Questroyal 2009

November 15 –December 15, 2005 Q UESTROYAL  F INE  A RT, LLC 903 ParkAvenue, Suite 3 A&B ,NewYork, NY 10021 T :(212) 744-3586 F :(212) 585-3828 Hours:Monday–Friday 10–6, Saturday 10–5 andby appointment EMAIL : gallery @ questroyalfineart.com w ww.questroyalfineart.com 75 paintings for exhibition and sale The most important show in 100 years Exhibition catalogue free upon request OPENING NIGHT November 15 , 2005 RSVP required FEATURING Musicof thenight and aglimpseof Mr.Blakelock RalphAlbert Blakelock The Great Mad Genius 25.1803 2-3 8/20/09 2:41:52 PM fig. 4 ArtNews , November 2005 never before seen, and two of his paintings set American records at auction. I spent countless hours devising a promotional strategy and placed ads in virtually every major art publication ( figs. 4 and 5 ). It was my intention to rekindle a bit of the nearly century-old fame. I had no idea that it had never really subsided; a mere spark awakened an interest that almost caused me to be evicted frommy gallery. The opening was scheduled for Tuesday, November 15 , on the eve of the full moon. Per- haps this was not one of my best ideas. The guests began to arrive, and the gallery soon became crowded. All six showrooms were at capacity within the first hour. The doorman called to say that he would activate the service elevator, as the main elevator was jammed and the building’s residents were complaining. Guests just kept coming. I asked the caterers to offer drinks in the rotunda to delay entrance to the exhibition rooms. Three of my staff spent the evening directing traffic in the hallways. Every window in the gallery was opened to let in some fresh air. Collectors arrived from virtually every state in the country. Most of the extended Blakelock family were in attendance and shared many personal anecdotes. It wasmidnight before the last guest departed. Of the eighty paintings exhibited, thirty-nine were offered for sale and thirty-seven sold on opening night; the remainder sold the next morning. In fact, some collectors were offered substantial profits, and paintings resold throughout the duration of the show. The following Friday, eminent Blakelock scholar Dr. Norman Geske was scheduled to lec- ture at the gallery. He was in his early nineties, so