Updates to our Terms of Use

We are updating our Terms of Use. Please carefully review the updated Terms before proceeding to our website.

Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Warhol Dealer Accused of Bait-and-Switch Scheme

MANHATTAN (CN) - An art dealer specializing in Andy Warhol photography bamboozled a Warhol aficionado by swapping one picture for a less valuable one of Warhol dressed as a woman, the fan claims.

Alejandra Rios says she contacted a New York City art dealer named James Hedges to buy a rare Andy Warhol picture. Hedges advertises that he has more than 150 of Warhol's photographs, according to Rios' Dec. 1 lawsuit.

Rios claims she purchased two Warhol Polaroid photographs from Hedges: a picture of musician Miguel Bose for $12,000 and a picture of actress Farrah Fawcett for $24,000. After paying Hedges, Rios says she soon received the Bose picture, but had to wait for the Fawcett photo.

After weeks of correspondence - during which Hedges' assistant allegedly assured Rios the Fawcett picture would be coming, and asked whether Rios wanted the picture of Fawcett with "teeth or no teeth?" - Rios says she finally received the second Warhol picture.

However, while the picture she received was of a blonde, it was not of Fawcett. Instead, Rios claims she received a picture of Warhol dressed in drag.

The picture, one of many Warhol self portraits, had been listed on Hedges' website for $18,000, which was $6,000 less than the payment Rios had made for the Fawcett Polaroid, according to the lawsuit.

Hedges never had the Fawcett picture and instead used a "bait and switch scheme" to "swap out and deliver a less valuable Polaroid," Rios claims.

Hedges did not return a message left on his voicemail seeking comment.

Rios seeks $24,000 for breach of contract, deceptive business practices, breach of good faith and unjust enrichment. She is represented by Adam Russ of Wasser & Russ in New York City.

Warhol, who was fascinated by the idea of mass-produced artwork, took thousands of Polaroids of himself and famous people (and dogs). Among them are pictures of himself dressed as a woman. Various iterations of his "Self Portrait in Drag" have been featured at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the Guggenheim, and other art galleries.

Follow @NickRummell
Categories / Uncategorized

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Loading...