Carlton Hobbs LLC, the long established internationally renowned antiques dealer today forcefully and factually denounced a New York Times article and falsehoods uttered by estranged family members.
"We are dismayed and disappointed The New York Times would rely on John Hobbs and his son Rupert, whose motivation according to The New York Times itself was seemingly to "˜visit some of the pain his father has endured this year upon his uncle Carlton,'" said Stefanie Rinza, Carlton Hobbs' managing director. "Our extensive comments and responses to questions put to us prior to the publication of the article were dismissed by the authors and not printed."
"Our business is sound and successful and is based upon great diligence and rigorous processes in the acquisition, restoration, research and description of our pieces," said Ms Rinza.
Demonstrating its confidence in its pieces the firm in May 2008 instituted the unprecedented "Carlton Hobbs Expert Verification and Authenticity Guarantee." The program, unique in the trade, provides independent and accredited expert assessment at no cost to clients of any item purchased from the firm in the last 15 years.
"Having carried out our in depth review, as well as the expert verification, we are delighted with the results of the expert findings and have had nothing but positive feedback from our clients and the trade," said Ms. Rinza.
The document upon which The New York Times authors relied heavily, and referred to in the article as a "draft report," was undermined by a signed statement by Dennis Buggins in which he acknowledged that the report was commissioned by him "for the sole purposes of assisting him in litigation". Mr. Buggins' statement adds that the maker of the report, Nicholas Somers, "did not physically review a number of the items referred to in the report." The New York Times also reported "that seven hours of the day he (Somers) spent at the workshop was spent interviewing Mr. Buggins (rather than inspecting furniture)." On that day he viewed a total of 43 pieces, according to Mr. Buggins' statement.
Mr. Buggins further acknowledged in his signed statement that Somers admitted in his report he was not an expert in some areas he commented on.
Carlton Hobbs said it did not participate in Somers' review in any way and was only ever shown an incomplete draft of the report.
John Hobbs, The New York Times reported, closed his London antiques business after articles in the Sunday Times of London and The New York Times alleged he sold fakes.
"Unlike others in the trade, we provide and have always provided a product guarantee which is extremely generous in the business and compares most favorably with that provided, for example, by some of the major auction houses," Ms. Rinza explained
"˜We are very proud of the wonderful pieces we have carefully sourced and supplied to our clients over many years and are happy about our solid company policies which remain in place," Ms. Rinza concluded.