A Norman Rockwell Fake-And a Hidden Wall

This newsletter is all about Hidden Financial Treasures.?

Why??

It's fun!? Another reason is because that's what we do for our clients....we help them tap into these secret and sometimes unknown money piles in their business (more on that later).?

For now, I know you will love the stories we will feature in this newsletter.? If you would be so kind please let me know what you think by leaving a comment!?

The first one was featured on the show Strange Inheritances.?

Enjoy! =)

***************************

The episode tells the story of Don Trachte, Sr. and his friendship with Norman Rockwell.?

Trachte and Rockwell both lived in Arlington, VT., which was an artists’ colony. Don was also an artist-he was the illustrator of a popular syndicated cartoon, Henry, during the 1950s and 1960s.?

In 1962, Trachte bought one of Rockwell’s iconic paintings, Breaking Home Ties, for $900 from an art store. The picture had graced the cover of the September 25, 1954 edition of The Saturday Evening Post.

A year later, someone offered Trachte $35,000 for the painting. Trachte and his wife refused.?

Rockwell, now living in Stockbridge, MA, heard about it. He wrote a letter to Trachte, telling him he was crazy for turning down the offer.?

He also thanked him for his loyalty.?

Trachte and his wife eventually divorced.?

They had purchased another seven paintings over time. They agreed all the paintings would go to their four children after their deaths. Upon their divorce, Trachte kept three of the paintings, including Breaking Home Ties, and his ex-wife got the other five.?

Eventually, Trachte went into an assisted living facility. His son, Don Jr., asked the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge if they would display the painting and safe keep it. They were happy to oblige.

Don Sr. died in 2006.?

An Uproar Ensues

After Trachte’s death, art experts questioned the authenticity of Breaking Home Ties, still being displayed in the Rockwell Museum. To get a definitive answer, the family sent the picture to an art expert for examination.?

Upon close examination, and comparison to photos of the original painting, the expert concluded the painting in the Rockwell Museum was a replica of the original!

The Trachte children were stunned. Their father had never said or done anything to make them question the authenticity of the painting.?

Other (original) Rockwell paintings have sold for millions of dollars over the years.

Had their inheritance just vanished (or, at least, been greatly diminished)?

The Answer Is Found. Well, At Least One

Don Jr. and his brother went to their father’s vacant house to look for answers. They rummaged through his art supplies, pulled papers out of drawers, looked through files. Suddenly, Don Jr.’s brother noticed a gap in one section of a wall near built-in bookshelves that seemed out of place.?

As they pushed and prodded, the section of the wall moved. In fact, they could slide a 14 or 15 foot wide section of the wall sideways, revealing a hidden space behind the moveable section.?

And staring them in the face was what turned out to be the authentic Breaking Home Ties (and the original seven other paintings their parents acquired over the years).?

No one in the family, including their mother, knew what their father had done.?

Or why??

Happy Ending

In November 2006, the Trachte family sold Breaking Home Ties for $15,400,000. That is the highest sale price for a Norman Rockwell (original) painting.?

Jim Anderson founded Electronic Commerce International in 2002. ECI is in Scottsdale, AZ. ECI is registered with Visa and MasterCard to provide credit card processing for businesses. Their specialty is data security and secure, reliable credit card processing.

He helps clients find hidden savings in their credit card processing with their ECI Zero Pay surcharge and cash discount program (which no one else has). In fact, depending on the volume of your business, ECI can save you thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, over time.?

If you are interested, call Jim at 888-404-7500. You can email him at [email protected].