[Simon]

It may also be a good way to keep a painting from ever having to be sold. This way he gets plenty of publicity, as much or more than if he'd sold it as was planned. He can have it repaired and keep it now, and he doesn't have to let the buyer's experts examine it.

Sometimes "real" paintings are sold secretly, with no one knowing who has the original. You'd be surprised how many originals you may have seen which were really first-rate copies.