Saanich police have seized millions of dollars’ worth of artwork, including three Emily Carr paintings, from a Vancouver Island art dealer who is subsequently facing charges of fraud and false pretenses.
The seizure – which took place over three days this month and stretched over three storage sites – involved over 1,000 pieces by 140 different artists, including paintings, etchings, prints and a sculpture. The dealer was arrested on April 21.
“For our department, monetarily speaking, this has got be the largest investigation we’ve done in the last 30 years,” said Markus Anastasiades, public information and communications officer at Saanich Police Department, in an interview with The Globe and Mail.
Saanich police began the investigation on April 11 when a resident reported that they had entrusted a local dealer with four pieces of fine art for consignment and potential sale at an art gallery in Oak Bay, a municipality just outside Victoria. The pieces were three original Emily Carr paintings and one David Blackwood watercolour, both renowned Canadian artists.
The owner grew suspicious when the gallery closed down and attempts to contact the dealer went unanswered.
The following police investigation uncovered numerous other cases, involving several Vancouver Island-based victims who had consigned art to the dealer, after which the dealer had ceased contact with them, refused to return the paintings or failed to reimburse profits.
Saanich police are refusing to release the identity of the accused until charges relating to the seizure this month are sworn in court.
Publicly available court documents show that Winchester Galleries and art dealer Calvin Lucyshyn are the subject of several lawsuits by people alleging he took their art and did not compensate them.
Mr. Lucyshyn bought the gallery in 2019 from its two previous owners, a local couple who had successfully run it since 1994. He could not be reached for comment.
A civil suit filed in September by the original owners, Gunther Heinrich and Anthony Sam, claimed Mr. Lucyshyn had failed to pay the remaining $200,000 owed to them for the sale. He had also failed to pay the rent, leaving Mr. Heinrich and Mr. Sam liable. The total sum Mr. Lucyshyn owes the two is around $500,000.
But according to Mr. Sam and Mr. Heinrich’s lawyer, the hardest part of the ordeal isn’t the money.
“My clients have put their whole life and energy into making that gallery what it was. Unfortunately it seems like the new owner did not treat it the same way,” Nicholas M. Vaartnou said in an interview.
Other civil claims include one filed in November by George Pawliuk, where the plaintiff gave 10 paintings to Winchester Gallery. Mr. Lucyshyn sold one for over $40,000 but consistently failed to pay Mr. Pawliuk the money owed, the suit claimed.
A claim filed in March by Janet Baker also had Mr. Lucyshyn on the hook for taking paintings. This one involved three separate pieces, valued at a total of $46,000.
All three civil claims obtained default judgments against Mr. Lucyshyn, meaning he had not responded to the claims within the designated period. Ms. Baker obtained her case’s judgment on Friday.
However, Mr. Vaartnou and Eric Clausen, the lawyer for Ms. Baker, are worried that their clients will not see the money they are owed. According to a petition filed to the B.C. Supreme Court by the Bank of Nova Scotia, Mr. Lucyshyn’s mortgage is in default. He owes $674,199.
“Unfortunately it’s very difficult to recover on judgments in cases like this,” Mr. Clausen said in an interview. “But we’re certainly hoping that there’s some chance.”
The 1,000 pieces of artwork are currently being stored in a secure location, and the police are filing through each one with the hope of returning the pieces to their original owners.
“We know they have a sentimental value that is hard for us to comprehend. We will do our very best to reunite the owners with their work,” Mr. Anastasiades said.
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LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
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