Oooops :)

[Jim]

Originally Posted by 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.

Didn't I see that on a Law and Order recently
I don't really think he is happy with it. He bought it for $48 million and change and had it sold for $139 million before he poked a hole in it. It would have been a nice profit of $90 million. Even Steve Winn wouldn't want to pass that up. Who knows...I guess he could have bought off the guy that authenticated it and just keeps the real one hidden away But imagine the real one popping up someplace if he did secretly sell it and claim the damage on insurance for the fake. That's a big risk.