A private individual who was selling it. He wasn't an art dealer per se but does sell art work but not exclusively. He was totally unaware of the artist and never purported it as a possibility. It either is or is not but no one has claimed it is from the artist so with that in consideration please make the evaluation. No one is trying to pass a fake. If not I have already made arrangements to take it to Christie's in south Florida but I thought maybe you could come to some idea however I don't know your organization and would not trust a comparative analysis. The painting was sold for less than$100. Please make a general evaluation assuming that it was not created to be a forgery.

Thanks, Whit. I've given this the benefit of the doubt but it's good that you hare having it examined firsthand. You might also get second opinions from Sotheby's and Phillips, both of whom have sold Basquiat's works well.