Slovak collectors duped by fake paintings

The German version of the online auction site eBay.com is offering counterfeit paintings which are being falsely presented as originals by reputable Slovak painters, catching out some prospective buyers. This was reported by the SME daily on Thursday. While an original oil painting by the famous Slovak modernist Martin Benka (1888-1971) could fetch up to €50,000, eBay has it listed for €700. Peter Sečkár, a Slovak living in Germany, purchased six paintings by various Slovak painters on eBay for €4,000 in total, assuming he was purchasing originals. However, when he showed the paintings to an expert, his satisfaction with getting a good deal quickly faded. "I only took them out of the [protective] covering and I was told from a 5-metre distance, 'don't even take them out. They are fake'," Sečkár told the daily. The Munich-based company Art Trading, which sells the counterfeits on the website, refused to say who supplied them with the paintings. "The supplier is a Slovak who is getting rid of their collection," said the company.