Stolen Fantasy Artwork
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Publicity is the best chance for recovery of the missing artwork.
CRATE WITH IRREPLACEABLE FANTASY PAINTINGS MISSING FROM DELIVERY VAN IN
BALTIMORE
Contact: Federal Express Security, Bob Brown 1-215-937-4700
Baltimore, October 26, 1995
A black wooden crate containinq 20 original oil paintings by prominent
illustrator, Don Maitz, and three others by author/illustrator Janny
Wurts,was missing from a Federal Express delivery van in Baltimore on
Thursday morning October 26. The paintings were all done in oils on
masonite, with themes including wizards, knights, dragons, and whimsical
fantasy creatures. The artworks were being shipped from the artists' home
in Florida to the World Fantasy Convention in Baltimore for an
exhibition.
Included on the crate were works by Don Maitz, internationally recognized
Science Fiction illustrator. These included two works done for the
special edition of Stephen King's DESPERATION, due out from Donald Grant;
seventeen new works for Guardians a card game series just released that
has sold over a million copies; and a book cover illustration for THE
MISTS OF CALEDON. Maitz is best known for his illustration of the Pirate
from Captain Morgan Spiced Rum. He has three times won Science Fiction's
preeminant Hugo award for illustration, and has also received a Silver
Medal from the Society of Illustrators in New York.
The three paintings by Janny Wurts were covers she painted for her own
novels, among them an October release in paperback from HarperCollins
titled KEEPER OF THE KEYS; its forthcoming sequel SHADOWFANE; and the
jacket painting for HarperCollins' British hardbound edition of WARHOST
OF VASTMARK, newly released this past August. Wurts is well known as a
novelist, with seven titles to her credit; and as an illustrator. Her
cover for her hardback novel, CURSE OF THE MISTWRAITH, just won this
year's Chesley Award for Best Hardbound Book Cover from the Association
of Science Fiction Artists. Her cover for MASTER OF WHITE STORM twice won
Best in Show at the World Fantasy Convention.
The crate containing the paintings disappeared at midmorning, on Lombard
Street near a construction site in the vicinity ot the Inner Harbor
Marriott in Baltimore. None of the other packages on the truck were
disturbed. The loss represents untold heartbreak for the artists who had
shipped the paintings for exhibition purposes only. Insurance on them was
a paltry $500.00 of their estimated $100,000.00 value, due to a policy by
Federal Express concerning limited liability on works of original art.
The artists relied on Federal Express's superb tracking system to inform
them promptly in event of mishap, however, the theft was not revealed to
them until 11:00 in the evening, nearly twelve hours after the event,
despite repeated calls on their part to have the crate traced. A police
report was belatedly filed by Federal Express twenty four hours later, at
the artists' distressed insistance. Due to this slow response, the only
chance for recovery of their work remains the prompt and wide publicity
of the images, that they can be recognized if they emerge in public and
draw attention. A reward is offered for their return, damaged or whole.
If you have any information regarding the disappearance or the
whereabouts of these artworks please contact the following:
Baltimore Central Police Department
1-410-396-2241 ask for Officer Eigner or Officer Driscoll
Complaint number: 1J19329
- or -
Marriott Inner Harbor Security
1-410-576-1000
A list of the stolen works follows with details on titles and dimension:
These paintings are registered with IFAR.
STOLEN PAINTINGS LIST:
3 book covers by Janny Wurts:
KEEPER OF THE KEYS, 22.5 X 30", oil on masonite
SHADOWFANE, 22.5" x 30", oil on masonite
WARHOST OF VASTMARK, 20" x 30", oil on masonite
These three were framed in gold leaf/wood. Name and title are on the
back.
By Don Maitz:
book cover for CALEDON OF THE MISTS 24" x 20", oil on masonite
2 works for the forthcoming special edition of Stephen King's
DESPERATION, from Donald Grant publishing:
DESPERATION: THE WOLF - 24" x 18", oil on masonite
This image prominently features a wolf with scorpions at his
feet and a broken statue of a dog between his front paws.
DESPERATION: THE DREAM - 11" x 14" oil on masonite
This image features a man and a boy standing on a plank
floating in the clouds, facing away from the viewer with their faces in
profile.
seventeen paintings from the Guardians game card series:
ARCHER - 9" x 12" oil on masonite
CAPTAIN RED NOSE - 15" x 11" oil on masonite
CLERIC - 11" x 14" oil on masonite
DISPELL MAGIC - 8" x 10" oil on masonite
GRAND AVATAR - 9" x 12" oil on masonite
GRAND PHOBA SCHNEEBLE 8" x 10" oil on masonite
KNIGHT CORPORAL - 9" x 12" oil on masonite
LANCER - 11" x 14" oil on masonite
PALADIN 14" x 11" oil on masonite
SEER - 11" x 14" oil on masonite
SCHNEEBLE - 8" x 10" oil on masonite
SORCERER 9" x 12" oil on masonite
SWORDSMAN 9" x 12" oil on masonite
VAMPIRE HUNTERS - 9" x 12" oil on masonite
VISIONARY - 15" x 11" oil on masonite
WARTY FIEND 8" x 10" oil on masonite
WHITE UNICORN 14" x 11" oil on masonite
All paintings by Don were framed in black aluminum.