Thomas Kinkade, one of nation's most popular painters, dies in Los Gatos

[marions ghost]

159. "they wanted a surefire investment"

--and if they had really done their homework before spending thousands they would not have bought.
You support my case that Kinkade enhanced reproductions were risky investments sold under false pretenses to buyers who trusted that his dealers were reputable. If we had anything like a real better business bureau or consumer advocacy agencies he would have been out of business.

"Most of these buyers didn't love Kinkades's art" -- I tend to agree. They might have liked it OK but it wasn't so much about the art as the sense of specialness and feeling like an art collector--they thought they were buying a status symbol. (But I would argue that a lot of buyers of good art do the same thing, they are just a lot savvier--that in and of itself does not make them deserving to be ripped off).

Just like volatile stocks, there will be dumping and there will be buying right now. Since none (NONE) of the originals are being sold now (they are in his museum)--the buyers of what is for sale of the vast body of retouched reproductions are throwing their money away, likely still believing they are a good investment.