Smoke Damage on Collectibles, Memorabilia, Heirlooms, Art and Antiques – Tips For Making An Insurance Claim – Smoke Damaged Oil Paintings

What is so important about heirlooms? Why even bother? Be sure you know the answer before you talk to your insurance claims adjuster.

This authoritative article helps you (or someone you may know) to ask better questions and be more aware as you respond to your insurance company about fire, water and smoke damage. Call me on my mobile if you have questions! 805 570 4140.

I was recently the expert witness for 360 residents with claims against PG&E in the Thomas and Woolsey Fires in CA (and the Montecito debris flow), figuring out the equation for calculating a value for cleaning and restoring collectibles, heirlooms, art and memorabilia. That number was not contested and the claims were settled out of court.

Insurance companies need to find the right people, “Expert Brokers” for specialized claims, like art… especially if your claim is being handled by an “Independent Adjuster.”  An independent adjuster that consults with us as needed, out of Orange, CA, was asked to write this review up for you, given the “journey” we went on together to look in on a widow out in St. George, Utah who had a fire and lots of smoke damage. You will benefit greatly by following his advice. His tips are “gold.”  Scott M. Haskins, Art Conservator

Fished out of the trash thinking that it was a total loss, it was brought back, treasured and valuable!!! (From Disney’s Haunted House in Anaheim)

Tips For Making An Insurance Claim for Art and Antiques, Collectibles and Memorabilia

This article will help you discover a few valuable tips for making a successful insurance claim for damaged artwork, antiques, memorabilia, heirlooms and collectibles etc. which are exposed to smoke. I am a professional fine art insurance claims expert and I broker the expert services needed by the insurance companies to settle their claims. I’m going to share with you some insights from working on a couple of cases that will give you the inside info.

I work with art conservators all the time who work on smoke damaged items in their art conservation labs (Click Here for a quick video tour). I am often hired by insurance companies which deal with fine art claims. My job is to assess smoke damage to heirlooms, collectibles, antiques, keepsakes and memorabilia etc. when the owners of these articles file a claim. I’ve traveled as far as 1000 miles to look over damage and help settle the claim on smoke damage.

This painting exhibits warping from water damage, as well as flaking and discoloration

This painting was saved from the flames but practically destroyed by the water! Let’s talk about it before you toss it!!

Below are two smoke damage fine arts policy cases I handled. I hope this throws some light on ways to protect your collectibles and to look ahead at how you can be prepared in order to make appropriate claims if needs be. Those who collect and love their antiques, delicate furnishing, collectibles, family history and heirlooms etc. will for sure benefit from this article.

State Farm Asks: Is Smoke Damage Possible From 40 miles Away?

Waiting too long to file a claim will open you up to contamination of the evidence.

A short time ago I was asked to evaluate the fine finishes (gilding) and the artwork in an important estate in Los Angeles which claimed over $1/2 million damage. The prestigious property had a policy’s; part with State Farm, part with Chartis (previously known as Chubb Insurance Company) and filed a claim for smoke damage to their frames, sculptures, fine arts, murals and gilt surfaces etc. due to the smoke from a fire that took place 40 miles away and 2 years previously! The insurance companies assigned me to assess whether the articles were actually damaged by smoke or not.

In this case it was obvious that over the past two years lots of dust particles had settled on these articles as compared to possible smoke deposits from 2 years back thereby contaminating the possible evidence. (one important tip, don’t wait but file the claim while the event is recent for the best considerations and handling of your claim, Another tip: document the irrefutable damage as soon as it happens.. it will be your proof!). With the help of expensive scientific analysis, the amount of dust deposits and smoke could have been estimated separately. But, they asked me to drop the test as it would have cost them more than a $1000. And if many multiples of test sampled had been required the analysis could have been many $1,000s. In any case, I had an art conservator to come in and give me back up for a thorough inspection.

Screenshot

Smoke damage?

In the entry, there were 5 vaulted ceilings similar to this one, except the crown moldings were in gold leaf.

I read the fine art insurance claim documentation very carefully which included 10 pages of detailed descriptions about the different items and finishes which were claimed to have been subjected to smoke deposits and corrosion. As I walked through the house inspecting the items, the claimant gave me the red carpet tour of the entire estate and explained to me the damages which he had noticed. According to him the gilt finishes had suffered a change in color due to smoke but, I didn’t agree with his argument. Besides the gilt items being coated with a protected lacquer, the finish’s surfaces appeared to simply vary in their types of finishes and I did not consider them as alterations.

Perhaps the owner had forgotten the appearances of the various finishes in the house and now was noticing details for the first time with the closer inspections? This kind of confusion is pretty common in claims for damage. This becomes a topic for debate between the claimant and the insurance company.

In the end, I was not in favor of the claimant’s point of view. After careful inspection of all articles and their finishes I completed my report stating clearly that there were no alterations in the colors and finishes. Therefore Chubb Insurance Company didn’t pay out on this fine arts damage claim.

In another case, however, Chubb faced another claim worth $500K for a painting damaged in storage. After checking the painting thoroughly I recommended Chubb not allow the claim. But still, the company immediately paid the claim to the claimant. Later I realized that the claimant was a major customer to the company and had plenty of collections, properties, toys and boats etc. insured with them. This incident showed that as per their business interests and not merely on their principles, the insurance companies may disallow or settle the claims. (Tip: Having all your insurance needs handled by the same company may give you leverage when it comes to a settlement)

However, such business decisions are not really my problem. My duty is to report back on the actual conditions of the claims accurately and I do this as an advocate of the artwork. I do not alter my opinion based on who is paying me (the insurance company, or the claimant). This gives me credibility as an expert witness on art related matters and when I have to appear as a legal testimony in court.

Silver that was smoked.

Next Example: Allstate Insurance Company

In this incident of smoke damage, the insurance company did everything possible, voluntarily to help their customer with this claim.

As you may be aware, huge fast moving fires can be very fickle and sometimes consume one house while leaving the house next to it. Such was the case with this family’s house. While the fire burned everything all around the house, it “only” filled the house with heavy smoke.

In this case, the Allstate Insurance set an example for all the other insurance companies as to how they should act with the intention of protecting the client’s interests. As the victims were under mental stress and trauma, these policy holders were unable to file the smoke damage claim for their collectibles, family history items and keepsakes, heirlooms, etc. Even after a whole year passed they had not yet filed a claim. Still, the insurance company kept all options open and was waiting for them to address the issues of family keepsakes.

As an expert in the preservation and saving of treasured family items from smoke damage I brought in Scott M. Haskins, author of “How To Save Your Stuff From A Disaster” and owner of Fine Art Conservation Laboratories (FACL, Inc.).  His company acted as the coordinator between the claimants and the insurance company. They gave all the possible help to the affected people in preparing their claims. They helped the client prepare a complete list of keepsakes and collectibles together with photographs and helped them to complete the claim making procedure. They also recommended special treatments for articles such as drawings, sculpture, photo albums, rare books and artworks etc. which must never be cleaned with industrial products. They made a list of around 550 various items including photos, paintings, antiques, books, furniture and statues etc. All these objects were damaged by smoke.

FACL Inc. performed the evaluation and gave the report and assessment to help file the claim. Once the formalities were completed between the insured and the insurance company, they helped the claimants in the conservation of articles by getting rid of the smoke smell & deposits.

An art conservator is not an appraiser. In fact, it’s usually considered a conflict of interest for a restorer to give you an opinion on value. So, that will be a separate task, that of finding an appraiser that will give you the correct value.

Wiped and said to be cleaned by another restorer, the 1st attempt to properly restore this valuable family portrait was poorly done. The difference from actually removing the damage is extreme. I had to contract FACL to do the follow up cleaning properly.

To conclude, here are 5 important tips to file a fine art policy claim of smoke damages:

  1. All the important documentation of the collectible’s records must be copied and kept in another location away from the collection. Online storage is a good option but remember to inquire about personal information security. To make this point, here is the short video of an interview with a woman that suffered a house fire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lCx-xg4BMY
  2. Since items made of metal corrodes very quickly by ash and smoke, immediate action must be taken.
  3. Insurance agents should be informed right away and with the proper documentation.
  4. Always hire a true professional when it comes to cleaning the artworks and antiques etc. Don’t allow general house cleaners and disaster response clean up companies to clean them.
  5. To avoid errors while filing the claim, ask the experts for help in order to determine the degree of damages.

Give Scott Haskins a call for a free chat: 805 564 3438 office, 805 570 4140 mobile

Gena Dillon, Disaster Response Coordinator 805 564 3438

For art appraisal questions? Call Richard Holgate 805 895 5121 mobile

Even though the heirloom painting was a throw away because of the extensive smoke damage, according to the owner, he was elated that the cleaning brought it back to its original condition.

If this article answered questions, provided guidance and educated, please click on the “LIKE” – THUMBS UP at the top of the page. Also, please leave a comment!

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What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”?

When something is published, usually by a news source, and is made available through different venues for redistribution then it is said to be syndicated. Publications that are syndicated are usually considered of value as being from an expert, educational, new worthy or valuable for wide popular interest. See syndication page at the renowned publicity site: https://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=308641

This website’s syndication included:

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2) Included in the ‘Speaker Bureau Platform Page.’

3) Shown on the front page of ExpertClick, in rotation with other most recent posts.

4) Shown in the ‘News Release Results page.’

5) Included on optimized for searches on all my topics of expertise.

6) Shown via RSS linked from the Press Room. (A specific way news is actively distributed within the industry)

7) Shown in the full RSS feed from ExpertCick. (Another, different specific way news is actively distributed within the industry)

8) Syndicated to LexisNexis.com As of 2006, the company had the world’s largest electronic database for legal and public-records related information, distributor of academic content and expert opinion.

Posted in Disaster/Emergency Response, Expert Witness/Legal Testimony, FACL in the media, In Lab, Water Damage | Tagged | Leave a comment

Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion Portraits, Saved and Restored.

Its a bit of a coup to get an article syndicated, and its certainly prestigious, as additional “proof” that the info and the author are considered far and wide authoritative and an expert in the field. This article was syndicated for USA national redistribution. What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”? See end of article for explanation. So, enjoy and trust our content!!

By Scott M. Haskins, Head of Conservation

Are you aware that there are five Haunted Mansion versions that exist at Disney World, Disneyland Anaheim, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland?

Walt Disney used the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California, as inspiration for the ride. But, The Disneyland Anaheim mansion is supposed to be representative of a New Orleans home.

The Winchester House, once owned by Sarah Winchester, is known for its immense size, architectural oddities, and the fact that Sarah believed it was haunted by the ghosts of those killed by Winchester rifles.

The original 2 Disneyland designers disagreed on how the haunted mansion concept would be built. One wanted it to be funny, while the other wanted it to be scary. In the end, the two themes were combined… and I’m pleased to see that it’s more entertaining than terrifying.

The first mansion opened at Disneyland Anaheim on August 9, 1969 and, as you can imagine, there have been renovations in the last 56 years. In fact there have been renovations at several of the haunted houses as technology has developed.

My father was an elementary school district superintendent in Anaheim, California during my earlier years growing up and all of the local schools used to get discounted access to Disneyland once a year. There must’ve been other promotional programs also because as a child from very young through my teenage years, we would go to Disneyland at least a couple of times a year and I remember one weekend where we went all three days on single day passes. Not only was the haunted house one of the new attractions 16 years after the amusement park opened, it has persisted as one of the most popular attractions in the park.

The 4 family portraits at the entrance of the Haunted Mansion that we preserved and restored a few years ago

Just to refresh your memory, when you enter the attraction of the Haunted House you gather into an entryway of the mansion, where the story of the hauntings begins, and the floor imperceptibly lowers, magically expanding the height of the room. As the room becomes hauntingly taller, the four paintings on the walls are apparently stretched from about 4 feet to 10 feet tall, changing the appearance from a pretty picture of a mansion’s family member to a gruesome funny image. This is the introduction to the Haunted Mansion.

About 10 years ago, we were approached by a collector in the Los Angeles area who had what he thought were all four of the original paintings. Apparently, they had been discarded as part of a renovation. All four of these paintings were original oil paintings. We cleaned and varnished them and mounted the paintings so they would be stable, framed and displayed. It was really a nostalgic thrill to have them come into the lab and be responsible for their preservation as a piece of American culture. It was really fun to have them under our care for a while.

Fished out of the trash by the head electrician of a building renovation and stored rolled up for decades.

You can imagine how surprised we were about a month ago when I got a call from the Las Vegas area. The family’s grandfather had been the chief electrician at Disneyland Anaheim, who serviced the Haunted Mansion. During his employment there, as they shut down the attraction for renovation and began demolishing certain parts, the workers threw into the trash the paintings previously mentioned! The family’s father could not bear to see these iconic paintings discarded so unceremoniously he rolled 2 of them up and took them home where they have been in storage, rolled up like maps, for decades.

The children and grandchildren now are interested in having the paintings look their best so they can display them and continue to tell the funny stories that accompany their grandfather‘s work there. Checking online, they also discovered that these same images from other Disneyland Haunted Houses have come up at auction over the years and have brought up to $150,000 each!

So, once again, we are thrilled to have under our care. the preservation and restoration of two more of the paintings from the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland Anaheim.

The two paintings were stabilized, so that any flaking was stopped; they were also relaxed on a warming table so that all the cracks and distortions would lie flat; they were, of course, cleaned and very carefully touched up if there was paint missing. They received several coats of archival varnish that doesn’t yellow and new frames were built that were reproduced from photos in the Haunted Manson. What fun to see them preserved and looking great for future generations! We’re ging to redeliver them to the family in a couple of weeks… they are going to go NUTS with excitement!!!!

After art conservation treatments with new frame to reflect the style of the original frame

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Its a bit of a coup to get an article syndicated, and its certainly prestigious, as additional “proof” that the info and the author are considered far and wide authoritative and an expert in the field. This article was syndicated for USA national redistribution. What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”? See end of article for explanation. So, enjoy and trust our content!!

This article has been syndicated at https://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=308581

What does it mean to be syndicated? See end of article.

What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”?

When something is published, usually by a news source, and is made available through different venues for redistribution then it is said to be syndicated. Publications that are syndicated are usually considered of value as being from an expert, educational, new worthy or valuable for wide popular interest. See syndication page at the renowned publicity site: https://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=308581

This website’s syndication included:

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2) Included in the ‘Speaker Bureau Platform Page.’

3) Shown on the front page of ExpertClick, in rotation with other most recent posts.

4) Shown in the ‘News Release Results page.’

5) Included on optimized for searches on all my topics of expertise.

6) Shown via RSS linked from the Press Room. (A specific way news is actively distributed within the industry)

7) Shown in the full RSS feed from ExpertCick. (Another, different specific way news is actively distributed within the industry)

8) Syndicated to LexisNexis.com As of 2006, the company had the world’s largest electronic database for legal and public-records related information, distributor of academic content and expert opinion.

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Retablo at Mission San Juan Capistrano Preserved, Restored, Protected

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The front wall of the Father Serra Chapel at Mission San Juan Capistrano, CA is a very detailed, sculpted in wood, wonderfully gilt ‘retablo’ that was created in a workshop in Seville, Spain about 150 years before the mission was built. For the next two weeks, Fine Art Conservation Laboratories (FACL) will be preserving, restoring, protecting this important part of the the most famous of the The 21 Missions of California.

The monumental crucifixion, painted in 1800, was a wonderful art conservation project some years ago.

Previous restorations utilized inferior quality materials that have tarnished and the Mission is looking to ‘restore the sparkle’ of this gorgeous ‘wow’ factor of the mission, especially for the holidays arrive. More on this as the project progresses.

The tabernacle that sits on the main later in front of the Retablo

The art conservation treatments for gilding on the tabernacle, the main alter and the 6 candlestick holders are still to be scheduled. Contact the Mission Executive Director if you would like to participate in the wonderful historic preservation work that will benefit our future generations with these devotional objects.

Previously, FACL has had in the lab for stabilization, restoration and preservation the 4′-5′ carved wooden and painted statues that are in the niches and on the wall pedestals in the front of the chapel. Also, the monumental crucifixion, painted in 1800, was a wonderful art conservation project some years ago.

At the moment in our lab,, Fine Art Conservation Laboratories is also working on and consulting about artifacts and art from the Santa Barbara Mission and Mission San Luis Obispo.

Questions? Call Scott Haskins, Head of Conservation

805 570 4140 or faclartdoc@gmail.com

#ScottMHaskins #VirginiaPanizzon, @FineArtConservationLaboratories, @SanJuanCapistrano @MissionSanJuanCapistrano @OldSpanishMissions @FatherJuniperoSerra

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Its a bit of a coup to get an article syndicated, and its certainly prestigious, as additional “proof” that the info and the author are considered far and wide authoritative and an expert in the field. This article was syndicated for USA national redistribution.

This article has been syndicated at https://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=307482

What does it mean to be syndicated? See end of article.

What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”?

When something is published, usually by a news source, and is made available through different venues for redistribution then it is said to be syndicated. Publications that are syndicated are usually considered of value as being from an expert, educational, new worthy or valuable for wide popular interest. See syndication page at the renowned publicity site:

This website’s syndication included: https://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=307482

1) Included in the ExpertClick Press Room as a ‘press release.’ (different than a ‘news release’)

2) Included in the ‘Speaker Bureau Platform Page.’

3) Shown on the front page of ExpertClick, in rotation with other most recent posts.

4) Shown in the ‘News Release Results page.’

5) Included on optimized for searches on all my topics of expertise.

6) Shown via RSS linked from the Press Room. (A specific way news is actively distributed within the industry)

7) Shown in the full RSS feed from ExpertCick. (Another, different specific way news is actively distributed within the industry)

8) Syndicated to LexisNexis.com As of 2006, the company had the world’s largest electronic database for legal and public-records related information, distributor of academic content and expert opinion.

Posted in Historic Preservation, Saving Public Art | Tagged | Leave a comment

Mural Restoration Expert Removes Iconic Mosaic Mural From BYU-Hawaii David O. McKay Building Prior To Demolition

This article was syndicated for USA national redistribution. What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”? See end of article for explanation. So, enjoy and trust our content!! This project has been of special interest to many who identify with BYU-H, etc… so, spread this or share this with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and BYU–Hawaii Alumni!

Back on June 21st, I posted on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FineArtConservation/ and https://www.facebook.com/bestartdoc/ … request “Friends”, leave a thumbs up, leave a comment?) that we were part of a team to save an iconic and historic mosaic mural on the North Shore of Oahu at BYU-Hawaii. The iconic mural has greeted visitors to the entrance of Brigham Young University-Hawaii Pacific cultures educational center for many decades and has been widely published.

Well, a week or so ago, we completed the removal of the entire cement wall, saving 100% of the historic mosaic mural in good condition, and have it documented for the architects and admin who will determine its reinstallation at an unknown future time. It was 1 of 3 murals in the entrance of the university. The other 2, I removed from their walls last Dec. 2023 which are also waiting for details of their reinstallation. The previous two murals were painted in oil on canvas and were adhered to the wall. Each of these murals measures 11′ high by 33′ wide. We’ve been working with Okland Construction Co. on this project. Whereas most murals are made of ceramic or stone, this mosaic was made at a workshop in Venice, Italy out of glass tesserae.

The concept (it is not an image captured of an actual event) of the mosaic mural is by the artist, Edward Grigware, which came to represent Hawaii becoming a State of the USA and the establishing of the educational center for all Pacific cultures.

Obviously, after the facing-carrier-armature-protective layers were applied to the surface of the mosaic, then we couldn’t see the composition to guide the removal process. So, I made a map of the mural and transferred it to the front of these layers to guide us.

This is the completed map showing the planned removal. But, it turned out that we were able to remove the mosaic in much larger pieces thereby resulting in 75% fewer cuts. With this map, every piece is documented and can be put back together like a puzzle. This is, actually, the way the mosaic mural was made (then shipped) to the installation site originally… in 1 ft sq. pieces and then put together like a puzzle.

Kory Ates and Mike Terry from Okland Construction assisted me in the removal process. In all, I think we lifted about 4,000 lbs of mosaic and cement off the wall!

Here is the mosaic mural wall… without the mural, which has been removed with its cement wall.

Each section of the mosaic mural is numbered and inventoried, then stored according to its position on the wall for easy retrieval. Each pallet has the entire mural map and also paperwork with more precise details. We now await the plans from admin and architects to plan out the restoration process.

The restoration process will include removing the 1″-2″ cement layer from the back of the mosaic, consolidating any loose pieces/tesserae, applying new grout from the back, adhering the mosaic to a new support or backing, removing and cleaning the facing-carrier-armature-protective layers which were applied to the surface of the mosaic, and then any fine tuning for appearance sake.

Was this blog post interesting or provoke a feeling? Leave a comment below! Click on the thumbs up at the beginning! This project has been of special interest to many who identify with BYU-H, etc… so, spread this or share this with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and BYU–Hawaii Alumni! Send them the URL. 

Questions? Call Scott M. Haskins, Art Conservator

805 570 4140 faclartdoc@gmail.com

#mosaic #mosaicart #hawaiianart #mosaicmural #savingart #artconservation #muralconservation #muralrestoration @ScottMHaskins @FineArtConservation @VirginiaHaskinsPanizzon @GenaDillon #TheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints #byuhawaii #BYU–Hawaii #BYU–HawaiiNews #HawaiianHistoricalSociety

This project has been of special interest to many who identify with BYU-H, etc… so, spread this or share this with members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and BYU–Hawaii Alumni! Send them the URL.

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“Your blog post has been syndicated at ExpertClick.com”

Its a bit of a coup to get an article syndicated, and its certainly prestigious, as additional “proof” that the info and the author are considered far and wide authoritative and an expert in the field. This article was syndicated for USA national redistribution. What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”? See end of article for explanation. So, enjoy and trust our content!!

This article has been syndicated at https://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=307300

 What does it mean to be syndicated? See end of article.

What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”?

When something is published, usually by a news source, and is made available through different venues for redistribution then it is said to be syndicated. Publications that are syndicated are usually considered of value as being from an expert, educational, new worthy or valuable for wide popular interest. See syndication page at the renowned publicity site: https://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=307300

This website’s syndication included:

1) Included in the ExpertClick Press Room as a ‘press release.’ (different than a ‘news release’)

2) Included in the ‘Speaker Bureau Platform Page.’

3) Shown on the front page of ExpertClick, in rotation with other most recent posts.

4) Shown in the ‘News Release Results page.’

5) Included on optimized for searches on all my topics of expertise.

6) Shown via RSS linked from the Press Room. (A specific way news is actively distributed within the industry)

7) Shown in the full RSS feed from ExpertCick. (Another, different specific way news is actively distributed within the industry)

8) Syndicated to LexisNexis.com As of 2006, the company had the world’s largest electronic database for legal and public-records related information, distributor of academic content and expert opinion.

See it at: https://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=307300

This project has been of special interest to many who identify with BYU-H, etc… so, spread this or share this with members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day and BYU–Hawaii Alumni! Share the URL.

Posted in FACL in the media, Historic Buildings - Construction Sites, Historic Preservation, Murals, Saving Public Art | Tagged | Leave a comment

Saving Fire, Smoke and Water Damage Art and Family Collectibles from Family Home in Los Angeles

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Last week we were very sad to be called in to follow up on a fire in a family home. Yet, we were able to see the joy on the faces of the family when we were able to help them find and determine quite a few items that could be cleaned up and saved. This is a particularly emotional moment, especially when irreplaceable family history items are saved.

Smoke, fire and water damage to a family home last week to which we assisted to save art related items and family history collectibles

A few years ago, FACL was asked to be the Expert Witness for damage and clean up estimates from smoke, fire and water damage for art related items in the law-suits representing 160 homeowners in Montecito, California against PG&E after the Thomas Fire. That quickly also included the resulting “debris flow” mudslides from the rains that followed the fire that was so devastating. Then, on the heels of those two disasters, the Woolsey Fire (which was started by more faulty electrical equipment) took out homes from the ocean, over a mountain range and to the inland freeways. FACL was the Expert Witness for damage and clean up estimates for art related items smoke, fire and water damage in settling another 150+ claims for homeowners.

While many home owners, take the money and run and don’t save, preserve and restore their artwork, or even their family history items… There are many people who have a hard time “getting over” the loss of the history of their family. The woman who owned this house that was lost in the devastating Santa Barbara Cave Fire of 1990 still mourns, 30+ years later, over the fact that she doesn’t have any photos of her babies and children growing up even though she was a scrapbook enthusiast.

Consider the value of these family history items to prompt memories and the retelling of stories in a family. They document the family’s history. In short, they contain an important part of the family’s memory and keep the heritage alive in the minds of the future generations. Throwing these types of items out results in grave multigenerational consequences.

So, the take away for you from our experience this week, of wandering through charred remains of the household is that there are many options when it comes to saving family history and art from disasters and though you may see the situation as hopeless, lets us give you some input from a different, professional perspective. Here is Virginia Panizzon, one of our veteran Art Conservators reclaiming the painting of a great grandfather that was claimed as lost or ruined by the insurance company but was actually returned to pre-damaged condition.

Art conservator, Virginia Panizzon, cleaning water damage on paintings

Professional art conservators have the expertise to mitigate the effects of water damage on paintings.

We can help you “dial in” your insurance claim and coach you with you claims adjuster so you can have a chance for a much better insurance claim settlement. At this point, you may have questions… or you may know someone going through the painful process of recouping after a disaster. Feel free to call us for a friendly, unbiased chat. The least that will happen from your phone call is that you’ll learn to ask better questions to your claims adjuster.

Here are a couple of “alerts” to help you

More damage to art and family history collectibles was done from careless handling than by the disaster.

While a household item like throw rugs, dishes, toys can be treated with household products to minimize odors, the same products and handling are going to cause damage to frames, art and antiques, vintage items, memorabilia and heirlooms.

Damage to these types of items often results in frustration and the item being thrown out. Such was the case last weekend when there was a disconnect between the father and the adult son. The son went on the search for professional services to take care of odors and mold on 3 paintings by the grandmother and dad decided to hit the artwork with a rag and an off-the-shelf cleaner and stain remover. Before we could get over to the house to inspect and answer questions the next morning, the two items the dad worked on had been thrown away and only 1 of 3 paintings were saved. There was a “lively” family discussion that resulted with many badly hurt feelings.

Are you going to throw away Grandma?

Whether its good art or not, it was painted by grandma

If you happen to have items that have a monetary value, you can imagine the compromised value if it smells badly, is mold infested or is dirty from smoke.

Fire cooked this gorgeous Pre-Raphaelite 19th century oil painting

and smoke damage choked the colors and composition.

Odors and mold also prompt physical reactions such as rashes, allergic reactions and nausea. Hard to kill, mold can re-flower at anytime if conditions are agreeable in the future.

What we do to confront the odor removal process:

  • HEPA vacuuming of dust, debris and grime – wet or dry- (we remove up to 0.035 microns)
  • Sampling in case of lab testing (toxic materials and species ID)
  • Disassembly of artwork to clean into all hidden areas
  • Encapsulation or coating of surfaces with conservation grade resins that absorb particulates and odors or seal them so they are no longer an issue (EPA approved).
  • Replace all porous materials that are not part of the artwork (back boards and matting)
  • If needed, Anoxia Tent Oxygen Deprivation Treatments – Odor removal and kills mold spores

More damage to art and family history collectibles was done from careless handling than by the disaster.

Additional info – https://www.fineartconservationlab.com/disaster-response-company-resource-smokefire-water-damage-earthquakes-hurricanes-tornados/

Gena Dillon, Disaster Response Coordinator 

Gena.FACLBusinessManager@gmail.com

Art Conservators Scott M. Haskins, Virginia Panizzon

805 564 3438

 

Here are some testimonials and examples of our work with other disaster response companies:

Smoke Damage (Testimonial): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMPlQ…

Smoke damage testimonial from PuroClean disaster response company: https://vimeo.com/250390252

Water Damage (Testimonial Mrs. Dau): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Umg_…

Water Damage (Testimonial Las Vegas): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_Yup…

Damage in Storage – Rip Repair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2Jxo…

Expert Author – Tom Antion Hurricane Testimonial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwBbc…

Water Damaged Paintings: https://animoto.com/play/YGtMXOyRkR8Z…

Water damaged art treatment – blog: https://www.fineartconservationlab.com…

Smoke Damage – Elite Restoration – Blog Post: https://www.fineartconservationlab.com…

Smithsonian guideline for home collection care: https://www.si.edu/mci/english/learn_more/taking_care/mnm.html

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What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”?

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Mural Conservation Treatments and Historic Preservation Studies Discover Important Italian Artwork and History In The Garda Lake Area

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Saving WPA Pre-World War II Murals by Ross Dickinson From Demolition in Los Angeles

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Detail of scholars in Ross Dickinson’s History of the Written Word in the library of Thomas Jefferson High School – before conservation in 2023-2024

Ross Dickinson was from California and studied with Frank Tolles Chamberlin (1873–1961) at the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles, where he became interested in mural painting. In 1926 Dickinson spent nine months in New York City studying with John Costigan at the Grand Central School of Art and Charles Hawthorne at the National Academy of Design; he also received a scholarship from the Tiffany Foundation. Dickinson returned to California later that year and studied at the Santa Barbara School of Fine Arts, where he received his first mural commission.

His painting style was well founded in “Modernism” or “Regionalism” that was so internationally prevalent as the “modern” style that was so popular. Though he was interested in murals, he was very productive with easel paintings, especially in this beginning artistic development in the 20’s and 30’s.  Years ago, FACL was the art and painting conservation team for working on the preservation and restoration of the estate of personal paintings that Ross Dickinson left to his family. William A. Karges Fine Art handled that estate in 1993 and hired us to collaborate.

But it was because of his mural abilities as an experienced and accomplished artist, Dickinson was vetted and chosen by the federal government’s Works Project Administration that was putting professional artists to work during the Depression.

Now, we have been chosen to save one of Ross Dicknson’s murals that he made under this federal program  during the Depression in 1937 that are located in the library of Thomas Jefferson High School in South Central Los Angeles. Here’s a link to the WPA “New Deal” mention of the murals: https://livingnewdeal.org/projects/thomas-jefferson-high-school-history-recorded-word-mural-los-angeles-ca/

Before Conservation of the HISTORY OF THE WRITTEN WORD by Ross Dickinson 1937

During the last two years, the pre-World War 2  era built high school in South Central Los Angeles, California has been working on a massive renovation (under the direction of the Los Angeles Unified School District – LAUSD). Preserving the “historic fabric” has been a major focus and the preservation of the WPA murals in the library from the massive demolitions and upgrading has been of special interest.

Working on the removed murals at Fine Art Conservation Laboratories. Once ready, the murals will be reinstalled back into the school’s library in their original location.

Fine Art Conservation Laboratories (FACL, Inc.) was vetted and chosen from among more than a dozen firms bidding for the contract for removing the murals, restoring them and then reinstalling them back into their original locations when the renovated library will be ready (maybe this October, 2024?). LAUSD pre-qualified FACL – Scott M. Haskins and the contract was awarded through the General Contractor, Kemp Brothers Construction Co.

During cleaning of a detail of Egyptians

Before and after cleaning

The oil on canvas murals glued to the walls with a lead based adhesive were removed last year and their preservation and restoration has been completed at FACL’s lab. The lab space is laid out and equipped for working on detached murals (10,000 sq. ft). At the moment, several other renown mural projects are under way, including another WPA project with murals from a library from San Pedro High School, in the Los Angeles, CA area.

Scott Haskins at San Pedro High School removing WPA murals by Tyrone Comfort before renovation

Questions about preserving and restoring public art murals? Call Scott M. Haskins or Virginia Panizzon at 805 564 3438 or gena.FACLbusinessManager@gmail.com See testimonials on other public works 

 

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Mural Conservation Treatments and Historic Preservation Studies Discover Important Italian Artwork and History In The Garda Lake Area

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Posted in Historic Buildings - Construction Sites, Historic Preservation, In The News About Art Conservation, Murals, Saving Public Art | Tagged | Leave a comment

Saving Public Art WPA Pre-World War II Murals by Tyron Comfort From Demolition in Los Angeles

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You may not have heard the name of Tyron Comfort even if you are a collector of vintage California art. And yet, the Works Projects Administration (WPA) would not have chosen him to paint public art murals during the Depression (in a competitive vetting process) if he had not proven himself worthy of being called a professional artist and painted for a living. It seems, though, that dying at age 30 is bad for your reputation.

During the last two years, the pre-world war 2 Depression era built high school in San Pedro, California has been planning and getting started on a massive renovation (under the direction of the Los Angeles Unified School District – LAUSD). Preserving the “historic fabric” has been a major focus and the preservation of the WPA murals in the library from the massive demolitions and upgrading has been of special interest.

The nine Work Projects Administration 1937 murals were painted by artist Tyron Comfort just 2 years before he died (of causes unknown…he was only 30 years old). What’s interesting to me is that, since San Pedro is the Port of Los Angeles with Long Beach next door, it was obviously going to be a location where we, the USA, ramped up for the upcoming World War II. The USA was not going to be at war till the end of 1941… but these paintings show preparations in 1937.

Fine Art Conservation Laboratories (FACL, Inc.) was vetted and chosen from among more than a dozen firms bidding for the contract for removing the murals, restoring them and then reinstalling them back into their original locations when the renovated library will be ready (in about 2 years from now?). LAUSD pre-qualified FACL – Scott M. Haskins and the contract was awarded through the General Contractor, Pinner Construction Co. 

The oil on canvas murals glued to the walls with a lead based adhesive were removed this last week and have been transported to FACL’s lab for stabilization and restoration. The lab space is laid out and equipped for working on detached murals (10,000 sq. ft). At the moment, several other renown mural projects are under way.

Questions about preserving and restoring public art murals? Call Scott M. Haskins or Virginia Panizzon at 805 564 3438 or gena.FACLbusinessManager@gmail.com See testimonials on other public works 

 

Syndication

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What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”?

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3) Shown on the front page of ExpertClick, in rotation with other most recent posts.

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8) Syndicated to LexisNexis.com As of 2006, the company had the world’s largest electronic database for legal and public-records related information, distributor of academic content and expert opinion.

Mural Conservation Treatments and Historic Preservation Studies Discover Important Italian Artwork and History In The Garda Lake Area

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Allen Lay, Art Collector, Said He Wanted To Prepare His Art To Make This World A Better Place

With Alan Lays passing this week, we at Fine Art Conservation Lab. will miss him. He was referred to us by Ray Redfern of Redfern Gallery in Laguna Beach and over the last few years we had the pleasure of working closely with him to go through his entire collection of early California paintings so that they will be preserved long term and look their best well into the future. He was, even in his advanced stages of poor health, enthusiastic about the adventures of collecting art, the friendships and associations he had made, and the great pleasure he received from being surrounded by his wonderful collection at home.

His favorite painting was “Girl in Pink Dress” (and a big red parasol… which also has an interesting and beautiful painting of Water Lillies #3 on the verso) by Donna Schuster which hung in his bedroom. In the process of working with him, he wanted the best job done for all of the collection’s paintings future. If you happen to see one of his paintings for sale, now you know the love and care that was given to it.

FACL is privileged to be part of preserving wonderful historical and artistic works for future generations, and feel honored to be trusted by the best private collectors who love their art.

Another aspect of the honor we feel about preserving cultural heritage is the work we do for municipalities, like the work we are presently engaged in for the city next-door to where Allen lived, preserving pre-World War II, WPA murals from demolition and collaborating with general contractors to reinstall the artwork after renovations are complete. Click here to see murals by Ross Dickinson (William A. Karges Fine Art handled the artist’s estate) and click here for murals by Tyrone Comfort (who you may not have heard of because he died at 30 years old).

Longtime Historical Collections Council of California Art (HCC-CA) member Allen Lay passed away Sunday morning. He had been in declining health over the past few months and had been in and out of the hospital several times recently.

Allen was an integral part of the HCC for nearly forty years. He has been a leader within the group, and along with Dottie, a consistent and passionate supporter and advocate for historical California art, as well as a good friend to many of us. He will be missed by all…. He is survived by Dottie and family. Memorial planning is underway.

Questions about preservation and restoration of oil and acrylic paintings?

Call Scott M. Haskins or Virginia Panizzon, Art Conservators

805 564 3438 or email gena.faclbusinessmanager@gmail.com Fine Art Conservation/Painting Restoration/Highest Professional Standards Call for free in-house consultation, art restoration services since 1975. PU/Delivery, quality cleaning of paintings, repair a rip in an oil painting, water damage, smoke damage.

Art Storage and Related Services/Professional Art Conservation Call for estimates and details about secured safe facility and services available, short term and long term, shipping and receiving, temperature controlled space available, PU/delivery, storage in same building as art conservation facility.

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What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”?

When something is published, usually by a news source, and is made available through different venues for redistribution then it is said to be syndicated. Publications that are syndicated are usually considered of value as being from an expert, educational, new worthy or valuable for wide popular interest. See syndication page at the renowned publicity site: https://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=306668

This website’s syndication included:

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2) Included in the ‘Speaker Bureau Platform Page.’

3) Shown on the front page of ExpertClick, in rotation with other most recent posts.

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8) Syndicated to LexisNexis.com As of 2006, the company had the world’s largest electronic database for legal and public-records related information, distributor of academic content and expert opinion.

Mural Conservation Treatments and Historic Preservation Studies Discover Important Italian Artwork and History In The Garda Lake Area

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Professional Art Conservation Consultation to Ensure Quality and Give Guidance in Art Collection Problem-Solving.

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Fine Art Conservation Laboratories was consulted for new lighting of the Stations of the Cross at the Santa Barbara Mission

Fine Art Conservation Laboratories consulted with collection management for new lighting of the Stations of the Cross in the main chapel of the Santa Barbara Mission

People call me all the time to ask for guidance on one thing or another related to care of and restoring paintings. Of course, some people are conscientious and are pretty good at following my instructions based on 50 years of professional practice. But, some people are incorrigible do it yourselfers and are going to do it their way no matter what. Why do they even call me? I have numerous stories about extremely stupid people thinking they’re smarter than me and do “it” their own way resulting in disaster. I usually save those stories for entertainment at dinner appointments. But I’ll mention this example quickly…

Fine Art Conservation Laboratories tried to coach this cowboy but…

A man had two very nice paintings that he wanted to bring to me and I cautioned him about handling them and protecting them so that no damage occurred when he brought them to me. He then proceeded to put them in the back of his open pick-up truck with no protection and without securing them down. They blew out of the truck onto the freeway and were shredded by the cars running over them. He managed to go back and pick them up off the freeway and still brought them to me! It was not a good meeting. I reacted to his idiocy and he reacted like I was personally offending him when I told him that one painting was going to be $12,000 and the other one would be $7000 to bring them back to perfect stable condition and undo the damage that he caused. Without a doubt, because of what he did, their market value was also compromised. I don’t understand where this state of mind comes from… I have had this exact scenario happen two or three times in my career!

6 Restored Antique Silver Candlestick Holders from the Alter at Mission Santa Barbara

Reaching out to consult with an art restoration professional to answer questions and find out options is a smart step to take when you’re concerned about planning, quality control, and a myriad of logistics. While you may be thinking that art restoration professional’s hands-on-craftsmanship type talent is all that is in play, taking advantage of the breadth and depth of this niche of knowledge can save you $10,000’s of damage repair and loss… or from overspending. This can be important for a family redistributing and disposing of keepsakes, moving and storage of art, antiques and heirlooms, and managing a collection whether it’s big or small. Find someone who works professional in this field you trust and cultivate that friendship. Here’s a quick example:

Before and after appearance of the 6 restored antique silver candlestick holders from the alter at Mission Santa Barbara

Mission Santa Barbara, The Queen of the Missions, has accumulated over the last 140 years devotional objects (artwork, library items and artifacts) that today tell an important story for the Catholic Church, the Santa Barbara area, the history of the old Spanish missions, and the history of the state of California. (If you would like support their preservation and restoration efforts, here’s a link) Although our lab specializes in the preservation and restoration of paintings, we are often assisting in conversations about processes and plans for other types of objects. Recently, we were honored and pleased to help with the restoration of six silver antique candlestick holders. We helped with their safe handling and transportation to subcontractors, helped to choose quality craftsmanship for their restoration process, and assured that the work was done as contracted. In the end, the result was exactly what was desired by the Mission and the project came in well under budget.

Santa Barbara Mission Admin receiving restored candlestick holders

We invite people to call us for questions you have about caring for and restoring artwork. In fact, I’ve written several books to help people “take care of their stuff.” I speak with and connect with people through text and email also many times a day. I’m writing this article for you, hoping you’ll find some aspect of it compelling or intriguing from an art point of view. Let what I’m relating to you expand your understanding of preserving our cultural heritage (of which your family history items are part) a little-known knowledge niche of the art world. This is kind of a “back room” conversation that the public never hears… and now you are more acquainted with!

Scott M. Haskins and Virginia Panizzon, veteran art conservators at Fine Art Conservation Laboratories

Don’t hesitate to call if you have questions. We are happy to chat with you, live, on the phone (yes, with a real person)

Scott Haskins, Virginia Panizzon

805 564 3438

gena.facl.businessmanager@gmail.com

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This blog post has been syndicated at ExpertClick.com. What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”? 
Its a bit of a coup to get an article syndicated, and its certainly prestigious, as additional “proof” that the info and the author are considered far and wide authoritative and an expert in the field. So, enjoy and trust our content!! This article was syndicated for USA national redistribution.
When something is published, usually by a news source, and is made available through different venues for redistribution then it is said to be syndicated. Publications that are syndicated are usually considered of value as being from an expert, educational, new worthy or valuable for wide popular interest. See syndication page at the renowned publicity site: https://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=305935
This website’s syndication included:
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2) Included in the ‘Speaker Bureau Platform Page.’
3) Shown on the front page of ExpertClick, in rotation with other most recent posts.
4) Shown in the ‘News Release Results page.’
5) Included on optimized for searches on all my topics of expertise.
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A Recent Call to Mission San Luis Obispo

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A couple of weeks ago, I received an invitation from the historic old Spanish mission in San Luis Obispo to help them figure out best conservation treatments and practices  for preserving, restoring the art collection and exhibiting several important items in the collection. 

I loved the Jacaranda trees in bloom around the mission. It reminded me of our last trip to Spain.

The establishing of the chain of old Spanish missions along the California coast at the end of the 1700s was of supreme importance in the history of the formation of early California for the immigration and expansion to the western side of the continent. This was the earliest “modern day” effort to organize a political system. The San Luis Obispo mission was founded in 1772 and was the fourth of 20 missions Spaced one day of travel apart from each other in the system of colonizing “upper California.“ It was completely unusable in 1877 and restored in 1933.

The violent takeover, conquering and resettling of “their” acquired lands (the Spain’s “New World”), overshadowed all feelings, military, and religious agenda, and opinions about land rights, human rights and political power. Manipulated by the military, allegiance to the Spanish monarchy and being part of the imperialistic Catholic politics, the establishing of the old Spanish missions was not, as a result, a peaceful process. The indigenous population was considered a conquered people throughout the Western hemisphere. The Spanish plan of expansion was not unique to them, but was a practiced repeated transfer of wealth between civilizations for all of recorded time. 

A thought comes to mind; what if the Pope had decided to fund Christopher Columbus’ voyages instead of the Spanish monarchy? We would not have mariachi music, tacos, nor the entire Spanish-speaking hemisphere. Instead, would everyone be speaking Italian and eating pasta? 

The old Spanish missions contain the oldest narratives and storytelling artifacts of settlers and of our state’s history. I’m honored to get the call to assist in the very meaningful preservation, restoration and collection maintenance associated with the San Luis Obispo Mission. I am as proud to be identified with this effort as I have been at any time in my career. We are also currently working with the Santa Barbara Mission Archive and Library (which is the archive for all of the California Franciscan missions), Mission Santa Barbara, and Mission San Juan Capistrano. We have also done major work for the Carmel Mission, among which we felt honored to be entrusted with preservation and restoration of the actual painting that Father Serra commissioned for his tomb plus a dozen other paintings in the main church chapel. We’ve been working with one of the major Royal Spanish land grant ranches, the Palomare’s Adobe (also known as  the Ygnacio Palomares Adobe, and as Adobe de Palomares) historical site in Pomona, Southern California. On sporadic projects, we have also worked with the Mission Santa Ynez, and the Mission Santa Buena Ventura.  

More prevalent than the influence of the Catholic Church faith that could be promoted through the missions of California, from the dust of neglect and ruin at the end of the 1800s, from a huge restoration movement of the missions and due to an “aligning of circumstances,” the missions of California inspired a romantic Old Spanish Days vibe that has influenced deeply culture and art throughout the western United States and beyond.

Mission San Luis Obispo painted by Henry Chapman Ford in about 1880 – during cleaning of grime and discolored varnish in our lab years ago for the Mission Inn in Riverside CA. In fact, the PBS did a special feature program on this project.

Since the beginning of my career in Italy in 1975, the Catholic Church has provided many many opportunities to help save important, cultural heritage, historical items, and devotional objects …. here we go again!!! More on this later!

 

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When something is published, usually by a news source, and is made available through different venues for redistribution then it is said to be syndicated. Publications that are syndicated are usually considered of value as being from an expert, educational, new worthy or valuable for wide popular interest. See syndication page at the renowned publicity site: https://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=305935

This website’s syndication included:

1) Included in the ExpertClick Press Room as a ‘press release.’ (different than a ‘news release’)

2) Included in the ‘Speaker Bureau Platform Page.’

3) Shown on the front page of ExpertClick, in rotation with other most recent posts.

4) Shown in the ‘News Release Results page.’

5) Included on optimized for searches on all my topics of expertise.

6) Shown via RSS linked from the Press Room. (A specific way news is actively distributed within the industry)

7) Shown in the full RSS feed from ExpertClick. (Another, different specific way news is actively distributed within the industry)

8) Syndicated to LexisNexis.com As of 2006, the company had the world’s largest electronic database for legal and public-records related information, distributor of academic content and expert opinion.

This article has been syndicated at https://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=305935

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