would love there to be litigation between Morris and his insurer over the value of the paintings. So many great potential legal issues. Tailor made of a law school text book. 

    • #3
  4. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    The culture may never recover.

    • #4
  5. Gossamer Cat Coolidge
    Gossamer Cat
    @GossamerCat

    I don’t want to seem at all flip about the horror that is unfolding in LA or the pain that it inflicted.  But in the land of celluloid and dreams, as I was reading your post, in my mind’s eye I could picture these paintings slowly curling up in flames as the camera pans out at the end of the “The Life and Times of Joe Biden”.  

    • #5
  6. EB Thatcher
    EB
    @EB

    I’m sure he will try to get money from insurance.

    Of course it was just a way to funnel money to the Biden’s. He should go after Joe for the cash.  Given the current climate re: Biden, I doubt they will get much sympathy regarding the paintings.  Not when hundreds have lost their homes and business properties.

    • #6
  7. EJHill Staff
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    While the joke here writes itself, unfortunately it’s looking like the cultural losses are going to be very real. We know of at least one collector, Ron Rivlin, lost 30 original pieces by Andy Warhol and an additional 170 pieces by other artists. The son of 20th Century composer Arnold Schoenberg lost 100,000 scores, photographs and letters of his father.

    Architectural gems, such as the Andrew McNally house and the home of famed western novelist Zane Grey, are gone.

    The losses are expected to be so substantial that it could bankrupt companies that specialize in insuring works of art.

    • #7
  8. Old Bathos Member
    Old Bathos
    @OldBathos

    EJHill (View Comment):

    While the joke here writes itself, unfortunately it’s looking like the cultural losses are going to be very real. We know of at least one collector, Ron Rivlin, lost 30 original pieces by Andy Warhol and an additional 170 pieces by other artists. The son of 20th Century composer Arnold Schoenberg lost 100,000 scores, photographs and letters of his father.

    Architectural gems, such as the Andrew McNally house and the home of famed western novelist Zane Grey, are gone.

    The losses are expected to be so substantial that it could bankrupt companies that specialize in insuring works of art.

    It will probably take years to document the full impact of this disaster.  Poor people tend not to have a big stash of valuable cultural artifacts but when neighborhoods comprised entirely of very wealthy people are lost, the additional loss of wealth and treasure is bound to be enormous.

    I wonder how much of that wound up being uninsured when insurers prudently and predictably refused to cover fire damage in vulnerable areas with zero preventative measures in place.

    • #8
  9. EB Thatcher
    EB
    @EB

    Old Bathos (View Comment):
    I wonder how much of that wound up being uninsured when insurers prudently and predictably refused to cover fire damage in vulnerable areas with zero preventative measures in place.

    Good point.  The ones who refused are probably sighing with relief right now.

    • #9
  10. Old Bathos Member
    Old Bathos
    @OldBathos

    EB (View Comment):

    Old Bathos (View Comment):
    I wonder how much of that wound up being uninsured when insurers prudently and predictably refused to cover fire damage in vulnerable areas with zero preventative measures in place.

    Good point. The ones who refused are probably sighing with relief right now.

    No relief in sight for the California insurance industry as a whole.  The Insurance Commissioner (Lara) is elected so therefore subject to woke politics by rich lefties.

    • #10
  11. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    That’s sort of a typo, Hunter’s “art” is price-less, not priceless.

    • #11
  12. Red Herring Coolidge
    Red Herring
    @EHerring

    Sadly, no punishment for his crimes, millions to roll in for his grifting, and he will soon inherit his dad’s estate. His drugs will end his miserable existence as soon as they finish rotting his brain. 

    • #12
  13. DaveSchmidt Coolidge
    DaveSchmidt
    @DaveSchmidt

    Gossamer Cat (View Comment):

    I don’t want to seem at all flip about the horror that is unfolding in LA or the pain that it inflicted. But in the land of celluloid and dreams, as I was reading your post, in my mind’s eye I could picture these paintings slowly curling up in flames as the camera pans out at the end of the “The Life and Times of Joe Biden”.

    Directed by Dr. Jill Biden. 

    • #13
  14. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    DaveSchmidt (View Comment):

    Gossamer Cat (View Comment):

    I don’t want to seem at all flip about the horror that is unfolding in LA or the pain that it inflicted. But in the land of celluloid and dreams, as I was reading your post, in my mind’s eye I could picture these paintings slowly curling up in flames as the camera pans out at the end of the “The Life and Times of Joe Biden”.

    Directed by Dr. Jill Biden.

    “You answered all of the questions!!!”

    • #14
  15. Matt Bartle Member
    Matt Bartle
    @MattBartle

    Confession: I like some of Hunter’s paintings. I mean, I wouldn’t spend money on them, but when I see them in photographs they look ok.

    • #15
  16. Old Bathos Member
    Old Bathos
    @OldBathos

    Matt Bartle (View Comment):

    Confession: I like some of Hunter’s paintings. I mean, I wouldn’t spend money on them, but when I see them in photographs they look ok.

    Not anymore.

    • #16
  17. Joseph Stanko Coolidge
    Joseph Stanko
    @JosephStanko

    EJHill (View Comment):

    While the joke here writes itself, unfortunately it’s looking like the cultural losses are going to be very real. We know of at least one collector, Ron Rivlin, lost 30 original pieces by Andy Warhol and an additional 170 pieces by other artists. The son of 20th Century composer Arnold Schoenberg lost 100,000 scores, photographs and letters of his father.

    Architectural gems, such as the Andrew McNally house and the home of famed western novelist Zane Grey, are gone.

    The losses are expected to be so substantial that it could bankrupt companies that specialize in insuring works of art.

    I hate to sound callous, but I can’t get too worked up about the loss of some paintings of soup cans. As for Schoenberg, if he published his best works, I’d hate to have to hear the scores that didn’t make the cut. 

    • #17
  18. Steven Seward Member
    Steven Seward
    @StevenSeward

    Old Bathos (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    You should have given your post the tag, “humor.” It was a LOL for me! I’m sorry. I’m a terrible person.

    I think it could be a net plus for Morris. Who in their right mind would ever buy a Biden painting for what Morris paid? But if insured, he can cash out–and not have to display that kitsch in his new home–win-win. I hope that is the case so as to provide a small silver lining to a tragedy that no one deserves to have to suffer.

    It’s looking really curious that Morris’s house burnt down a half-mile from the nearest forest fire, and a pile of empty gasoline cans were found in his yard……….

     

    [just kidding, folks!]

    • #18
  19. Steven Seward Member
    Steven Seward
    @StevenSeward

    EJHill (View Comment):

    While the joke here writes itself, unfortunately it’s looking like the cultural losses are going to be very real. We know of at least one collector, Ron Rivlin, lost 30 original pieces by Andy Warhol…

    I don’t know about you, but this is looking like a BIG WIN for the Art World.

    • #19
  20. Steven Seward Member
    Steven Seward
    @StevenSeward

    Joseph Stanko (View Comment):

    EJHill (View Comment):

    While the joke here writes itself, unfortunately it’s looking like the cultural losses are going to be very real. We know of at least one collector, Ron Rivlin, lost 30 original pieces by Andy Warhol and an additional 170 pieces by other artists. The son of 20th Century composer Arnold Schoenberg lost 100,000 scores, photographs and letters of his father.

    Architectural gems, such as the Andrew McNally house and the home of famed western novelist Zane Grey, are gone.

    The losses are expected to be so substantial that it could bankrupt companies that specialize in insuring works of art.

    I hate to sound callous, but I can’t get too worked up about the loss of some paintings of soup cans. As for Schoenberg, if he published his best works, I’d hate to have to hear the scores that didn’t make the cut.

    I’m with you on the soup cans.

    As far as Schoenberg, he is one of music’s strangest anomalies.  He wrote a few pieces that are absolute masterpieces.  “Gurrelieder” is one of my all-time favorite pieces of music.  And then he wrote some of the most god-awful stuff that you can imagine.  I would rather listen to Yoko Ono screeching than some of Schoenberg’s serial music.

    • #20
  21. OccupantCDN Coolidge
    OccupantCDN
    @OccupantCDN

    Some one tweeted … “It would be a shame for Hunter Biden to have this unprecedented sweeping 11 year pardon… Only to be charged with insurance fraud 3 months later” …

    The Great cosmic irony machine…

    • #21
  22. Steve Fast Member
    Steve Fast
    @SteveFast

    On the plus side, the paintings that Navy Biden received from her daddy will be worth more. They might be the only ones left in the world.

    • #22
  23. OccupantCDN Coolidge
    OccupantCDN
    @OccupantCDN

    Steve Fast (View Comment):

    On the plus side, the paintings that Navy Biden received from her daddy will be worth more. They might be the only ones left in the world.

    Have you seen “The Kill Room”? … Its a caper movie – were a hit man uses art to launder money for his services…

    I am surprised Hunter Biden didnt sue to get a writing credit.

    • #23
  24. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    OccupantCDN (View Comment):

    Some one tweeted … “It would be a shame for Hunter Biden to have this unprecedented sweeping 11 year pardon… Only to be charged with insurance fraud 3 months later” …

    The Great cosmic irony machine…

    What insurance fraud?  Is he trying to claim loss of his own paintings?  Seems like only a buyer could do that.

    • #24
  25. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    Waiting to hear that, “no Norman Rockwell was harmed in the burning of this city.”

    • #25
  26. Steven Seward Member
    Steven Seward
    @StevenSeward

    Sisyphus (View Comment):

    Waiting to hear that, “no Norman Rockwell was harmed in the burning of this city.”

    Luckily, the nutcases out in California aren’t savvy enough to buy actual good art.  Hence, the loss of Warhols, Jeff Koons, Damian Hirsts, etc…

    • #26
  27. GlennAmurgis Coolidge
    GlennAmurgis
    @GlennAmurgis

    Didn’t Hunter “art” lose it’s value after FJB disastrous debate performance and he got booted from the election (talk about selected not elected)

    • #27
  28. Red Herring Coolidge
    Red Herring
    @EHerring

    Unless he had special riders for each high value item and paid to insure them, he isn’t going to collect much. Since the replacement cost is only the value of the canvas,and he can whip out a junky painting in no time, would he have insured them?

    • #28
  29. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    Red Herring (View Comment):

    Unless he had special riders for each high value item and paid to insure them, he isn’t going to collect much. Since the replacement cost is only the value of the canvas,and he can whip out a junky painting in no time, would he have insured them?

    I in no way believe that he insured them and kicked off the fire just because he’s a Biden. That would be unimaginable.

    • #29
  30. Old Bathos Member
    Old Bathos
    @OldBathos

    Sisyphus (View Comment):

    Red Herring (View Comment):

    Unless he had special riders for each high value item and paid to insure them, he isn’t going to collect much. Since the replacement cost is only the value of the canvas,and he can whip out a junky painting in no time, would he have insured them?

    I in no way believe that he insured them and kicked off the fire just because he’s a Biden. That would be unimaginable.

    Unless the carrier was a Ukrainian or Chinese firm that has issued only one policy and that one for $10,000,000. Alas, there is probably also a rider that the claim has to be made when there are at least 12 months or more remaining in a Biden term and void if Trump wins the election. 

    • #30
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